– “The move towards the utilisation of water in preference to oil as a medium for painting testaments to the innovative approach of Flügger. Our goal is to be innovative. Not just on our own behalf, but to benefit the painter by offering them confidence in the quality and conscience behind the finished product,” says Anette Beck, SVP for Product, Innovation and Purchasing.
– “There is something essential at stake for our industry in these years, which require our attention. Therefore, we are investing heavily to meet these demands. We challenge ourselves to create value for painters and society alike. We have achieved significant progress: 93% of our Flügger products are either Nordic Swan Ecolabelled or EU Flower-certified. But the journey does not stop here. By 2030, we aim for all our paints to be 100% eco-labelled.”
Earlier this year, Flügger launched its ‘Flügger Organic’ strategy. In addition to focusing on organic growth, the strategy includes a number of areas where the environmental profile must be further improved. This presents a dilemma for Flügger and Anette Beck. Should we develop products and expand the market ahead of readiness? The answer may seem surprising at first.
– “Our objective is for our customers to be able to envision themselves on the same trajectory as the company. This is why we adopt a pragmatic approach to our product development and related sustainability. We only develop products that make a difference. But if the customer isn’t ready for it, we’ve missed the mark. At Flügger, it is our responsibility to find the right balance,” says Anette Beck, who continues:
– “The legislation is becoming more complex and comprehensive. That is why it is our job to help the professional painter. Therefore, we create complete solutions – spackle, primer, paint and top coat – that carry eco-labels and work well together. Thereby, fulfilling all the requirements becomes less complicated. In our opinion, the market is ready for just that.”
However, a green light is on the horizon. CSRD was recently implemented across the EU. While it was designed to have a direct impact on the largest companies, it now also impacts small and medium-sized companies, when it comes to providing data to the construction industry value chain.
– “With CSRD and building certification schemes, the major players in the construction industry automatically place high demands on the rest of the value chain. Painters are now required to be able to present an even greater amount of qualified documentation on a project. As a result, Flügger prioritizes easily accessible and simple documentation,” says Anette Beck, before she concludes.
– “Among other things, we have environmental product declarations (EPDs) on all our own-produced liquid products. This ensures data validity on behalf of our customers when they need to report. Painter can easily and simply access the documentation via our Flügger Document Manager, both for the individual product and for the entire project. By doing so, we help support the documentation burden for the painter. Otherwise, SMEs painter risk potential disadvantage in the market.”
