Gradus communicates their progress in their journey towards their 2025 sustainability targets.

Mindful of the health and well-being of our people and our planet, Gradus is aligned with Polyflor South Africa in being completely committed to designing, manufacturing and distributing sustainable products Gradus follows the highest standards in product formulation, air quality and hygiene. No harmful substances, such as formaldehyde, asbestos and heavy metals, are added during production or post-production processing.

“Our pledge to meet our present business needs without compromising our long-term future environment is part of our DNA,” says Steve Watt, group managing director of Gradus UK. “Our current position is supported by a pledge to the reduction of our carbon footprint through realistic targets, based upon our progress to date.”

Anti-microbial coatings

Working in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and clean environments for decades, Gradus has and continues to develop products that ensure maximum hygiene and bacteria control.

Their SureProtect Pure wall cladding is tested according to ISO 22196:2011, which specifies a method of evaluating the antibacterial activity of antibacterial-treated plastics, and other non-porous surfaces of products, ensuring suitability in hygienic applications.

Increasing recycled content

The company’s commitment to reducing the carbon impact of their products starts with their new product development process, where the NPD team incorporates eco-design into the initial stages of product development. Recent product developments and alterations have included testing and replacing an aluminium retainer with a locally produced PVC in the WGS200 Gradus wall guard.

Raw-material suppliers

Gradus works closely with a supply chain whose sustainability values match their own, to ensure that targets are met.

• Their purchased aluminium contains an average of 70% recycled material.
• Aluminium is 100% renewable. Recycling it requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce the metal the first time around.
• Their main PVC provider is aiming to reduce emissions by a further 10% by 2025, with new styrenics and polyolefin products launched that contain 50% or more recycled material.

Tandy Coleman, CEO of Polyflor, concludes, “We are passionate about doing it right and ensuring successful outcomes. We believe in the future and are committed to doing everything we can to make a tangible difference.”

Contact Polyflor SA (sole distributors for Gradus in South Africa and Africa) for expert advice.
Tel: +27 (11) 609 3500 (speak to Blythe or Wendy)
Email: marketing@polyflor.co.za
Website: www.polyflor.co.za

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