The world’s most environmentally-friendly water trap
2023 was the year when the major investments we made in sustainability in recent years finally started to pay off. The response from the market was great and resulted in many customer visits and several significant new deals. It is gratifying to see that the market seems to have matured rapidly and that sustainability is in demand.
When we embarked on our sustainability journey, three things were clear from the start: we would not increase the price of our products, we would not compromise on quality and, last but not least, we would invest where it would have the greatest impact. This last aspect is the reason why we did not go for a specific green product line, but decided instead to introduce recycled plastic as a raw material in all our products. In 2023, the proportion of recycled raw materials was already 55% on average.
Our success in increasing the proportion of recycled plastic faster than we anticipated led to a greater than expected reduction in our relative carbon dioxide emissions – 37% compared to 2018. An important milestone was also reached when our operating activities (not including raw materials) became carbon neutral in 2023.
What we have learned along the way is that you need to adjust your objectives as you gain new knowledge. Our long-term goal is to continue to increase the proportion of recycled plastic in our products, but in 2024 we are mostly focusing on phasing out lead from our production. In addition, we are investing in the development of plastic-free packaging.
Research and development, combined with a high degree of automation, has always been important to Prevex. This is one reason why, in 2023, we concentrated all production in Finland and closed our factory in Poland. Now we generate the same sales with far fewer employees.
One piece of good news from last year’s production was that we managed to drastically reduce the number of accidents at work. This result was no accident itself and was due to a persistent, systematic and comprehensive approach to health and safety.
The construction industry was in a deep recession in 2023 and this naturally affected demand for water traps. But also for this reason, I am particularly pleased that we have come so far in our sustainability work, as it has brought us new customers and opportunities that we would not have had otherwise. It is easy to look to the future with confidence as we have a unique offering for the market.
Marko Nylund,
CEO, Prevex
Prevex – unique, sustainable water traps
- Production in Finland: Prevex is one of the few companies in the world specialising in water traps for kitchens and bathrooms. All products are manufactured in Finland.
- Smart features: The water traps combine many smart features such as being flexible, space-saving and easy to clean. Unique customised water traps are also developed in close cooperation with customers.
- Focus on sustainability: In recent years, Prevex has invested heavily in sustainability and is by far the industry leader in this area.
○ Company’s products contain 55 per cent recycled raw materials.
○ All the energy the company uses has long been emission-free.
○ In 2023, Prevex achieved operational carbon neutrality.
