InterfaceFLOR steps up war on waste

The global pioneer in sustainable practices adds new technologies for leaner, greener manufacturing

InterfaceFLOR is continuing to push the boundaries of sustainable manufacturing with the introduction of two leading-edge technologies that will significantly reduce manufacturing waste at its facilities. 

The global modular flooring specialist has installed a bespoke ultrasonic cutting machine based on NASA technology, which will double output and enable InterfaceFLOR to eliminate several hundred tonnes of waste per year from the manufacturing process. 

It has also developed a pioneering ‘Cool Green™’ system that allows it to recycle manufacturing and carpet waste back into its products for the first time; this not only reduces the material sent to landfill but also heralds a new dimension of ‘green’ manufacturing for the company.

The new technologies are inspired by InterfaceFLOR’s Mission Zero ambition - its pledge to be the world’s first fully sustainable company by 2020.  They are part of the company’s efforts to actively move away from the traditional manufacturing approach of ‘take, make, waste’ towards one that mimics nature’s recurring cycles, by recycling and re-using whatever waste is made.  ‘Cool Green™’ has particular significance as it enables InterfaceFLOR  to reuse waste, such as from the  manufacturing process, in its new products .

Ton van Keken, Senior Vice President Operations for InterfaceFLOR in Europe comments, “We consider waste to be any cost which does not produce value to the customer.  Under this definition, eliminating waste is much more than reducing the material we send to landfill; it is also about improving ‘wasteful’ activities – any process that could be done faster, with more output or with less time and energy.

He continues, “Our global waste reduction programmes have already achieved fantastic results, reducing the total volume of manufacturing waste to landfill by 66% and delivering $405 million in cumulative avoided waste costs.  However, with 12 new products being launched this spring, we believe now is the time for us to reduce our manufacturing waste even further.”

InterfaceFLOR is the only flooring company currently using the ultrasonic cutting machine as an in-line application, which effectively means it is an integral part of the production process.

Ton van Keken continues, “We are very excited about our new ultrasonic machine, which gives us a real edge by doubling our productivity.  We found that there was nothing on the market that could produce the speeds we were looking for so we worked with the manufacturers to develop a system that met our own exacting specifications.  The resulting machine ticks all of the boxes – it reduces waste, improves efficiency and ensures our products continue to be of the highest quality.”

The machine uses Ultra Sonic Cutting to reduce ‘window waste’ - the excess trimmings from cutting tiles out of rolls of carpet.  InterfaceFLOR expects the machine to deliver a reduction of as much as 80% which will enable it to eliminate 310 tonnes of waste material each year from the production of its carpet tiles.

The ultrasonic machine also has significant productivity benefits, which will enable InterfaceFLOR to double its output.  The machine improves quality by giving each tile a sharper edge than standard cutting processes.  It has also been designed to release less dust, providing a cleaner working environment.

With the introduction of Cool Green™, InterfaceFLOR is able to provide a more sustainable product choice for its customers.  The innovative machine is a key development in the company’s Mission Zero approach to manufacturing – a move to allow product which has reached the end of its useful life to be recovered and remanufactured into something new rather than sent to landfill.  Cool Green™ takes waste carpet from the manufacturing process, including off-quality tiles and window waste from cutting, and recycles it into backing for new carpets. In addition to the recycled materials already being used, Cool Green™ will increase the total recycled content in InterfaceFLOR’s carpet backing to as much as 74%.

Since 1996, InterfaceFLOR has globally saved $405 million in cumulative avoided waste costs, which has allowed the company to make significant investments in the development of its staff, machinery, policies and processes.

Interface has been ranked number one in the Survey of Sustainability Experts by GlobeScan, ahead of corporations like BP and General Electric.