Formica Corporation makes it a priority to offer architects, designers and consumers a full range of surfacing products that are environmentally friendly. At Formica, we will continually strive to create innovative products that promote a healthy environment.
Our Green Story
Mission Statement Manufacturing Products Green Steps
Certification
 
Processes Raw Material Management: Formica Corporation uses stainless steel plates to impart surface on the majority of laminates it produces. This process has replaced a paper release system, thereby saving thousands of trees per year and conserving the energy resources required to convert the trees into paper. In addition, by not using release paper, Formica Corporation has reduced the amount of scrap paper it sends to landfill by as much as 80,000 cubic yards per year. The wood used in the manufacturing of Formica® brand laminate filler paper comes from non-rainforest timber. Formica Corporation has eliminated the use of heavy metals in decorative papers.

Typical Formica High-Pressure Decorative Laminate (HPDL) is comprised of more than 2/3 paper (in fact, 72% paper from cellulose). The paper is derived from trees, which are a managed, renewable resource. Documentation is available from paper suppliers. Trees are "harvested" on a 25-year planting cycle rather than an annual planting cycle like most farm products. Trees generate cellulose as they grow and mature, through photosynthesis, and in the process, consume carbon dioxide, and generate and replenish oxygen (consumed in all combustion processes). Waste Management Laminate residues generated during the manufacturing process are burned in Formica Corporation power boilers. This significantly reduces the amount of solid waste sent to landfills and reduces the use of non-renewable fuels such as natural gas and coal. Sample chips are recycled by Formica Corporation corporate and distributor sales representatives. All current items are re-collated into new sample sets. Air Pollution Controls Formica Corporation controls particulate emissions at its manufacturing facilities with control devices that operate at 99% efficiency. Installation of state-of-the-art equipment to control Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions at the Ohio facility has steadily reduced VOC emissions over the last few years. In addition, Formica Corporation has replaced solvent-based phenolic resins with water-based phenolic resins, thereby greatly reducing VOC emissions. Formica Recycling: Sander Dust Recycling Laminate sheets are sanded on the backside to create fine grooves in the material, thus increasing the surface area and allowing the laminate to adhere to substrates more easily. The sanding dust generated during this process is collected in bag filters and incinerated. The heat from incineration is used to create steam that heats our laminate presses. This effort reduces natural gas consumption by 30 to 40%. Laminate Sheets Usable portions of otherwise damaged laminate sheets are salvaged at the cut down saw. Protective Barrier Portions of damaged sheets of non-decorative laminate are used as protective barriers on top of stacks of laminate ready to be shipped. The barrier protects laminate from scratches. Samples Damaged sheets are salvaged and used for samples, rather than being disposed of. Kraft Paper Formica Corporation uses a Kraft paper that contains 40% recovered material (by-products from lumber operations). Corrugated Core The corrugated core on which our papers arrive is recycled into other cardboard products. Paper Unusable Kraft paper, wrappers from the outside of the paper rolls and Kraft paper that has been used as padding during the pressing of laminate, is collected and recycled. Steam The burning of our own scrap generates 40% of the steam that is used at the manufacturing facility. Banding Straps Metal Banding Straps are being phased out and replaced with plastic straps that can easily be reused and after reuse, can be recycled. Water Based Glues Formica offers water-based glues to be used for the installation of its products, replacing solvent-based glues. These glues are low in volatile organic compound (VOC) content. Closed Loop High Pressure Hot Water One of four Evendale, and two of the St. Jean presses are closed loop, high-pressure hot water (HPHW) heated (as are the three Taiwan, three Qingpu, two Bangkok, and all the European presses). Closed loop high-pressure hot water (HPHW), rather than direct steam heating, saves 30-35% energy (natural gas or oil boiler fuel) each press cycle, primarily the result of conserving the steam (converted to HPHW) latent heat of vaporization. A surprising 70% of the total boiler energy required to heat steam, or steam in turn to HPHW, at 200 degrees C is the heat of vaporization transition. With conventional steam heated presses, this energy is lost as the steam passes through steam traps after the press and flashes to ambient pressure condensate. The HPHW systems' energy savings are maximized with secondary use of cyclomizers, which capture and reuse a portion of the presses' spent HPHW residual heat. Additionally, with the HPHW systems, press cooling water is reused (by means of heat exchangers and cooling towers), rather than sending the cooling water, unrecovered, to either a catchment pond or sanitary sewer.

Qingpu and most of the European plant treaters employ HPHW heating, rather than direct steam, resulting in about 25% energy savings for the same primary reason as with HPHW heated presses. The Evendale plant #99 treater, with its natural gas fired oven, also saves some energy compared to direct steam, although not as efficiently as would HPHW. Natural Gas-Fired Boilers Converted Evendale, Qingpu and England coal-fired to cleaner burning, state-of-the-art, natural gas-fired boilers. regenerative thermal oxidizer and carbon adsorption units For phenolic treater emission control, Evendale has installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer; the England, Taiwan and Qingpu phenolic treaters are equipped with carbon adsorption units. Stainless steel plates To reduce natural resources consumption, pre-textured stainless steel plates have replaced traditional aluminum sheets. The pre-textured stainless steel plates can be used multiple times, the aluminum sheets could be used only once. Core papers Core papers are received by rail to save energy versus trucking. steam 12% of the steam that is used at the manufacturing facility is generated by the burning of our own scrap. We have in progress an effort to increase this amount by 30% at our facility in Evendale, which will be complete in 2008 pallets Some scrap pallets are ground into fuel for the production of steam. tree trimmings Formica Corporation has accepted tree trimmings from local communities. Trimmings are turned into energy to produce steam. hydraulic oils Press hydraulic oils are recycled. scrap metal Formica Corporation recycles scrap metal from maintenance departments. batteries Maintenance departments recycle batteries. scrap laminate Formica Corporation has established a cut down program that turns scrap laminate into a product used to replace drilling mud.

Usable portions of otherwise damaged laminate sheets are cut down to the next appropriate size and salvaged. LIGHTING Lighting that turns off automatically conserves energy use at the Evendale offices.