Diab Group, a leader in sandwich core materials, announces that its facility in Laholm, Sweden, has obtained ISCC PLUS certification. As a first step Diab now introduces mass-balanced PVC in its Advanced kits. This certification is part of Diab’s journey toward reaching Net-zero according to its long-term target approved by Science Based Targets initiative.

The concept of mass-balanced material
Mass-balanced material, with circular, bio-circular, and/or biobased feedstocks, resembles renewable energy. When you buy renewable energy, you can’t ensure that, for example, a windmill or solar panel powers your specific outlet. Instead, you receive a certificate guaranteeing that the provider adds the same amount of renewable energy as you procure to the grid. Similarly, by purchasing mass-balanced material, you acquire a sustainability declaration from the supplier stating the amount of mass-balanced feedstock produced in their processing unit to represent the amount in every specific supply you receive. 

ISCC PLUS certification
All parts in the supply chain, including processing units and sales offices, must be certified to handle sustainability declarations. Diab has chosen ISCC (The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), a global sustainability certification system that covers all sustainable feedstocks, including agricultural and forestry biomass, biogenic wastes and residues, circular materials, and renewables. With over 9000 valid certificates in over 130 countries, ISCC is among the world’s largest certification systems. 

The first step is Advanced kits with fossil-free PVC 
Advanced kits, unique pre-cut foam core parts, offer optimized fit in the mould with reduced resin consumption and improved cosmetics for infusion and prepreg applications. Advanced kitting is the optimal solution where weight, resin usage, and surface finishing are critical, and it also gives the lowest carbon footprint for the final product. Advanced kits further reduce the application’s carbon footprint by utilizing ISCC PLUS mass-balanced fossil-free PVC (derived from bio-based waste) and producing the foam with 100% renewable energy.

The ISCC PLUS certification guarantees full traceability throughout the mass-balanced material supply chain to the finished kit at Diab processing unit, and then further via our certified sales offices, including a sustainability declaration upon delivery. All new Advanced kits will include an estimated GWP (Global Warming Potential)/carbon footprint value for each kit. When transitioning from traditional kits to Advanced kits, the quotation will also present a comparison of resin consumption and GWP. 

“It’s exciting that we now introduce fossil-free PVC in our Advanced kits,” says Eva-Lotta Petersson, Group Sustainability and EHSQ Manager at Diab. “The ISCC PLUS certification is a natural step in our journey towards even more sustainable solutions, alongside aligning our carbon emission reduction goals with the Science Based Target initiative since 2018.” 

From March 3rd, all Advanced kits will be based on mass-balanced fossil-free PVC and will initially be introduced in Diab ‘s European markets.