Sustainability in motion.

With multiple sites in Vorarlberg, GRASS has been surrounded by breathtaking nature since its founding. This backdrop has always had an impact on the company's strategy. Even before the term sustainability became ubiquitous, the team at Höchst considered environmental protection to be an important part of maintaining the success of the company - and these weren't just empty words, as a number of practical and verifiable measures by the company show. "We don't merely comply with the minimum legal regulations and certifications. We keep pushing forwards with progressive ideas and take the initiative," says the Managing Director of the GRASS Group Ercan Bal. And this is having an effect: GRASS is saving 636 tonnes of CO₂ every year by implementing a number of measures to increase energy efficiency. Heat recovery through compressor and exhaust gas heat exchanger systems with an output of over 3,000 kW also helps to save energy. Solar panels with an output of 421 kWp generate around 400,000 kWh of electricity annually, which prevents around 200 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Overall, energy consumption has been reduced by 11 million kWh per year. This corresponds to the average annual power consumption of around 2,500 single-family homes. These successes are only possible if all environmental aspects are evaluated using key performance indicators, potential areas for improvement are continuously researched and targets are set.

100 % recycling rate

GRASS is also raising the bar for recycling: 100 % of steel waste generated during production is recycled. Furthermore, the volume of non-recyclable waste produced each year has been reduced by 50 percent. The issue of sustainability is also always taken into account when it comes to our products. The proportion of recycled materials used in the manufacturing of our products is already between 20 and 40 %, depending on the product and the manufacturer. The drawer systems are almost 100 % recyclable and contain no hazardous ingredients or substances from the REACH regulation. "The most sustainable products are those that are used, reused, reworked and recycled for as long as possible," says Ercan Bal. "In this respect, movement systems from GRASS are already among the most climate-neutral components of all because they last for the whole lifetime of the furniture." With the Vionaro V8, for example, GRASS has developed a sustainable drawer system that can not only be manufactured and coated in a climate-friendly manner, but whose materials can also be recycled by material type. This resulted in the idea for the world's first fully metal drawer side, which completely dispenses with plastic elements, foams and adhesives. 

High-tech surfaces for better climate protection 

New system technologies and optimised production processes in the supply chain enable CO₂ savings of 1,476 tonnes per year overall. The effect powder coatings are achieved using exclusively solvent-free, energy-saving low-temperature powder coatings with significantly reduced curing and throughput times. Furthermore, the loss of coating material can be largely avoided by recovering coating powder that is not retained on the product, known as overspray. This saves energy and resources, while also protecting the environment.

Documentation through the Würth sustainability report

In addition to its own documentation, GRASS is part of the Würth Group and therefore also part of its sustainability report, which details all aspects of the Group's sustainability strategy. Würth is also committed to a circular economy that combines climate protection, social standards and material cycles. Würth's aim is to ensure valuable raw materials remain in climate-neutral material cycles while maintaining social fairness. The sustainability report is a tool for reviewing and communicating progress on the path to transformation. It covers all sub-divisions of the Würth Group, including the "Allied Companies" - one of which is GRASS. They must meet the standards defined by Würth just as the companies that belong directly to the Würth Group do. "This gives us the opportunity to measure, control and, if necessary, adapt our efforts externally too," says Ercan Bal. "And together with our strong partners, we can make a real difference. For example, in the area of climate transformation, the Allied Companies were able to reduce their CO₂ footprint by around 17,000 tonnes in the most recent reporting period from 2022 to 2023. We at GRASS will continue along this path."