Responsibility and innovation for a sustainable future
Sustainability is more than just a buzzword at Osmo - it is the basis of all our business activities and is therefore deeply rooted in our company philosophy. As an industrial company, we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the environment. Every commitment is valuable and we are proud to play our part by respecting nature and doing our best every day to preserve and protect it. This also means that Osmo only uses raw materials that fulfil the highest quality standards and are subject to constant testing and checks.
Our products are the result of over 140 years of experience with wood and 60 years of innovation in coating and colour technology. All our knowledge of wood and coating systems goes into developing the best products that stand for certified sustainability and healthy living.
We rely on natural ingredients such as sunflower, linseed, soybean and thistle oil, and do not use any preservatives, heavy metals or flavourings in the production of our natural-oil-based coatings. Our coatings for the interior and exterior are safe to use and, depending on requirements, suitable for children's toys, food-safe and certified to the highest standards. In the wood industry, we actively support sustainable forestry and have fulfilled the strict FSC® and PEFC standards since 2005.
For us, it is a matter of course that our commitment goes beyond product development and that we are constantly working to optimise our processes and the materials we use.
Based on the rules of the circular economy, we therefore consider it a fundamental task to handle the use of plastics for our entire accessories range and for packaging in the coating range responsibly. Our aim is to reduce the use of plastics as far as possible and thus make an important contribution to environmental protection.
We are therefore currently changing our range of coatings and coating accessories: All plastic containers, such as Osmo Wash and Care (1.0 l), will be in future made from 98% recycled PCR material, and by the end of the year only PCR will be used for the packaging of the oil finish applicator fleece.
Post-consumer recycled material is a plastic that is made of the waste from end consumers. As one of the components of the European Green Deal is to increase the proportion of recycled packaging; this switch to PCR is a measure that seems to us an absolutely logical next step.
Our cardboard packaging for accessory products will also be designed to be plastic-free wherever possible in future.
While various packaging materials can be easily and cleanly returned to the economic cycle if they are collected by type, separated correctly and recycled appropriately, the effort required for material combinations such as cardboard and plastic (e.g. cardboard boxes with windows) is always significantly higher.
The first packaging updates have already been implemented and are gradually being introduced to the market.
For example, in future our Flat Brushes will be packaged in cardboard instead of plastic wrap.
In addition, all containers for our coating systems, for example our tried-and-tested Polyx®-Oil Original, are made of tinplate that can often be endlessly recycled. This can be seen on the “Metal Forever Loop” mark on the can lid.
With our packaging changes, we do not want to push individual measures, but rather set new, sustainable standards and see the relaunch as an opportunity to strengthen our sustainability standing on the market.
The installation of a photovoltaic system with an output of 4,639 kWp at the Warendorf location at the end of this year/beginning of next year is a further step in our endeavours to produce sustainably. We use renewable energy, recycle scrap wood and use solely electric forklifts in our coating production in Münster in order to improve our carbon footprint.
Osmo stands for a green future, in which sustainable behaviour and healthy living go hand in hand. We are determined to continue on our path and make the world a better place – for us and for the environment.
We look forward to keeping you informed of our progress and taking the next steps towards a sustainable future together with you.
