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Kronospan

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Kronospan
Company typePrivate
IndustryWood, manufacturing
Founded1897
ProductsProcessed wood
Revenue€4 billion (2015)
Number of employees
14,000 (2016)
Websitehttp://www.kronospan-worldwide.com

Kronospan is an international company that manufactures and distributes wood-based panels which are used in applications including flooring, furniture and timber-framed houses.

The company manufactures particleboard, medium density fibreboard, laminate flooring, resins for wood-based panels, oriented strand board. It also produces melamine-faced boards, post-formed worktops, wall panels, lacquered HDF and decorative paper.

History

Kronospan was established in 1897 in Lungötz, Austria, as a family business. The company has more than 40 wood-based panel manufacturing sites and trading facilities in Europe, Asia, and the USA. In 1972 the company opened a UK manufacturing unit in the former coal mining town of Chirk, North Wales. It is now one of the top 10 manufacturing companies in Wales and employs more than 600 people with 90% of the workforce living within a 10-mile radius of the Chirk site.[1]

Locations

Kronospan has operations in more than 30 countries:

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Kronospan has more than 40 production sites in Europe, Asia and USA; 7 distribution centres and 11 service centres:

Column-generating template families

The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a <div>...</div> open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.

Column templates
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table code?
Responsive/
mobile suited
Start template Column divider End template
Float "col-float" Yes Yes {{col-float}} {{col-float-break}} {{col-float-end}}
"columns-start" Yes Yes {{columns-start}} {{column}} {{columns-end}}
Columns "div col" Yes Yes {{div col}} {{div col end}}
"columns-list" No Yes {{columns-list}} (wraps div col)
Flexbox "flex columns" No Yes {{flex columns}}
Table "col" Yes No {{col-begin}},
{{col-begin-fixed}} or
{{col-begin-small}}
{{col-break}} or
{{col-2}} .. {{col-5}}
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Distribution centres:

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The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a <div>...</div> open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.

Column templates
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table code?
Responsive/
mobile suited
Start template Column divider End template
Float "col-float" Yes Yes {{col-float}} {{col-float-break}} {{col-float-end}}
"columns-start" Yes Yes {{columns-start}} {{column}} {{columns-end}}
Columns "div col" Yes Yes {{div col}} {{div col end}}
"columns-list" No Yes {{columns-list}} (wraps div col)
Flexbox "flex columns" No Yes {{flex columns}}
Table "col" Yes No {{col-begin}},
{{col-begin-fixed}} or
{{col-begin-small}}
{{col-break}} or
{{col-2}} .. {{col-5}}
{{col-end}}

Can template handle the basic wiki markup {| | || |- |} used to create tables? If not, special templates that produce these elements (such as {{(!}}, {{!}}, {{!!}}, {{!-}}, {{!)}})—or HTML tags (<table>...</table>, <tr>...</tr>, etc.)—need to be used instead.

Service centres:

Brands & Products

Kronobuild®

Kronobuild® is a product line of construction material, suitable for wood framed houses. Kronobuild® building products are 95% made of natural wood and include various types of particle boards, OSB boards, wood fibreboards and cement-bonded particleboards. These are large panel construction materials for floors, walls and roofs. Each type has its own characteristics for its intended final use:

  • Particleboards are one of the most used wood-based materials for various applications. They are made from wood chips and synthetic resin based binders. The boards are pressed under high temperatures and pressure. Kronospan manufactures a wide range of chipboards. Each board type has its own characteristics for its further intended use. Product line of particle boards Kronobuild® includes the following types of chipboard - P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, QSB and FireBoard;
  • Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is a product made from thin strands stacked on each other in oriented layers connected by a synthetic resin. OSB boards are currently the most widespread wood-based materials for a variety of building-structural applications. Boards do not contain natural solid wood defects (knots, cracks, etc.). Kronospan’s OSB boards are produced within the basic trademark OSB Superfinish. Its product line is extended of special type boards OSB Firestop, and surface finish boards OSB Airstop, OSB Reflex and OSB Film;
  • Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) – is an engineered board produced from resin bonded wood fibers under high pressure and heat. MDF is non-load-bearing product for interior use in dry conditions sanded to give a very fine surface. MDF is suitable for different coatings – veneering, laminating, painting and varnishing. MDF fibreboards are applicable particularly in furniture and indoor equipment production. Kronobuild® product line of fibre boards includes, besides standard MDF, also boards with improved properties – Fire Retardant MDF B1, Moisture Resistant MDF MR and DFP. These products apply particularly in construction applications but also in furniture and packaging industry;
  • Cement-bonded particleboards – Kronospans’ cement-bonded particleboard, called Betonyp, is used where lightweight construction and facing elements require toughness and durability. Betonyp building boards are used as facing elements, such as exterior facade cladding, false ceilings and interior space dividers, as auxiliary panel elements for lightweight and traditional construction systems and shuttering elements.

All Kronobuild® materials available on the market are harmless and produced according to the EU standards for panels for the building industry, that is controlling the emission of formaldehyde. The products meet the requirements for lawfully the lowest possible class E1.


Kronodesign®

Kronodesign’s portfolio includes:

  • Melamine Faced Particleboard (MF PB) - formed by laminating a particleboard type P2 with a decorative, resin-impregnated paper. Kronospan MF PB is offered in an extensive range of designs and finishes, for use in dry conditions, categorized in the following collections: Color, Standard, Contempo, Synchro, Trends 14/15 and Trends 16/17.
  • Gloss boards (GL) are produced on the basis of melamine faced technology, but with gloss texture, for use in dry conditions. Kronospan’s gloss boards are available in 3 essential plain colors and a variety of thicknesses;
  • Mirror gloss (MG) - mirror gloss is a melamine faced board with an unsurpassed gloss surface on both sides, produced with a state-of-the-art lamination technology where a specific decorative paper is pressed onto a superfine low emission wood-based panel. The Mirror Gloss panels are commonly used in home & office furniture, kitchens, bathrooms and retail spaces;
  • Acrylic Gloss (AG) - acrylic gloss boards are produced based on MDF with gloss acrylic layer bonded on to the front side and polystyrene matt layer to the reverse side to improve the stability of the board. The acrylic layer conveys an exceptional high gloss level and deep colors;
  • Veneered boards - are unique natural products, widely used in high-end furniture design and commercial and domestic interior applications. Kronospan’s expansive range includes natural timbers from the oak tree, beech, maple, ash and many more;
  • Metal board - produced based on Kronospan’s MDF, one-sided coated with real aluminium sheet, with scrub resistant quality and protective foil. Backside of the boards is laminated with multi-layer composite of polystyrene with surface structured for the rear side of furniture panels;
  • High Pressure Laminate (HPL) is made of multiple core layers and a decorative resin-impregnated paper. HPL is a material for surfaces that require enhanced durability and impact resistance;
  • Worktops/splashbacks - constructed of PB based panel which is covered with high-pressure laminate. It represents the ideal solution for surfaces exposed to impact, heat and moisture. The material is easy to clean and maintain due to its high abrasion and scrub resistant properties;
  • Compact interior - decorative high-pressure structural laminates that consist of multiple core layers and decorative resin-impregnated paper. They are suitable for special use in horizontal and vertical applications requiring particularly high impact and moisture resistance. Common applications include doors, partitions, walls and self-supporting components in construction;
  • Lacquered High Density Fiberboard (LHDF) consists of raw HDF painted and coated with a water-based UV lacquer. The surface is resistant to chemical substances and mechanical impact and is suitable for many applications in interior design and furniture, such as drawer bases, interior door production, advertising boards, etc.;
  • Finger Joint panels - single-layer panels made of best natural wood, ideal for high quality furniture and interior decoration such as table tops, staircases and window frames. The finger-joint panels are made mainly from beech and oak, but ash, cherry and maple can be also used. Lamellas made from these broad-leaved tree species are glued together along their whole width and length, forming large blocks. Prior to manufacturing, the lamellas are dried to the same humidity as the finished product. The result is a product that looks great and performs better than solid wood;
  • Edgings - furniture protection and finish edge bands, available in a variety of widths and thicknesses, providing the finishing touch of furniture, and also important protection to board edges;
  • Foils - finish foils are coloured or printed paper refined with a lacquer-coated surface. They are applied in the furniture, especially for living rooms and bedrooms, for wall and ceiling panels in interior decoration, in caravan construction and many more applications. The foil is usually supplied as decor finish foil in reels and, by way of a separate layer of adhesive, glued to a wood-based substrate - PB, MDF and HDF.


Kronoart®

Kronoart is a new generation of architectural facades, comprised of four distinct collections with over 100 decors. These are high-pressure structural laminates with exceptional resilience to impact, stains and environmental conditions.

Krono Original®

Krono Original is Kronospan’s brand for flooring solutions, including everything from classic laminate flooring to veneer floors, from wall and ceiling panels to skirtings and other accessories.

Health, safety and environment

Production certification

Kronospan journey to low emission products:

  • 2009 - First OSB to receive certification from Energieinstitut Vorarlberg as an environmentally friendly product due to low VOC emissions and formaldehyde-free production technology
  • 2008 - MDF and particleboard E-LE achieve CARB II low emission certification
  • 2007 - OSB with extra low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions
  • 1989 - First factory in Central and East Europe to produce E1 particleboard
  • 1988 - First tannin bonded MDF to meet E0 standard
  • 1985 - 100% of production was turned into E1 standard quality

Kronospan is certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which applies strict control for air quality and limiting of pollutants, setting the global precedent for eco-friendly manufacturing. The wood-based panel products are also certified by the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes ([[1]]) and the Forest Stewardship Council [[2]]. The timber used for these products comes from verified and well managed forests, which ensures a renewable and sustainable resource. The FSC® label demonstrates to the public and consumer responsible practices, giving credibility with customers and business partners as well as financial institutions and watchdog organizations. Being FSC® certified shows that Kronospan complies with the highest social and environmental standards on the market. The company handles, uses, stores and destroys chemicals in a safe and environmentally healthy way as well as recycling its waste wood. Kronospan has also been awarded with two internationally recognised environmental standards, which cement those certified as leaders in sustainability. The company’s wood-based panels and associated products had their carbon footprint independently measured and certified by BlueGreen Carbon, and since 2009 can officially supply Carbon Positive chipboard products. Kronospan has also achieved CARB low formaldehyde accreditation, further demonstrating its uncompromising commitment to the environment.

Energy consumption and CO² emissions

Kronospan wood-based panel products meet the low formaldehyde E1 emission standard. The company has developed extra low formaldehyde emission MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and PB (particleboard). It also manufactures an OSB made with formaldehyde-free resins and selected types of timber, which results is ultra low emission at the level of natural wood.

A subsidiary of the company, Kronospan Forestry Ltd., manages over 1000 hectares of sustainable forests in the south-west of Scotland. This includes both young forests as well as mid-age plantations offering greater wildlife diversity. In 1999 the company joined the Forest Stewardship Council scheme, which ensures that sustainable practices are used.[2] Kronospan works with Business in the Community Wales (BICW) which aims to address key social issues in the most deprived rural and urban areas of Wales.[3] In 2003 Kronospan was one of the first organisations to sign up with the Carbon Trust in Wales for a pilot programme to manage carbon emissions.[4][5]

In 2010 Kronospan’s workforce took part in a symbolic two-hour shutdown in protest against Government subsidies paid to the biomass industry, which they say directly threaten their jobs, future wood manufacturing and associated industries.[6][7] Kronospan's shutdown supported the European Panel Federation's[8] Day of Action and the company has joined Green campaigners and the UK’s Wood Panel Industries Federation in lobbying Government through the Make Wood Work [9] campaign to reverse the consequences of the Renewables Obligation, which is a result of European Union Climate Change Directives.[10]


Kronospan Foundation

Kronospan Foundation has been founded in 2011 with the main goal to reinvest resources into local communities and to promote sustainable development. The Foundation’s mission is to actively serve the people and the communities in which Kronospan operates by engaging in projects that promote social, economic and cultural development. It places a special focus on the protection and preservation of the natural environment as well as providing children with educational opportunities. Kronospan Foundation is initiating many local events and contests related to environmental sustainability. In 2015 it invested into the Tampa Mountain Sanctuary (Brasov, Romania) natural reserve - an area of 214 hectares. The Foundation installed new trails, benches and informational boards while also providing for the general upkeep of the area through cleaning activities. In 2015, Kronospan Foundation dedicated a large part of resources towards initiating new projects in supporting educational opportunities across Central and Eastern Europe. While its commitment to Babson College (Massachusetts, USA) is based on finding the next generation of business leaders and supporting young, commercial minds, the Foundation also places great value on the importance of a technical education for the youth. In the wood-processing sector specialised talent is sought after more than ever, providing an overabundance of training and job opportunities upon completion of technical studies in this field. To promote this opportunity to students the Kronospan Foundation has established partnerships with Koszalin Technical University in Poland as well as the Secondary Vocational School of Wood Processing in Zvolen, Slovakia. In both countries the educational institutions will work closely with local Kronospan plants to provide facilities to learn and practice as well as a place to gain professional experience through internships.

Criticism

Criticism of Kronospan has arisen from various groups, concerning a variety of issues, including health, safety, environmental issues and business practices.

Business practices

In 2002 Kronospan was investigated for tax evasion in Germany. In August 2002, Burkhard Dannewald, the senior prosecutor for Bielefeld, issued an arrest warrant for Peter Kaindl, the managing director and co-owner of Kronospan, relating to 27 counts of tax evasion in the sum of 20-25 million.[11] As an Austrian national, Kaindl could not be extradited to Germany on tax matters, but voluntarily subjected himself for prosecution.[12] The charges related to "payments for allegedly useless patents which falsely reduced the profits of the company between 1998 and 2001."[11] Kaindl and 2 other Kronospan employees admitted the offences at Paderborn district court. He was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, suspended for 3 years, and fined €5 million. Ingo Leiner, executive director of Kronospan GmbH and Kronospan Flooring GmbH, received 17 months probation, and Rainer Barbier, the company's tax consultant and lawyer, received 18 months probation. It was reported that the "lenient sentences reflected the paying back of taxes owed to the authorities by the parties."[12]

Worker safety

In January 2003 Kronospan UK was fined £15,000 after admitting failure to ensure the safety of an employee. While removing waste paper from between the rollers of a stopped machine, the employee was caught as the rollers closed and the machine started up. As the rollers were operating in a reverse direction, the worker's arm was extruded toward the man, rather than his body being dragged into the machine. An investigation found that another worker who was attempting to correct a fault on the machine had pressed a button "that, unknown to him or anyone else at the factory, was a delayed start button which set the machine rolling." Although the machine had been in use for three years the button had never been pressed before and not even the management knew what it was for.[13]


Fires

In March 2002, the company was fined £20,500 after 8,000 tonnes of waste timber caught fire at the Chirk plant and burned for several days. The fire was believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion following a build up of heat in damp conditions.[14] The plant caught fire again on 17 June 2002 and firefighters were drafted in from stations in North Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire to tackle the oil fire which had started in a boiler room.[15][16] The plant suffered further industrial fires in April and September 2007 and September 2010.[17][18][19] In 2012 firefighters attended industrial blazes at the plant in June, twice in July and again in October.[20][21] On 17 April 2014 fire broke out again at the factory, requiring 5 appliances and an aerial platform ladder. The fire was extinguished 11 hours later.[22]

Pollution

In January 2002 Kronospan UK was fined £60,000 for discharging effluent into the River Bradley. The company admitted six offences between 29 March–9 October 2001, with a further four offences taken into consideration.[23][24] Between May 2002 and July 2003 Environment Agency Wales (EAW) tests showed Kronospan UK discharged pollutants including ammonia "far in excess of agreed levels" into waterways feeding the River Dee. On 1 July 2003 the level of fuel oil pollutants from the Chirk plant were so high that they triggered a "pollution red alert" on the River Dee. To prevent the contamination of drinking water the water treatment plant at Bangor-on-Dee was shut down during the incident.[25][26] An EAW spokesman said: "This case and the level of fine imposed clearly demonstrates how seriously the agency and the courts view companies who fail to ensure their activities do not cause harm to the environment."[27] In May 2005 Kronospan UK was fined £25,000 by Wrexham magistrates after pleading guilty to five offences of polluting local waterways.[28]

In July 2005 Kronospan UK invested £700,000 on an improved water recycling and filtration process.[29][30]


References

  1. ^ - Kronospan - about us
  2. ^ Watson, Craig (22 June 1999). "Greenways". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 12. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Community initiative making major impact". Daily Post. Liverpool. 14 November 2001. p. 2.
  4. ^ "Move to cut CO2 emissions". Western Mail. Cardiff. 3 December 2003. p. 3. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Climate concern". Daily Post. Liverpool. 14 January 2004. p. 7. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Chirk factory workers protest over 'subsidy threat'". BBC Wales Today. North Wales. October 29, 2010.
  7. ^ "Kronospan workers urge Government to step in over subsidies". Liverpool Daily Post. North Wales. October 30, 2010.
  8. ^ European Panel Federation website
  9. ^ Make Wood Work Campaign website
  10. ^ "Biomass schemes will boost destructive timber imports, claims wood industry". The Guardian. September 11, 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Arrest warrant out for co-owner of Kronospan". Wood Based Panels International. 1 August 2002. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b "Kronospan managers sentenced for tax evasion". Wood Based Panels International. 1 December 2003. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Hall, John (24 January 2003). "Firm fined £15,000 after worker's arm got stuck in machine". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. p. 18. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "Company fined over blaze". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 1 March 2002. p. 8. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "Chipboard factory fire". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 18 June 2002. p. 13. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "70 firemen tackle blaze". Western Mail. Cardiff. 18 June 2002. p. 3. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Chipboard plant blaze". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 16 April 2007. p. 8. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Fire crew puts out factory blaze". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 17 September 2007. p. 7. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Bagnall, Steve (11 September 2010). "Blaze at chip board factory". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. p. 9. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Crews at third fire in weeks at Chirk Kronospan factory". BBC News. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  21. ^ "Kronospan: fire in wood products factory near Chirk". BBC News. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  22. ^ Williams, Kelly (18 April 2014). "Kronospan Chirk: Firefighters spend 11 hours tackling factory blaze". North Wales Daily Post. Llandudno Junction. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  23. ^ Roberts, Elwyn (9 March 2002). "Fines for pollution of river reduced". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. p. 3.
  24. ^ "Polluter fined £60,000". Western Mail. Cardiff. 11 January 2002. p. 1. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Bagnall, Steve (12 November 2004). "Pollution shame of N. Wales factory". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. p. 1. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "Flooring company fined £60,000 for polluting River Dee tributary". Western Mail. Cardiff. 13 November 2004. p. 16. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Evans, Derek (22 November 2004). "Grand Canal Basin suffers a pollution setback". Irish Times. Dublin. p. 23. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  28. ^ "Bradley Factory fined". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 17 May 2005. p. 4. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ "Water system on trial". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 27 July 2005. p. 5. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ "Region's firms rack up hefty pollution fines". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool. 27 July 2006. p. 4. Retrieved 11 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)