Porcelain manufacturer SND PorzellanManufaktur is a family owned business, producing publicity porcelain for almost 20 years. Offering excellent quality, a broad variety of customization options, and a grand selection of porcelain models, SND takes pride in their competent, reliable, and personal customer service. In this interview with Managing Director Silke Eckstein, you can find out how the company is doing in terms of sustainability.
JCK: Porcelain is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of sustainability. Enlighten us?!
Silke Eckstein: Porcelain should be a thing to come to mind when thinking of sustainability! It is made of 100% natural resources and is toxin-free. Furthermore it is extremely steady, thus durable. For example, a well-made publicity mug quickly turns into a favourite piece and is used daily. As the majority of our porcelain is made in Germany, the mug only passes really short distances from factory to customer. All those are very important aspects of sustainability.
JCK: How do you handle the topic of sustainability in your company? How important is it to you?
Silke Eckstein: As it is a very important topic to us, we already started installing a general sustainable development strategy in our porcelain maufacture many years ago and have been strictly following it ever since. The strategy includes improved thermal insulation and a photovoltaic power plant on the roofs of our buildings. Our manufacturing halls are heated recycling the exhaust air of our furnaces, the warehouses through a compressor plant in the production unit, and the offices through an up-to-date gas heater.
JCK: And how do you follow your sustainability strategy in the production of publicity porcelain?
Silke Eckstein: Our latest purchase is a computer-to-screen-system, saving us from using vast amounts of print film and the necessary chemicals. Other, necessary chemicals are being kept in a circulation system of our coating and de-coating unit. Our paints and varnishes are REACH-compliant and food safe. Our own water circulation and wastewater treatmend systems save thousands of litres of water each year.
JCK: Are you also able to save energy through proper planning?
Silke Eckstein: Yes. The proper planning of orders, production, and shifts is a central topic in our company. After optimizing these points, our state-of-the-art furnaces now only run 3-4 days a week instead of 5 – finishing the same amount of orders as before. This saves a huge amount of energy. In summary, counting all the above metioned measures, we saved almost 40% of gas in the past 5 years.
JCK: Thank you for the interview, Mrs. Eckstein.
