Röhm is moving towards climate neutrality – conserving resources with PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds

• Climate-neutral production by 2050
• Sustainable by design: PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds are durable and recyclable
• The proTerra brand suffix is the quality seal for sustainable products and services

Climate protection and the circular economy are two of the focus topics of K 2022 – and they are also a key focus at Röhm GmbH’s trade fair booth, in hall 6, booth E29. The company has set itself the goal of significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. By 2050, Röhm aims to have climate-neutral production and eliminate all of its greenhouse gas emissions. “Renewable energies, the use of alternative raw materials in production and technologies for reducing CO2 all play a key part in achieving our goal,” says Chief Operating Officer (COO) Hans-Peter Hauck. “At the same time, we will be promoting the issue of the circular economy along the entire value chain with our own sustainable products.” Röhm will present its wide range of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds, which are part of this plan, at K 2022.

PLEXIGLAS® is ideal for the circular economy

A functioning circular economy not only aims to use resources as long and as efficiently as possible, but also to recycle the materials used. Together with business partners along the entire supply chain – from raw material suppliers to other suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) – Röhm is developing new ideas and concepts to promote the circular economy.

The company is placing a focus on levers that can help make production more sustainable, such as using raw materials gained from chemical and mechanical recycling. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) can even be chemically recycled multiple times without a significant deterioration in its properties. For example, there are well-established methods for recycling the backlight units of monitors. As these often consist of high-purity PMMA, they are particularly well suited for this technique.

Röhm is promoting mechanical recycling with products such as the recently released PLEXIGLAS® proTerra and DEGAROUTE® proTerra. Products with the proTerra brand suffix help reduce the CO₂ footprint during production or for the customers and save resources such as raw materials, energy or water. The portfolio of proTerra products is set to grow even more in the future.

PLEXIGLAS® is sustainable by design

PLEXIGLAS® from Röhm is a highly versatile lightweight plastic which can be processed efficiently and saves weight in many applications. The special plastic has the highest surface hardness of all thermoplastics and can therefore be used without a coating. Most importantly, however, end products made from PLEXIGLAS® guarantee unsurpassed UV and weather resistance. The high longevity of PLEXIGLAS® products contributes to the sparing use of resources.

Furthermore, light guides made from PLEXIGLAS® have been part of energy-saving LED lighting concepts for years, and they actively reduce the power consumption in supermarkets and sports arenas, for example. The material also has a positive effect on the environment when used as a thermally insulated canopy in greenhouses, where it helps save energy for heating.