Cardboard stands system & furniture made from recycled paper and fully recyclable Company statement: the environmentally friendly promotion of products by CTN, within the framework of the European standard ISO 14021 WELLCOME TO ELKARTON.COM
ENVIRONMENTAL PROMOTION OF SERVICES AND SUPPLIES DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY CTN CTN strategy and action take a sustainable, environmentally-conscious approach right from the first commercial contact and preliminary project research, to the final project, production and management of the stand. CTN are manufactured with this environmentally-conscious attitude in mind. It is necessary to draw a distinction between the different aspects of an overall service, including consumable products, products for rent with variable life cycles, and specific long-lasting products semi-durable, and / or recyclable after the first use or after several uses. Three different scenarios are possible: I. 1 st scenario Design and production of an individual stand made from traditional materials nd II. 2 scenario An individual stand made from El Kartoñ cardboard, recyclable after the first use or after several uses rd III. 3 scenario General stand installation: either on a modular basis (service provided for rental using durable or semi- durable materials: aluminium profiles and melamine panels) either in El Kartoñ carton recyclable after first use or reusable several times. In all cases, the different aspects of the overall service must be distinguished: Flooring Fittings (all aspects contributing to the stand volume: partitions, cornices, panels, decorations, etc.) Lighting and electricity (this is usually offered for rental). Here it is worth mentioning in greater detail the different light sources and changes in the way these sources are used. Signing and signs: here it is worth mentioning in greater detail the changes in the way signs are made (use of recyclable or long-lasting supports, use of solvent-free printing inks) Specific or rented furniture Rented technical equipment, such as video, PA systems, IT equipment, etc. Cleaning of stands and waste disposal (here it is worth mentioning in greater detail the means used and waste sorting) Logistics: transport, assembly, dismantling, storage between uses. The whole area of logistics is affected by the materials used. 1 st scenario PRODUCTION OF A TRADITIONAL STAND (i.e. using tradition techniques): woodwork, glasswork, metalwork, etc.) I.1 FLOORING I.1.a. Example of a floor which can be considered to be durable: Dismantlable primary technical flooring which may be reused several times and for several different customers, so available for rent. At the end of this product s life-cycle, the particle board panels are considered as waste, whilst the adjustable rivets supporting them may be reused multiple times. I.1.b. Semi-durable flooring: finishing panels placed on the technical flooring previously described, for example parquet or melamine panels. Because of their surface state at the end of an exhibition, 40-60% are reused. The rest are classed as waste and the remainder at the end of their life-cycle. I.1.c. Disposable flooring: recyclable materials are preferable. Increasingly, we are promoting and proposing the use of recyclable coverings on our stands, such as those developed by a major fibre-bonded flooring manufacturer, who on the condition of there being sufficient quantity, is committed to collecting the used covering at no extra charge, as opposed to standard traditional fibre-bonded floor coverings which become waste needing to be disposed of in a landfill site after use. We also propose all other types of loose floor covering which may be easily recyclable (eg. seagrass, coir rope, etc.)
I.2. FITTINGS Whatever the preferred concept, a contractual undertaking with our customers enables us to manage stands long term with a multiuse contract for a pre-set price. I.2.a. Because of this, we plan modular systems into the initial concept: these may be adapted to all stand formats, making the products used all the more durable.. I.2.b. We prefer to use dismantlable systems with the most compact volume from the point of view of the weight/volume ratio, in order to save on transport and energy. I.2.c. Designing systems which are manufactured to provide the best modularity and ergonomics, i.e. easy to assemble and dismantle, thus reducing effort for those in charge of assembly / dismantling. I.2.d. Materials and finishings with maintenance which increases durability: e.g. acrylic paints are used rather than melamine finishes as well as coverings that can be changed between uses. I.2.e. We prefer whenever possible to use materials that are recyclable or biodegradable at the end of their life cycle. I.2.f. The paints used are acrylic paints, varnishes used are water-based, supports used are usually plywood, MDF or solid wood, but if there is no alternative melamine or laminate on plywood or particle board is used. I.3. LIGHTING AND ELECTRICITY We recommend the use of low-energy light sources to our customers, and/or light sources placed inside projectors or near to deflectors to reflect the light better, in order to use as little energy as possible. Although the issue of saving energy is not yet taken into consideration by stand builders, and over-consumption of lighting is still a very common practice, we remain convinced that this is bound to change in the future. One positive aspect which may help us to bring about energy saving in lighting, is the fact that powerful projector lights give off a high level of heat which is mentioned as a source of discomfort for people working on and visiting stands. Therefore our arguments are based primarily on this fact, which leads us indirectly to providing low energy light sources. We recommend mainly fluorescent type light sources, which generally provide a regular and sufficient distribution of light, and we are seeking to use LED light sources which are beginning to be powerful enough to be used for lighting. However, these sources are not powerful enough to supply all the lighting requirements for a stand. I.4. SIGNS For the last few years, digital printing has been gaining ground over signs made from adhesive cut-outs. We recommend the use of supports such as non-woven textiles enabling high-quality digital printing based on the fact that this versatile supports are durable, compact for transport and storage, easy to pack and reusable several times. The final point above is important especially for multiple use contracts. In addition, the inks used for digital printing are now solvent-free, and are dried with UV rays. I.5. FURNITURE Rental of standard furniture enables lasting savings to be made, as this furniture included in a catalogue is made to be rented and used several times. However for multiple operation contracts we can also provide specific furniture to be used exclusively with this contract, thus enabling innovative concepts. We recommend very high-quality, long-lasting furniture, which may be used for more than one contract. We also encourage the use of other furniture concepts, such as furniture made from cardboard, with a shorter life cycle but totally recyclable.
I.6. PLANT AND FLORAL DECORATIONS We recommend the exclusive use of natural plant and floral decorations. I.7. LOGISTICS The resources used depend on the type of stand proposed and the place where it are installed. For multiple operation contracts, the materials are packed in containers or specially designed crates making them as compact as possible for transport. They may thus be moved and stocked in optimal conditions in our warehouse. All packaging of goods is specially designed according to the vehicle to be used for transport. All of our manufactured goods are stocked in a logical way in premises of over 5 000 m². In certain cases, to optimise transport use, it is also possible to move furniture, fittings and objects, without packaging, wrapped in blankets and transported in suitable vehicles such as removal vans. A specific study of packing and the modularity of manufactured parts may lead to substantial savings in transport and storage. 2 nd scenario: EL KARTOÑ SOLUTION The points of this example which are similar to those in the first example will not be repeated here. Only the points which are different and specific to the very nature of this El Kartoñ solution, including cardboard fittings and furniture will be described. The El Kartoñ solution is a honeycomb cardboard stand system, for which the principle parts are partitions, vertical risers, cornices, standardised cupboards/stores, and a whole series of dedicated furniture developed around El Kartoñ stands: document racks, shelves, benches, stools (high and low), podiums, voting booths (for elections), artists easels, etc. All cardboard parts are spray-treated for fire resistance and M2 certification, standard modular partitions have permanent M2 certification following ageing tests by the LNE, an official French laboratory. The fire-retardant products are non-polluting and salt-based. The honeycomb cardboard panels are made from recycled paper and are themselves recyclable. In the case of finishes other than natural finishes (recycled paper look), i.e. the application of acrylic paint or water-based varnish, the parts treated are separated from the assembly and are considered as specific parts so as not to damage the recyclable parts of an assembly. They are treated separately after use as biodegradable waste if they cannot be recycled. II.1. FLOORING As for the first scenario. It should be noted that we have also developed a technical floor made from cardboard, with the upper surface covered in a hard material such as melamine, particle board or MDF. The cardboard technical floor is completely recyclable. II.2. STRUCTURE AND FITTINGS II.2.a. II.2.b. The stand designed and produced is made for single use, in which case all the cardboard components are recovered for recycling. It should be noted that in this case, if there is no provision made for selective waste recycling on the exhibition site, CTN undertakes to recover these parts and deliver them to the recycling industry. The stand produced is made to be used several times, in which case, the cardboard components are designed to be modular, managed, replaced or repaired and are packed in such a way as to keep them in the best possible condition for each use, and to be recycled at the end of their life cycle.
II.2.c. The other characteristics set out in the first example also apply for this El Kartoñ solution. II.3. LIGHTING AND ELECTRICITY: see I.3 II.4. SIGNS: see I.4 II.5. FURNITURE: see 1.5 II.6. PLANT AND FLORAL DECORATIONS: see 1.6 II.7. LOGISTICS See scenario 1 NB: use of extremely light, specific cardboard packaging, pallets and containers to facilitate handling, and the possibility of manual means of transport to the site. 3 rd scenario: GENERAL STAND INSTALLATION Like most of its competitors, CTN currently uses and provides modular stand systems with an aluminium structure and infill panels made from 7mm thick melamine panels. The aluminium profile structure is thus a durable material. When provided as a natural aluminium profile (which is mostly the case at the present time) we have a durable material which provides considerable savings since an anodised profile is more durable than a painted profile. We do however still use a good number of profiles with painted finishes. The melamine panels included in these structures do not last as long as aluminium, but the care that we take when handling, assembling and dismantling them means that they can be used many times. Our new El Kartoñ system, used for general stand installation, is a partial substitute for the classic modular system. However this solution offers significant advantages in specific situations compared to the modular aluminium and melamine solution: less time and effort spent on installation. This particularly light and versatile system enables a series of stands for one or several operations to be installed (subject to proper care being taken during the assembly / dismantling, handling and storage phases). General comments on the El Kartoñ solution: The panels with natural finishes are entirely recyclable, except for the self-adhesive strips which must be removed before recycling the panels. All the accessories, objects or furniture made from cardboard in the stand solution are also entirely recyclable (shelves, counters, furniture,) etc. Other aluminium or steel accessories can be re-used and are often available for rental. In addition, this programme helps to reduce two frequently identified sources of harm: Harm from the weight of materials used and fatigue: reduced by favouring good ergonomics: easy to assemble / dismantle by technicians, rapid installation operations. Noise pollution: measurements taken by the French Scientific Research Centre for Building Techniques show that the dampening of noise through these honeycomb cardboard partitions adds to exhibitor comfort, especially during service-industry trade shows. Final points to be taken into account in this statement: The weight of honeycomb cardboard, which is well below that of other more traditional materials, is an energy-saving factor in transport. The fire-retardant products used are not toxic for the environment. Information available (Photocopy or downloadable on the internet): Materials specifications sheets. Specifications sheets for fire-retardant products. Specifications sheets for products used for finishes. Test and fire-retardant test reports. Acoustic measurement test reports. Luc NOTO Fait à Roche-lez-Beaupré le 23 mai 2006.
une marque déposée de CTN 2 Rue du Puits Dixme Sénia 604 94667 ORLY Cedex (France) Tél. : +33 (0)1 41 73 12 40 Fax : +33 (0)1 41 73 12 50 a.marguier@ctn.fr http://www.ctn.fr www.elkarton.com