AGFA GRAPHICS
PRESS RELEASE
Agfa Graphics
Septestraat 27
B – 2640 Mortsel
Belgium
Paul Adriaensen
Press Relations Manager
Agfa Graphics
T: +32 3 444 3940
E: press.graphics@agfa.com
AGFA GRAPHICS
Agfa Graphics’ Closed Loop Supply
Chain for Printing Plates Honored with
Supply Chain Award 2015
Belgian Supply rewards Agfa Graphics.
Mortsel, Belgium – November 26, 2015 – At the Gala Award Event
in Antwerp, Agfa Graphics was honored with the Belgian Supply
Chain Award 2015. The winning project about sustainability through
recycling via collaborative supply chain was selected out of six
nominees.
"This project stands because of the number of area’s in the supply
chain that were involved: from purchasing, it’s suppliers, to sales, it’s
customers, as well as different outside partners", said Christian Van
Doorslaer, Chairman of the Supply Chain Award jury. “It’s a very good
example of supply chain collaboration within the networked
organization.”
With the Supply Chain Award-Project of the Year, The Belgian
Purchasing and Logistics Association and the Belgian Society for
Integrated Supply Chains aim to bring supply chain projects under the
attention of management and executives in Belgian companies and
government organizations. It should stimulate them to invest more in
projects that improve the efficiency of their supply chain processes.
Agfa Graphics’ winning project involves the supply of aluminum
printing plates, which are vital consumables to the offset printing
industry. Agfa Graphics is a world-leading supplier of such plates,
which represent more than 60% of its turnover.
With the project, Agfa Graphics and a number of partners in the
supply chain of printing plates presented a sustainable closed-loop
solution to their high-volume customers in which high-grade aluminum
can be reused without value loss.
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AGFA GRAPHICS
PRESS RELEASE
Agfa Graphics
Septestraat 27
B – 2640 Mortsel
Belgium
AGFA GRAPHICS
An evaluation of the carbon footprint for printing plates showed first
evidence that the impact of the life cycle of plates on the environment
is highly influenced by the production of the aluminum itself. The study
Paul Adriaensen
Press Relations Manager
Agfa Graphics
demonstrated that current recycling technologies allow for the use of
T: +32 3 444 3940
E: press.graphics@agfa.com
the total carbon footprint with 70% given the aluminum is carefully
recycled printing plates in the plate production process. This reduces
sent back to the manufacturer after being used on the printing
presses. Consequently, the setup of a collaborative supply chain is
crucial.
“This study project inspired us to develop and implement a new
circular supply chain for printing plates,” said Geert Lammens,
Vice President Operations, Agfa Graphics. “It aims at a process
that is both financially and environmentally sustainable for all
parties involved, including aluminum suppliers, logistics partners,
printing companies and Agfa Graphics as solution provider.”
The closed loop approach guarantees that the aluminum is not
uncontrollably downcycled, yet instead maintains its intrinsic value as
much as possible.
“It all fits with the targets of the European Commission to turn the
European economic activities into a circular economy mode,”
Geert Lammens added. ”The system is being internationally rolled
out in the market with printing companies that have the appropriate
volume of aluminum as well as the ability to participate in such the
closed loop approach.”
As a winner, Agfa Graphics can now compete in the European Award
for Logistics Excellence, organized by ELA (European Logistics
Association). This European competition is a champions league, only
accessible to winners of national awards from associations affiliated
to ELA.
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AGFA GRAPHICS
PRESS RELEASE
Agfa Graphics
Septestraat 27
B – 2640 Mortsel
Belgium
Paul Adriaensen
Press Relations Manager
Agfa Graphics
T: +32 3 444 3940
E: press.graphics@agfa.com
AGFA GRAPHICS
About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading companies in imaging and
information technology. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analogue and
digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), for the healthcare sector
(Agfa Healthcare), and for specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials). Agfa is
headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has
agents in another 100 countries around the globe. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved
a turnover of 2,620 million euros in 2014.
Please visit us at www.agfa.com
About Agfa Graphics
Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress solutions to the commercial printing
industry, the newspaper printing and publishing industry and the sign and display,
decoration and industrial inkjet printing industry. These solutions comprise
consumables, hardware, software and services for production workflow, project and
process management, cloud software and image processing.
Agfa Graphics is a worldwide leader with its computer-to-film, computer-to-plate,
digital proofing and security solutions for commercial and packaging printers.
For newspaper markets Agfa Graphics is leading supplier of automation for printed
and mobile publishing workflows.
Agfa Graphics has also developed a prominent position in the new segments of
industrial inkjet. It offers a wide range of inkjet presses and a complete assortment of
high-quality inks.
www.agfagraphics.com
Contact:
Paul Adriaensen
Agfa Graphics Press Relations Manager
tel. ++32 (0)3/444.3940
e-mail: mailto:paul.adriaensen@agfa.com
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