Saib recovers and transforms more than 600,000 tons of end-of-life wood into chipboard panels with the new plant.

Recovering and transforming into chipboard panels over 600,000 tonnes of end-of-life wood from woodworking and furniture production, construction and demolition waste, and separate waste collection. This is why Saib built a drying and emission abatement plant in the production site of Italy's leading manufacturer of raw and melamine-faced chipboard panels. The new plant completes a five-year investment process worth more than 60 million euros, reducing environmental impact and increasing the capacity for recovery and transformation of post-consumer wood waste into panels for the interior design industry. "The inaugurated plant," explains Sergio Doriguzzi, CEO of Saib, "consists of a direct dryer and a two-stage electro filter equipped with a continuous emissions monitoring system and depluming technology for the recovery of water from the condensation of fumes. This intervention represented a considerable design and economic effort, which confirms our commitment to the sustainable management of the company for 60 years".

The company also presented its first sustainability report: it analyzed the impact of the business model, developed over more than twenty-five years by SAIB, which has transformed the business from linear to circular. Over the years, the company has implemented the ability to replace virgin wood with post-consumer wood waste: a noble material is thus recovered and regenerated, acquiring new life. Regarding the environmental impact, the results obtained show a favorable balance and demonstrate how the Saib process, based on the recovery and valorization of wood, makes it possible to prevent the emission into the atmosphere of 45,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Recycling wood waste as a raw material in the panel industry allows a 65% reduction in CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. "These results are the result of a long and difficult process," says CEO Clara Conti. "It was an extremely complex technological challenge. We were pioneers, and mistakes and attempts to achieve excellence also characterized our path. The commitment of industry and politics is to show that sustainability is a profound path.

But human resources are just as necessary: in reporting on the social impact generated, the company emphasized that 95% of employees have permanent contracts, 6% of staff have been with the company for over 30 years, and Saib's average annual salary is around 20% higher than the industry average. It also favors collaboration with suppliers operating in Piacenza and Cremona to support the local economy. Lastly, in September 2020, Saib decided to voluntarily integrate the Covid-19 redundancy fund activated at the start of the lockdown and donated 100,000 euros each to the hospitals of Piacenza and Cremona during the health emergency.  On the social commitment front, the company allocates an annual budget dedicated to supporting its host territory by supporting multiple community projects and organizing cultural initiatives. In the three years 2018-2020, the donations made totaled 665,000 euros. SAIB is also the main sponsor of the Vanoli Baskin (inclusive basketball) team in Cremona and the Dream Team disability team linked to Piacenza Calcio.