IT / EN
February 13, 2018

SUSTAINABILITY ACCORDING TO SILVIO ALBINI

“An enlightened entrepreneur who impressed us with his commitment and vision. This service is a tribute to his memory”. With these words the journalist Cristina Gabetti introduced the interview to Silvio Albini, created for “Occhio al futuro”, a column of Italian TV program “Striscia la Notizia”, which collects the excellences in the national territory in terms of sustainability.

 

Since 1876, Albini has operated in the interests of, and in full respect, for people and the territory, contributing to the wellbeing and enhancement of its collaborators and the communities in which it is present.

For Albini Group being sustainable is not a slogan, but an actual reality that translates every day into concrete activities, such as the use of reduced quantities of water, the limited use of chemicals, the utmost attention to energy saving and the use of renewable resources.

Albini Group manages and controls all stages of the production process in its own plants, from seed to fabric, ensuring complete traceability.

In terms of energy savings, the company:

  • uses self-cleaning heat exchangers, patented by Albini Energia, which allow the recovery of heat from industrial waste water;
  • has installed long-life and high-efficiency LED lighting systems;
  • has placed loom cooler units on the looms, which allow them to recover heat;
  • has invested in plant innovation (new dyeing machinery and air conditioning systems in the weaving rooms).

Following these investments in innovation, the company is saving annually 20% of energy: every year 8 million kWh are saved, equivalent to the electricity consumed annually by 2,700 households. In addition, the company has invested 4 million euros for the refurbishment of the dyeing plant and the installation of new dyeing machines that utilise lower quantities of chemicals and also saving 20% of water: 46,000 m3 of water are saved every year, equal to what is contained in 18 Olympic swimming pools.

In terms of alternative energy, over 3 million euros have been invested for the installation of 8 renewable energy plants: 3 hydro-electricity plants, 4 photo-voltaic plants and a wind farm.

Albini Group has also introduced a management system for handling hazardous chemicals both inside and outside the company. A commitment that goes way beyond compliance with regulations and that places important improvement objectives for the elimination of these substances from the production cycle, according to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals program, with the aim of protecting health and the environment.

Albini collaborates with the most sensitive and attentive Customers on environmental sustainability issues, who have the opportunity to visit the factories, personally check the attention and care behind the textile industry and adhere to personalised training programs.

The great experience of the Albini Group, gained in the field of energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources, was also set in stone in 2012 with the establishment of the energy services and engineering company, Albini Energia, which promotes environmental sustainability through the search for efficiency and energy savings, offering consultancy and planning activities aimed at reducing the environmental impact in the industrial field.