Circular economy in our own operations
In our own operations, we are constantly improving our processes by increasing resource efficiency. We aim to maximize the use of renewable and recycled raw materials in our technology offering by closing cycles in production processes, cascading the use of production sidestreams, and reducing waste.
We implement the circular economy in our everyday operations by continuously improving our performance in several circularity-related areas.
To improve the resource efficiency of our production operations, we regularly conduct energy audits, comply with quality and environmental standards, and apply the LEAN principle.
A fundamental part of the circularity work at Valmet is our take back, exchange and reconditioning programs. Our global network of workshop services reconditions everyday rolls, feeders, shafts and screens, extending the lifecycle for our customers. We also have exchange programs where winder units are rebuilt and upgraded. In addition, about 1,200 tonnes of refiner segments and 3,500 winder slitters are taken back for recycling each year.
In 2024, we successfully continued industrial-scale pilot recycling of used press felts by studying the climate impact of mechanical and chemical recycling of felts through lifecycle assessment (LCA) calculations. More significant piloting and new partners for collection and recycling have been identified.
All Valmet foundries have targets for the use of recycled metal. In 2024, the share of recycled steel and iron in Valmet’s foundries reached 77 percent. During the year, recycling of internal side streams from fabrics production back to yarns was further investigated, and new material streams collected and sent to partners for recycling. Production side streams can be turned into plastic pellets for demanding applications such as electronics enclosures, furniture parts, and vehicle components.
We map our waste streams to find circularity opportunities through material reuse, recycling, and recovery. Since 2019, we have increased the share of reused or recycled waste to 77 percent from the 2019 baseline of 57 percent. For example, 9,700 tonnes of foundry sand are reused by partners in road construction and land stabilization, and the wood waste of our Helsinki plant is reused to make chipboard for furniture. We are actively shifting to more sustainable packing materials by minimizing packaging, reducing plastics, and increasing the use of renewable materials.