Respecting our environment and the quality of life. Dessain printing is committed to sustainable development and is continuously making great efforts in trying to play a pioneering role in matters of ecology and in the responsible use of natural resources.

Dessain Printings concern for the commitment to the more responsible use of natural resources is not new:

• AlpEnergy: a 100% renewable energy source
• FSC and PEFC certificates
• VOC-emission is less than 10%
• Eco term drying oven and other measures

All of the above measures are taken by Dessain Printing in order to position itself as a real force for sustainable development and to demonstrate its active concern for the environment.

AlpEnergy: a 100% renewable energy source

Very recently Dessain and Electrabel signed a contract for the supply of “AlpEnergie” renewable sourced electricity. By opting for AlpEnergy, Dessain Printing supports Electrabel in developing new means of producing renewable energy in Europe, which helps cut the greenhouse gas emissions.

AlpEnergy is a 100% renewable sourced energy supply produced in the Rhone valley by 19 hydroelectric dams and 7 dams in the Pyrenees and the Massif Central in France. The electricity production is guaranteed 100% renewable by the German certification body TÜV SÜD.

FSC and PEFC certificates

Dessain acquired the official license to use the FSC as well as the PEFC logo since 2007. FSC stands for “Forest Stewardship Council” and PEFC for “Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification”. For each logo a third party audit guarantees the certification.

Any product made of pulp or paper has the potential to be certified as long as the wood used in the product originates from certified sources. Wood is an important material for all paper manufacturers. The FSC and PEFC certification system allows these professionals to know they are doing the right thing, and taking business away from other companies that may still be supporting illegal, unsustainable, unverified logging activities. Just like other forest products, in order to use the FSC or PEFC logo as an "environmental claim" on paper, the product must have flowed through the "chain-of-custody" from the certified forest, to a paper manufacturer, merchant, and finally printer who have chain-of-custody certification.

With responsible forest management the environmental, social and economical aspects of the forest are in balance. Dealing responsibly with the company’s carbon footprint has always been an important issue for Dessain Printing. Both certificates offer the answers to many questions concerning the environmental policy of Dessain Printing and its customers. It is an occasion to grant both the printing and the paper industry a positive image.

The European Parliament considers FSC and PEFC to be equivalent systems to guarantee users that the wood or the derived products like paper are from sustainable managed forests.

FSC-certificate		PEFC-certificate
www.fsc.org		www.pefc.be

VOC-emission is less than 10%

Contrary to what is customary in heat set web printing factories Dessain Printing does not add any alcohol to the water which is used during the printing process. The use of alcohol in the process-water facilitates the printing process considerably. Yet Dessain choose to strongly reduce the emission of Volatile Organic Components (VOC). The choice of all the detergents used during the printing production is also made in function of the reduction of the volatile organic components. The Flemish government imposes a maximum VOC-emission of 30%. Dessains emission is always less than 10%.

Eco term drying oven and other measures

Printing in heat set means that the inks are dried in long ovens which are operated with natural gas. All of Dessains presses are equiped with Eco term drying ovens. The oils of the inks are evapored and sucked up to be processed in an afterburning installation. The energy created during this proces is reused to evaporate the oils of the inks. As a result the supply of new natural gas is not or hardly necessary. With this cyclic process the released energy is continuosly of great use.

Cooling down the paper web is done by using rain-water on all of Dessain Printings presses. On top of that Dessain does not drain any effluents at all. Automatic colour- and register controllsystems stand for short press passes and less energy and paper waste when starting up the press.