Greater sustainability in relation to our products

As a family-run company with intergenerational history, we feel compelled to assume responsibility for subsequent generations. We have therefore decided to restructure our product range: by 2030 we will have replaced all solvent-based products in our product range with sustainable alternatives and will be making greater use of regenerative raw materials. Our goals are to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to achieve maximum resource conservation. This will enable us to make an active contribution to preserving a world worth living in for future generations and to meet future market requirements.

What does this mean for you?

The restructuring of our product range will result in some changes for our customers: we will be removing our nitrocellulose lacquers, solvent-based stains and solvent-based, acid-hardening lacquers from our product range by the end of 2023. Hesse Lignal will therefore no longer be offering such products from January 2024. A further step involves us replacing all other solvent-based lacquers with sustainable alternatives by 2030.

The actions we are implementing:

  • Made in Germany: We produce all our products in Germany and have been loyal to our location for over 110 years.
  • We have been producing our own "Proterra" brand from renewable raw materials since 1996.
  •  We are constantly developing and expanding our eco-friendly coating systems, such as water-dilutable lacquers and natural oils.
  •  We advise our customers on efficient surface finishes, using UV technology for example. • We pay special attention to avoiding raw materials with a high risk potential.
  •  We use renewable raw materials in our products, such as beeswax or shellac.
  •  We introduce internal process optimisations to save raw materials, energy and waste.
  • Conducting studies on sustainable products and application processes assists us in our development towards greater sustainability.
  • We are continuously developing innovative lacquer formulations to prevent emissions from lacquer layers.
  • Our quality management according to ISO 9001 means we are in a constant process of improvement.
  • Special recycling systems feed a wide variety of packaging into a sustainable recycling process.
  • We have joined the "Metal Recycles Forever" initiative. This promotes high-quality metal packaging that enables a resource-saving circular economy to optimise sustainable distribution channels.
  • At the 2020 FARBEUNDLACK Award, we won 1st place in the "Best Sustainability Approach" category with our lacquer based on renewable raw materials that is hardened by electron irradiation. We won 3rd place in the "Best Product Innovation" category with our "Hesse POREGUARD Technology".
  • The majority of plastic containers were eliminated from our product portfolio by the end of 2021. Replacing black plastic containers with tinplate containers has enabled us to save 50 tons of plastic per year.

Our goals:

  • We aim to significantly expand our range of lacquers using renewable raw materials – such as beeswax or shellac – by the end of 2022.