Flowcrete is part of a larger organisation. We work with teams all over the world, and co-create CPG Europe – a regional umbrella for multiple European construction product brands, such as illbruck, Flowcrete, Nullifire, Tremco, Vandex and Dryvit.
CPG Europe manufactures high-performance building materials to meet the complex demands of today’s construction industry. Our vision is that our people and products enable us to shape a world where buildings and structures save energy, last longer and exceed sustainability benchmarks. The sustainable development, along with collaboration, honesty and integrity, respect and engagement are CPG Europe’s values in business.
Many of Flowcrete flagship products, flooring solutions based on solvent-free polyurethane resins, in particular, set standards for sustainable development in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. It is one of the indicators of how building materials affect the indoor air quality, which is important both for contractors’ employees, i.e. people who apply the floors, and also their end-users.
Developers of "green" buildings, mainly office and commercial projects, choose the Deckshield car park floors, not only due to their performance parameters, but also low emissions. The use of Deckshield floors can contribute to increasing the building's rating in environmental certifications, such as LEED or BREEAM. These certificates confirm that the building has been designed and constructed in line with the sustainable development principles, which is a sign of high quality and increases the value for potential tenants or subsequent investors.
In recent years, we have been observing changes in the construction market and the flooring industry, also in the general approach to environmental issues. The high quality and durability of the building materials are increasingly important, and the impact on the environment becomes one of the key factors considered when selecting floors for a project. For this reason, Flowcrete has been working for some time on the introduction of improved versions of its epoxy resins with M1 certificate.
The M1 classification system has been introduced in Scandinavia. It aims at enhancing the development and use of low-emitting building materials, among others with a focus on the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC), to guarantee good indoor air quality in office and residential buildings. M1 is the best class in terms of emissions.
Last year, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Flowcrete in Poland, we launched a new laboratory in which, apart from quality control of current production, we also conduct research and development works. We also exchange knowledge and experience with Flowcrete R&D departments operating around the world, including those in Sweden, in Great Britain and the United States. As a result, Flowcrete launches new, low-emitting versions of the most popular and market-proven epoxy resin floorings.
A good example is the Peran STB floor, made of clear epoxy resin and coloured quartz sand. Its new versions – Peran STB Public and Peran STB Public SR (anti-slip) respond to the growing demand for this type of flooring solutions in "green" public facilities. These systems are based on the technologically advanced Peran STC LE resin, which allows for the creation of floors with reduced VOC emissions, and at the same time increases their UV-resistance. The new systems meet both the requirements of the above mentioned M1 class and “green” certifications.
Also, Flowcrete has been gradually decreasing the use of plastic packaging for years – the vast majority of our products are available in large metal containers.
Nowadays, the flooring industry is at an important moment in terms of environmental issues. More and more investors not only pay attention to this topic but – what is equally important – are ready to accept higher costs related to the use of materials and technologies that are more sustainable. Flowcrete Polska will continue to invest in innovative flooring solutions. We believe that in the long term, this is the only approach.
Flowcrete is also involved in activities for the local community, including charity actions in the neighbourhood. The company keeps good relations with other entrepreneurs who also have their headquarters in Korporacja Radex Business Park at ul. Marywilska 34 in Warsaw. One can always count on our cooperation when there is a need to make new or repair existing floors in production or warehouse facilities at the neighbours. In business Flowcrete also uses the services of companies operating in the same area in the first place.
The sustainable development of the people – the Flowcrete team, plays an important role in our business strategy. The issue is multi-dimensional. We take care of a good atmosphere and integration of people working in all departments of the company, at various levels. We also provide comfortable working conditions, both in the production facility and in our office in Warsaw. Apart from meeting rooms, there is no open space and most offices are single or double rooms. Majority of the rooms have panoramic windows overlooking woodland and a carefully designed park, a place of relaxation during breaks. This natural, green environment was one of the reasons we chose the location of our office.
As part of the corporate governance, in Flowcrete we have been organizing work for some time in a way that facilitates work-life balance. Many of our employees, in particular those who are parents, benefit from flexible working hours and do a large part of their tasks remotely. The business model adopted in our company allowed us to use these opportunities earlier, before the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result, we were well prepared to adapt to a new, “pandemic mode” of running the business. This approach paid off because we had already learned to communicate with each other and cooperate effectively even when we work from different places in the world.
The sustainable model of the working environment combined with the care for the local community and the commitment to make our products more sustainable has a direct impact on Flowcrete business success on the market.