INTERVIEW WITH LUCART

Lucart is an Italian multinational group that promotes a sustainable way of producing paper. This is achieved by adopting a systemic approach designed to optimise the use of raw materials and reduce waste by turning them into new resources Lucart joined the United Nations Global Compact Network Italy in 2020 and has been awarded the “Platinum” sustainability rating by the independent certification company Ecovadis.

Interview with Omar Balducci, Sales Director AFH Central and Eastern Europe and AMEA at Lucart.

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?

Omar Balducci: Lucart produces airlaid, MG and tissue paper products (tissue paper articles for everyday use, including toilet paper, kitchen towels, napkins, tablecloths, handkerchiefs, etc.). The production activities of the company founded by the Pasquini family in 1953 are organised across three Business Units (Business to Business, Away from Home and Consumer), engaged in the development and sale of products with brands, such as Tenderly, Tutto, Grazie Natural and Smile (Consumer market) and Lucart Professional, Fato, Tenderly Professional, and Velo (Away from Home market). The production capacity is over 396,000 tonnes/year of paper on 12 paper machines. The consolidated turnover is over EUR 550 million and 1,700 people are employed at 10 production plants (5 in Italy, 1 in France, 1 in Hungary, 2 in Spain and 1 in the UK) and a logistics hub.

E.E: What’s the news about new products?

O.B: Lucart, over the recent years, has developed a new product range (EcoNatural) that has revolutionized the tissue paper market.

EcoNatural is the innovative PAPER+DISPENSER system that gives new life to beverage cartons. Thanks to an innovative technology, Lucart separates the components of beverage cartons: from cellulose fibres it creates Fiberpack®, with which it produces paper, and from aluminium and polyethylene it produces Al.Pe.®, the new raw material used for making dispensers.

The innovative production process that has led to the creation of EcoNatural allows us to recycle all the components of beverage cartons, separating cellulose fibres from polyethylene and aluminium through a mechanical-physical process, without using substances harmful to human health or the environment. All the strength, absorbency and softness of a premium product with the guarantee of a safe and certified range (FSC Recycled, Ecolabel). Furthermore, Lucart is committed to reduce the impact of the packaging of its products on the environment, favouring recycled paper or recycled plastic packaging.

E.E: What are the ranges of products?

O.B: Lucart offers a wide range of products in the professional hygiene domain by covering all areas: workplace, washroom, food and healthcare.

The Lucart offer is composed of: tissue paper products, both recycled and pure cellulose and even in Airlaid paper along with a complete set of dispensers. In addition: 4 high quality soap refills for different uses and target markets. An innovative soap dispenser system (Identity Soap) made in Lucart, cruelty free and realized with natural and biodegradable ingredients: 

E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?

O.B: The tissue paper market is – as I suppose for many other markets too – in continuous evolution and development. Consumers are more and more looking for higher quality and sustainable products. Lucart can offer both characteristics.

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?

O.B: Romania has a developing tissue paper market. The demand for tissue products has been increasing due to population growth, urbanization, and rising living standards. Both local and international manufacturers operate in the market, providing a variety of tissue paper products to cater to consumer needs. As previously advised, the market is continuously evolving. 

As already mentioned in other interviews, the AFH market is requesting a higher quality range. The HoReCa market is moving forward to higher standards and especially towards environmental fiendly and sustainable products. 

The macroeconomic framework for raw materials and energy prompts us to expedite the actions we have already taken in recent years and which see us determined to invest in the circular economy, production and energy efficiency, self-production and purchase of renewable energy, and market and product diversification.

The company’s commitment to environmental protection is also demonstrated by the continuous improvement in indicators. Since 2014, we have reduced specific CO2 emissions by 14.9% and NOX emissions by as much as 47%. We have reduced specific energy consumption by 13.2% compared to 2014, and sent 80% of the waste produced for recovery. Specific water consumption decreased by 23.3% compared to 2013.

Finally, I am pleased to report that we have already achieved our goal of only using recyclable and/or compostable packaging, and we are working to increase the use of packaging made from renewable materials (79%) and composed entirely or in part of recycled raw materials. Wherever technically possible we have adopted paper packaging and in all other cases recycled plastic.

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?

O.B: Within the Lucart range, our most innovative products marketed are:

  • The EcoNatural range (the first paper coming from beverage cartons)
  • The EcoNatural dispenser range (the first recycled dispensers coming from aluminium and polyethylene obtained from the recycling of beverage cartons) and at last but not least our IDENTITY Dispensers Line.

Evolving means working to build a better present and a more sustainable future. It is Lucart Professional’s idea of progress which, with Identity, embodies 4 values: sustainability, design, efficiency and hygiene.

SUSTAINABILITY

DA sustainable dispenser is all about effectively reducing consumption, a responsible choice that goes hand in hand with certified eco-friendly paper.

DESIGN

Innovation at its best. On the outside, it has a distinctive, timeless look that complements and blends into any environment, while on the inside its mechanics are studied down to the smallest detail.

EFFICIENCY

Efficiency sums up all the values of the Identity line: perfect performance, construction reliability, lower usage costs, and shorter maintenance times. Everything – and everything easier to use.

HYGIENE

Focusing on hygiene is making the right choice. This is why Identity systems ensure complete user safety by providing the best solutions for each environment.

E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?

O.B: We can say that after the COVID time, no year has been easy, especially in view of the continuous events happened and the relative consequences and changes they caused. 

The 2022 year was characterized by a steep rise in the prices of all raw materials, both fibrous and auxiliary materials, and energy prices sky-rocketed in the last quarter of 2021, aggravated by the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in the first quarter of 2022.

Therefore, we can say that just after coming out from the pandemic, a conflict in the heart of Europe started. The progressive increase of energy costs (gas, especially for paper producers) forced us all to revise our prices accordingly. At the same time the inflationary pressure has beaten the whole Europe very hardly, causing a loss of purchase power due to the continuous increase of any goods. Regardless of these negative events, Lucart has registered a double digit growth in number of boxes sold in 2022 compared to 2021while delivering Lucart Professional branded products to more than 70 countries in the world.