PROFILE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Alphacan is a global leader in the development and manufacture of PVC profiles for windows, doors and shutters. The company continues to expand and leads the field in sustainable manufacturing and innovative profile design, as Philip Yorke reports.
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lphacan was founded by the Bonetti family in the early 1970s as a local manufacturer of profiles for windows. Having established the popular Profilia and Fersina brands, it then became a business division of the Alphacan Group. Today the Alphacan Group designs and produces a comprehensive range of PVC frame systems. These include profiles for windows, French windows, shutter systems, entry systems, sliding doors and special fittings. Alphacan prides itself on its leadership when it comes to the development of sustainable products and continuously increases the efficiency of external shell constructions that result in buildings with significantly reduced energy consumption. The Alphacan Group operates five modern plants in Europe, employs more than 800 people and is an integral part of the Kem One Innovative Vinyls division, which has two state-of-the-art R&D centres as well as a capacity of more than 85,000 tonnes of PVC profiles a year. Alphacan is the Italian division of the Group and manufactures and distributes its advanced profile systems all over the world.
High performance profiles Alphacan is a founding member of many of Europe’s leading institutions and trade associations and complies with all current environmental legislation concerning energy, quality and sustainability. It comes as no surprise therefore that Alphacan sets the industry standards for others. The quality of a product is often determined by the excellence of its raw materials, as a company spokesman explained: “We do believe that it is essential to make it well understood that Alphacan compounds are very carefully selected and finely mixed in order to create a unique and efficient formulation. “Technical performance of Alphacan PVC profiles is unparalelled with regard to thermal and sound insulation properties, as well as being impervious to water and wind, and its ability to maintain its strength and safety over long periods of time is undisputed. Following tests performed by our own in-house laboratory, product performance is then tested and 94 Industry Europe
certified by recognised independent, international certification agencies to ensure the highest possible quality. In addition, employing highly trained and dedicated staff along with a policy of continuous improvement are two of the cornerstones of Alphacan’s set of values.”
Inspired sustainability The company is committed to the protection of the environment and combines this with a dedicated sustainability perspective. Alphacan takes its inspiration from a quote by the writer Antoine de Saint-Exhupery, who in the ‘Little Prince’ states: “We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children.” In Life Cycle Studies (LCA), PVC when compared to other materials returns excellent results with regard to environmental impact beginning with production, through the many manufacturing processes to the disposal and recycling of the product at the end of its life-cycle. It is well worth noting that all production waste and scrap is crushed and re-introduced into the on-going production processes. Today, after more than 70 years in production, PVC remains one of the most diffused and environmentally-friendly products on the market.
Increasing exports Although Alphacan is very much an Italian company and a national brand leader, it has been consistently increasing its export sales worldwide. This is particularly true in the Balkan regions and in Latin America and was the first company to introduce PVC profiles in South East Asia, which is an area characterised by a tropical climate with high humidity and extreme temperature fluctuations. Over the years Alphacan has developed and consolidated its business in its key target markets of southern Europe, further strengthening its export drive. Thanks to the company’s integrated operations, the potential of its export markets is considerable. The unequalled resistance, reliability andcdusrability over long periods of time has played a part in the company’s success in overseas markets.
