The direction that 100 countries of the world reunited the last days in Glasgow, were committed to fallow, is that of developing a circular economy system that should determine an historical change. There can be foreseen some important economic benefits for the employment and for the environment, as result of the initial investments in research and development (as explained in the editorial of this issue).
The economic system that we are using today is mostly linear: we take the raw material, we build something, we use it and then we throw it away. We are talking about linearity because once the consumption has ended, also the product cycle ends. In this way we are affecting the reserve of natural resources. On the other hand, the term circular, stands for the continuous flow of extraction, production, use and then recycling. A system that would be good for the environment, society and for the economy, as well.
But let’s consider the opinion of our manufacturers about the circular economy related to their products and to the specific market segments where they operate.
As regarding the ironing sector, made in Italy excellence, we are interviewing Paolo Fumagalli, President of the company Pony SpA, telling us: “today, more than ever, the companies are summoned to revise their manufacturing processes in order to help the environment that we are living in, by reducing waste and consumption. As PONY, we have focused on the three main elements involved in the functioning of the finishing machines: water, air and energy.
The entire Pony shirt-finishers range is equipped with an effective integrated hot air recovery system, the H.A.R.S. patented system. This device allows us to reuse the air that is coming out from the dummy for a new drying cycle, limiting like this the heat dispersion into the environment, lowering the ironing times and achieving a significantly reduced energy consumption.
Water consumption has always been one of the most relevant costs in the laundries’ budgets, so Pony has decided to focus its efforts on developing machines with built-in boilers or electric heating devices, in order to reduce the heat waste and, consequently the water consumption that characterises the installations with a centralised boiler.
One of the main targets of our design department is to constantly search for materials or components that allow us to reduce the consumption, as for example, the adoption of the Energy Saving pneumatic valves, the rotation system of the DB 360 rotary double-buck shirt press, that uses a very low consumption motor (only 0.25kW) with starting and braking system electronically controlled by an inverter.
For Pony, protecting the planet is an actual, daily purpose and the company supports its customers in this direction for making the best choices for each one of their activities,” concludes Paolo Fumagalli.
For Renzacci SpA, a producer of industrial washing and dry-cleaning machines, we asked Marco Niccolini, General Sales and Mkt Director, who explained how, “for all our three production lines, dry cleaning machines, washing machines and rotary tumble dryers, we have developed products based on the circular economy, which is one of our priorities, starting from designing the machines.
As concerning the water washing machines and the tumble dryers, we have a combination that we use to call “Special one”, it is a water washing machine that uses the Ecocare system, which recovers the water used in the rinsing stage, and having significant savings as result, not only in water consumption but also in energy (heat). Everything is done through a recovery device that doesn’t occupies more space than the machine itself.
Then we studied a tumble dryer that has a completely closed circuit, with full air recovery, designed also for heating the water during its operation. The heated water is sent to the washing machine for the regular washing. This is the power that arises from the synergy between the machines. Like this, 50% of the water and 40% of the energy consumption is saved during the year.
As regarding the dry cleaning, we have adopted a system for the machines that are working using natural solvents, called “COMBICLEAN” system, that makes it possible to reduce the drying times, facilitating an energy recovery that becomes a significant saving as result. We can say the same thing about the suspended jet system, always on the dry-cleaning machines working with natural solvents, because it speeds up the cycle times, using like this less water and less energy for the solvent condensation.
We return to the professional ironing and we talk to the co-owner of Trevil, Corinna Mapelli, who explains the company’s point of view, “in front of an increasing demand for the raw materials and a shortage of resources, the circular economy stands out as a winning model for saving the planet and for the long-term sustainability of any business.
When designing, we pay particular attention on choosing long-lasting solutions and that are easy to be maintained: the accessibility of a component and the possibility of replacing it in case of failure without dismantling the entire product, are representing for us the guiding criteria for designing our entire range.
We also guarantee the availability of the spare parts for at least 10 years from the end of the production, for each of our products. When it comes to energy saving, the culture of Trevil company is traditionally focused on the products efficiency. One of our first projects, the Domina semi-professional steam generator with iron, is still one of the products with the lowest energy consumption in its segment (only 1150 W), and an absolutely great performance.
We can find the same design sensitivity in products with higher energy consumption such as steam generators or shirt finishers. By re-using the residual heat from the condensation process, we minimise the energy waste and we reduce the operating costs, at the same time.
The range of shirt finishers, in particular, is the subject of a constant development work for optimising the use of the steam, with the dual purpose of reducing the ironing time – to increase productivity – and limiting the consumption”.
As regarding the chemicals companies, in the textile care field, we speak with Livio Bassan of Christeyns, who says that, “the circular economy in the laundry industry is increasingly imposing itself leaving the linear cycle take-make-dispose, thanks to the new systems designed to minimise the environmental impact.Already in the past, the rise of the continuous batch washers has led to significant water savings, with a reduction from 30 litres/kg of washed linen, to 10 litres/kg.
The new technologies developed by Christeyns, thanks to the suitable systems and to the cooperation between the main players operating in the laundry, like the machines manufacturers, detergents and fabrics producers, succeeded in lowering the water consumption down to 3lt/kg and in recovering at least 60% and up to 80% of the energy produced, thanks to water/water heat exchangers that are recovering energy from the temperature of the machine waste water, but also air/water exchangers that recover the heat energy from the ironers without wasting it into the environment.
Moreover, from the first beginning, the laundry has always had a vocation in the circular economy, by treating both technical and non-technical fabrics and reusing them. It has always protected the environment, by avoiding the use of paper and other materials which, in addition to, let’s say, “deforesting”, have also a great impact in generating waste.
As one of the few companies that is delivering chemicals by road tanker and with reusable IBCs, Christeyns guarantees the lowest impact on plastics dispersed in the environment.
Christeyns’ mission is definitely to increase the quality of washing, but also of the environment by proposing systems that save money by lowering the consumption – LESS IS BETTER”.
For Firbimatic, a company that has its core business in the dry-cleaning sector, we discuss about the circular economy with Mirco Mongillo, the Sales Manager of Firbimatic, who tells us, “we have passed through a very difficult period and now we have to overpass it by focusing on what us, italians have always identified ourselves with, innovation and inventiveness. In fact, the european and italian policies promote and finance the development of a “Circular economy” system in order to bring about a change.
Firbimatic has always been dedicated to development and innovation, through low consumption technologies, respecting the environment, with more efficient production cycles and minimal waste. In the attempt for keeping the step with the evolution, we have developed the AS-Ecogreen series. Firbimatic knows very well the value of time and energy, and therefore it is manufacturing machines that are not only saving electricity and water, but also time. The result is simple: everything that is not wasted becomes profit for the company.
Thanks to the high technology of the new Firbimatic machines the cycle times are reduced, as well as the consumption of the utilities, everything is translating into an economic advantage. All Firbimatic machines are equipped with closed circuit purification and filtering systems, that are reducing the environmental pollution to zero. All washing and drying functions are totally managed by computerised systems, eliminating like this the possibility of a human error.
Firbimatic has carried out a long series of laboratory tests, for being able to identify the real hygienisation degree obtained by the dry-cleaning with our technology. A working environment must be functional, productive, technologically advanced and beautiful. For this reason, Firbimatic has come up with a range of machines that combine the qualities of Firbimatic products with the beautiness and the taste that only the Italian design can express.
From now on, the image of the laundry takes a giant leap forward, thanks to a series of graphics specially designed by Firbimatic designers, to make more pleasant and elegant, even the most narrow and dull environment”, concludes Mongillo.
Finally, we speak with Marzio Klos, the Managing Director of Brentareno, a company based in Asolo near Treviso specialised in the design and production of machinery dedicated to many areas of the laundry industry.
“For almost twenty years now, we have produced here in Asolo, a tumble dryer that has three enormous advantages: first of all, it has no emissions into the atmosphere as it works in a closed chamber, without dispersing anything into the environment. The second advantage is that it allows a remarkable energy saving, because the traditional dryers with a chimney have a consumption of 18 kW for a capacity of 18 kg, while our tumble dryer, with the same capacity, is consuming only 6 kW. The third advantage is that our tumble dryer has a lower environmental impact, because it produces hot, softened water at temperatures between 60° and 64°, with zero costs, while the machine is functioning.
This is made through a powerful heat exchanger so that the water is recovered in an insulated tank, and when the washing machine is operating, it is supplied with heated water with two advantages: firstly, there is no energy consumption because an 18 kg washing machine normally consumes 15 Kw while our machine consumes a maximum of 2 Kw, so it is also a time saving, because the washing time is also reduced, eliminating the necessary heating time for 60/70 litres of water”.•
By Marzio Nava
Detergo Magazine – Number 11, November 2021
