Hear from our CEO and CSO about our Green Lights Strategy and how it incorporates What We Do
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Our breakthrough
Innovations
We aim to lead the industry by developing cutting-edge products that reduce climate impact and support circularity. This is key to achieving our Climate Strategy and future targets. Our innovations promote sustainability without compromising quality or customer warranties.
Managing breakthrough innovations
Making our coatings more sustainable requires long-term research to alter the chemistry of our products without compromising on quality and the warrantees that we offer on coil coatings. To achieve our ambitions, we need breakthrough innovations that are more sustainable from both a functionality and material perspective.
Why breakthrough innovations are material to us
Read more about our Double Materiality Assessment and material topics in our Performance Report 2024.
In our Products with Impact pillar, our overall ambition is to provide high-performance coatings that help advance society while protecting the planet. We assess several areas: raw material choices, defossilization, product performance for applicators and end users, and more sustainable solutions for scrapped painted materials. By 2030, all our breakthrough innovations shall be net sustainable. This means that 100% of all our new products will be from our Beckers Sustainability Index (BSI) Achiever class.
Learning and growing together
We provide training for all our R&D employees on the BSI and sustainable products, ensuring they are thoroughly informed about our Climate Strategy and 2030 Goals. Within R&D, we host monthly Sustainability Clinics for our colleagues to exchange information, learnings and best practices.
The huge potential of UV/EB coatings
Our pioneering UV/EB coil coating technology, developed since 2005 and launched in 2023, marks a significant milestone in the construction industry’s quest for sustainability. Representing a breakthrough in low-carbon, energy-efficient solutions, our UV/EB coatings offer equivalent performance to traditional methods while delivering substantial benefits, including energy and carbon emission savings, and reduced paint volume and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. With applications ranging from external facades to internal paneling, and ongoing investigations into new sectors such as garage doors and domestic appliances, our commitment to advancing UV/EB technology underscores our dedication to environmental stewardship and innovation in the coil coating industry.
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Contributing to breakthrough innovations
Circularity is a major focus for our longer-term R&D and innovation activities. In 2024, we laid an important foundation for our R&D work that aims to drive the increased use of circular raw materials and renewable carbon. Together with approximately 50 key raw material suppliers in all global regions accounting for 80% of our supplier spend in raw materials, we created a mapping of supplier capabilities and supplier-specific product environmental footprint information. With the most advanced suppliers, we collaborate along a 2030 roadmap to reduce the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) of their materials supplied to us.
The cooperation also helped us better understand the potential environmental benefits that can be expected from the key raw material categories of our coil coatings by 2030. We are now integrating this important knowledge into our product innovation plan for the coming years.
“We are fully committed to continue to drive the development and commercialization of more sustainable products.”
We promote the use of renewable raw materials and develop coatings that provide functional sustainability benefits for customers and society. By collaborating with our upstream and downstream key partners, we are focusing on securing access to more sustainable raw materials.
At the same time, we work purposefully to identify products with issues in terms of their sustainability performance, or as they are called in BSI, products identified as a Concern. The ambition is that these products will be fully phased out and excluded from Beckers’ product portfolio within five years of being identified. We are already making good progress and are fully committed to continue to drive the development and commercialization of more sustainable products.
We are also looking into opportunities in circular chemistry and the ability to turn waste plastic into new raw materials that promote circularity and reduce emissions. There are several active projects under evaluation in these areas together with external collaboration partners and technology providers. One example is a collaboration with our partners BioBTX and Symeres that aims to create a supply chain for sustainable aromatic monomers made from plastic waste.
“As a sustainability leader in our industry, we are developing our renewable raw material base.”
Defossilize versus decarbonize – what is what?
Decarbonize involves significantly reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. It involves transforming various sectors of the economy, including energy generation, transportation, and manufacturing, to mitigate climate change.
Defossilize involves replacing carbonaceous, fossil-based raw materials (such as peat, coal, petroleum, natural gas, oil shale, or oil sands) with renewable alternatives like biogenic materials, recycled carbon, or atmospheric CO₂ for producing organic chemicals, including plastics.
Breaking the dependence on fossil fuels
Putting theory into practice is what breakthrough innovations are all about. Currently, more than 35% of our total carbon footprint is embedded in raw materials that are primarily derived from fossil sources. While organic chemistry requires carbon in products like coatings, decarbonization isn’t the solution — instead, we focus on defossilization by looking to sourcing carbon from renewable, non-fossil materials.
Our vision to substitute fossil carbon with renewable carbon, which is derived from alternative sources of biomass, CO2 and recycling, can be a real game changer. As a sustainability leader in our industry, we are developing our renewable raw material base.
Establishing external partnerships is essential and we are a member of the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), initiated by the nova-Institute in Cologne, Germany. At Beckers, we know that creating a truly sustainable coatings industry requires more than just reducing emissions—it demands a complete transformation of how we source, apply, and market our products. That’s why our partnerships with the RCI, European Coil Coating Association (ECCA), and directly with suppliers and customers are so valuable.
Through RCI, we are working with 70+ industry leaders to address major challenges:
- Raw materials – Transitioning to renewable sources of carbon to eliminate fossil dependency, promoting a more sustainable supply chain.
- Market and transparency – Establishing clear sustainability standards, Life Cycle Assessments, and reporting frameworks to create real value for sustainable products.
In 2024, Thomas Lüder, our Global Director of Sustainability Partnerships, shared our position on these challenges in the value chain during a presentation at the annual RCI conference. Sustainability is a shared challenge, and through RCI, we are driving the collective action needed to make lasting change. This collaboration aims to break our dependence on fossil fuels by exploring alternative ways to derive carbon from renewable, non-fossil sources, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
We want to be the industry leader, not a follower
We have identified close cooperation along the entire value chain and innovation management as key levers to develop breakthrough innovations. Our ambition is to be the industry leader, not a follower. As part of our updated Climate Strategy, we set new near- and long-term SBTi approved emissions reduction targets. As a foundation for this, we established the carbon footprint baseline for all Beckers’ products and carried out a hotspot analysis to identify the major development areas. Our data shows that, when looking at Beckers’ cradle-to-gate footprint alone, embedded carbon in raw materials accounts for over 90% of our total emissions. However, we also recognize that significant impact occurs downstream during the application of our products, which we address in Climate Action. This enables us to identify carbon savings with the potential for rapid implementation with suppliers and customers.
Read more about our full carbon footprint, our SBTi-approved emissions reduction targets, and the key levers for Scope 3 reduction in Climate Action.
We are one of the first coil coatings companies with SBTi-approved net-zero targets for 2050.
Stories of
transformation
Introducing FutureLab
In September 2024, we proudly inaugurated FutureLab, our state-of-the-art global research hub in Liverpool, UK. This cutting-edge facility significantly expands our research and development capabilities, significantly increasing the capabilities and capacity of our team, and unlocking new possibilities in coil coating technologies. With dedicated spaces for research, innovation and testing, FutureLab strengthens our position as a leader in developing sustainable coating solutions for our customers.
FutureLab is equipped with advanced tools essential for future advancements, including the development of ultra-violet/electron beam (UV/EB) coatings. Sustainability is a core focus of the facility’s design, featuring innovative measures such as Beckry®Therm – Beckers’ proprietary thermal-control coating – applied to the roof to reduce energy consumption. Additional sustainability features include an active carbon filtration system on a VOC exhaust chimney and heat pumps to minimize the CO2e emissions associated with heating.
Designed to foster creativity and collaboration, the center includes a customer-experience room for engaging with customers and partners. These features not only enhance the functionality of FutureLab but also reflect Beckers’ dedication to driving positive impact and innovation within the industry.
Brief facts about FutureLab
- Two-story, 300 m² building that effectively increases the capabilities of the team.
- FutureLab includes 20 dedicated full-time research chemists working across five research labs.
- Cutting-edge technology: UV curing unit, an EB oven, a slot die coating extruder, an active carbon filtration system on a VOC exhaust chimney, and heat pumps to reduce CO2 emissions related to heating.
- The walls and roof of the building use a cladding system that utilizes a partially bio-resin coating developed by Beckers for improved material sustainability.
- The roof has a Bio-based Beckry®Duro Plus coating and uses Beckry®Therm technology to regulate temperature and ensure energy efficiency.
Stories of
transformation
Collaborating for Change: Shifting to Bio-Polyesters
As the demand for sustainable products grows, the development of bio-based alternatives to traditional fossil-derived materials has become a key focus for many industries. Bio-polyesters, which are derived from renewable resources, have shown significant promise in replacing conventional fossil-based binders without compromising on performance. However, despite the potential of these bio-based materials, overcoming technical, logistical, and commercial barriers has been a challenge.
A breakthrough in bio-polyester development
The journey to replacing fossil-based materials with bio-polyesters has been a long one, beginning with initial research more than a decade ago. Over the past several years, extensive exposure trials and tests have demonstrated that bio-polyesters can match or even outperform traditional fossil-based binders in mechanical properties and durability. This marks a significant step forward in the effort to create more sustainable, high-performance materials.
Collaborative innovation for better sustainability
One of the most exciting aspects of this shift toward bio-based binders is the collaboration between manufacturers and customers. At companies like Beckers, working closely with customers to conduct line trials and gather feedback has been crucial. These trials are designed to ensure that the new bio-polyester formulations perform as well as their fossil-based counterparts. By actively involving customers in the trial process, manufacturers can address concerns, refine formulations, and build trust.
For example, line trials with Scandinavian coil customers using bio-polyester have shown positive results, with improved flow, high surface finishes, and excellent mechanical properties. These outcomes have helped foster confidence among customers, particularly those in the high-end product sector, who are more open to adopting sustainable alternatives.
Overcoming market barriers
Despite the promising results, widespread adoption of bio-polyesters faces challenges, particularly with standard products where cost and process disruption remain significant barriers. In some cases, customers are more willing to switch to bio-based materials for premium products, where price sensitivity is lower. However, convincing customers to make the change for more standard products requires further demonstration of the bio-polyester’s performance and economic feasibility.
Looking ahead
As the market continues to evolve, more and more customers are embracing the shift toward fossil-free products. Successful line trials and positive customer experiences have paved the way for broader adoption. For instance, after a successful trial, Beckry®Tex Pur Bio was adopted as the standard for new color matching requests, with plans to convert the entire product line to bio-based materials in the future.
While there are still technical challenges to overcome—such as maintaining the same texture and flexibility in bio-based versions of certain products—the progress made so far is encouraging.
In conclusion, the collaboration between manufacturers and customers is key to making the transition to bio-polyesters a reality. By working together to test, refine, and adopt these new materials, industries can move closer to a more sustainable future, one that is built on renewable, bio-based alternatives.
Collaboration between manufacturers and customers is key to making the transition to bio-polyesters a reality. By working together to test, refine, and adopt these new materials, industries can move closer to a more sustainable future, one that is built on renewable, bio-based alternatives.
WHAT.
For 160 years, we continuously advance the performance and functionality of our high-performance coatings, consistently exceeding customer expectations. Our legacy is defined by the stories of how we help transform our industry.
WE.
People are at the heart of our business. Safety, mental and physical health, and leaving a positive impact in the communities where we operate transcend our business.
DO.
Our operations and work with suppliers improve our environmental and social impact. By working with resource efficiency and responsible procurement, we have a positive effect throughout our value chain.