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SUSTAINABILITY

KANSAI PLASCON – Three Pillars of Sustainability

From project work and home decoration to preservation of infrastructure and painting of vehicles, Kansai Plascon’s superior ranges of paint have become a mainstay in homes, showrooms, roads and cityscapes all over the region.

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Our rich history is filled with firsts as we have introduced new coatings solutions to the market. This pursuit of innovation has built a reputation of trust and reliability that has defined us as the experts in paint coatings. Innovation does not only focus on products, but also the way we make paint.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

  • COMPLIANCE GREEN PROCESSES

We continually strive to find ways to decrease our impact on natural resources and follow  manufacturing standards of the highest international standards. 

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Since 2005, all of our South African manufacturing plants have been ISO9001 (Quality Management Systems) ISO45001 (Health & Safety) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) certified.

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These endorse our ever-improving processes and is underpinned by our minimizing and responsible disposal of waste, using reputable environmental waste companies.

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Kansai Plascon has brought the manufacturing process using regular high-speed dispersion technology into the 21st century through its adoption of in-line dispersion technology that not only processes paint three times faster than conventional methods, but with less energy consumption and waste generation.

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This new state-of-the-art system was introduced at Kansai Plascon’s main decorative plant in Johannesburg and has become the new benchmark in paint manufacturing processes – this technology was the first installation of its kind, in a decorative paint plant in Africa.

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The in-line disperser has also changed the way we formulate paint. By harnessing the technology, Plascon is able to produce better and consistent quality paint faster and at a lower cost than before.

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Further still, the company has enhanced productivity by incorporating robotics into its new filling lines, machines which will fill paint faster and at double the capacity of the previous manual process, meaning it can fulfil customers’ orders in less time.

FILLING EQUIPMENT:

Closer look at the filling line where we do the on line labelling.

Mixers for the new inline dispersers.

Filling hall showing the full automated set up and the robotised palleting.

Hoppers for the new inline dispersers - through these we add the powders for dispersion into a stable millbase

WATER WASTE TREATMENT:

New effluent plant at Luipaardsvlei to treat all waste water on site.

The filter press that creates the dry filter cake in the following image.

The waste removed from the water, its is compacted into a very dry filter cake which is being investigated by R&D for re use in paint and other applications.

The final water after being treated in the plant and filtered by the filter press - we use it back in our processes on the plant.

  • SUSTAINABILITY GREEN PRACTICES

We implement sustainability in our manufacturing standards through our business systems and processes.

By implementing pioneering processes, we are moving ever closer to achieving complete sustainable progression. This includes a commitment to the following processes:

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Reduced levels of Glycols and Solvents

  • Since 1999, Plascon has reduced ethylene and propylene glycols used as open-time modifiers in our water-based paint formulations, along with reducing the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and solvent content in paint.

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Lead Free

  • Plascon has eliminated the use of lead containing raw materials like driers, pigments and other additives, along with Chromium (VI) pigments in our decorative product range, all to make them safer.

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Titanium Dioxide

  • Ilmenite Ore is a raw material used in the production of Titanium Dioxide, the white pigment used in paint manufacturing. During manufacturing the mineral is converted into Titanium Dioxide through an energy heavy process. Since 2002, Plascon has considerably reduced the use of this mineral in specific product ranges, with the upshot of also conserving more energy and reducing carbon footprint

  • Based on our distinct philosophy, we have also committed to ensuring that the effect we have on our environment is as minimal as global leading technologies will allow.

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We have improved methods with 4 key initiatives:

 

Cleaning processes

  • We have actively reduced water usage by implementing better water management in our plants and equipment cleaning processes.

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Waste Management

  • A new water treatment plant was commissioned in 2023 to reduce waste from site. Water is purified and reused in our process. The filter cake is very dry and is being investigated for onward use in paint and other applications.

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Environmentally-aware Packaging

  • Waste reduction, suitability for intended purpose and transportation is all taken into account when choosing packaging that is considerate to both the end user and the environment.

  • Plascon introduced black buckets to its premium range, which are made of up to 75% upcycled material. By using upcycled plastic, we divert waste from landfills and oceans, helping to reduce pollution and safeguarding ecosystems.

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Pollution Prevention

  • To advance sustainability all of our manufacturing sites implement process controls and emergency response procedures intended to reduce pollution as much as possible.

  • PRODUCTS GREEN PRODUCTS

Our product lines are continuously reviewed and innovated to ensure alignment with international legislation and to always be industry leading and environmentally aware.

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Many of the company’s products meet and exceed the strict criteria laid down by the Green Building Council of South Africa’s Green Star rating system which has defined Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) and stipulates specific VOC levels in all interior coating products. We have reduced VOCs to zero in all our premium water-based offerings.

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WHAT ARE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS)

A VOC is commonly defined as an organic compound with a boiling point of <250  ͦC. It is Volatile because it evaporates easily and Organic because it is made of molecules that contain carbon-based bonds. Therefore water is not a VOC.  

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Volatile Organic Compounds is described by the Green Building Council as: VOCs are normally given off in the form of gases by new products and materials (e.g. paint, adhesives).

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Sources of VOCs

  • The major man-made source of VOCs is motor vehicle emissions. Other sources include the evaporation of gasoline, solvents and hydrocarbon from the petrochemical industry, as well as many household products such as wood preservatives, aerosol sprays, air fresheners, cleaners and disinfectants

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​VOC Regulations

  • Globally, there is no common standard for VOCs in paint. Each major region around the world has designed individual standards and labelling systems in order to control VOCs. As a result there is significant variation in the meaning and categorisation of what is considered a VOC.

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Alkyl Phenyl Ethoxylates (APEOs) 

  • Our premium interior water-based product lines are now free of Ammonia, and we have achieved a significant milestone by ensuring that 85% of our products are free from Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO), marking significant progress in eco-friendly product innovation.

Key Plascon products contributing to the sustainable environment include:

Plascon Professional Hygiene™ Low Sheen Paint 

  • Designed for environments where infection control and anti-microbial performance are essential, it is uses unique BIODEFENCE™ silver technology, which actively inhibits microbial growth to provide protection against bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. 

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  • Within six hours it reduces E. coli count by 99.9% and Staphylococcus aureus by 99%, far quicker than conventional alternatives which can take two to four times as long. 

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  • Plascon Professional Hygiene is low VOC and low odour, allowing medical practitioners and patients to move in soon after the building’s been painted, making it ideal for hospitals, doctors rooms, catering establishments, clinics, frail care facilities, veterinary hospitals or any other space where infection control is paramount.

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Plascon Double Velvet Pure

  • Air purifying premium quality wall coating with formaldehyde abatement technology to actively absorb and neutralize harmful compounds inside your home to improve indoor air quality. It also contains unique Stain Barrier technology that forms a multi-layered protective coating, preventing dirt from penetrating the paint and is virtually odourless.

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TradePro Roof & More

  • A good quality acrylic coating, free of Alkyl Phenyl Ethoxylates (APEOs) which are toxic to aquatic organisms and an endocrine disruptor to higher animals, and therefore pose a significant risk to humans. 

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Paints which meet these requirements carry the Ecokind Low VOC or Zero VOC logo on their packaging, just one way in which Kansai Plascon acknowledges our responsibility to the environment. That’s why we cultivate a culture dedicated to creating quality products in a progressive and sustainable way.

Plascon Trade Health
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