Dutch kitchen manufacturer Keller Kitchens is well known for its pioneering approach to sustainability and has now announced its parent company, DKG, has been awarded Level 5 on the CO₂ Performance Ladder, the highest possible.

This award was the culmination of eight years of dedication since the company’s initiative to become as sustainable as possible began in 2015. With substantial investments along the way that run into many tens of €Millions, DKG operate a continuous programme of investment to maintain their industry-leading approach to sustainability.

The steps and investments made to this point are numerous; key steps include ceasing the use of gas completely; it has been replaced by generating electricity from, amongst other means, the installation of over 8,000 solar panels at the plant in Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands.

Apart from in-house energy generation, other significant steps taken have included developing one of the most energy-efficient and state-of-the-art kitchen factories in the world. Harnessing the latest technologies has been a key driver in the quest for sustainability and efficiency. One such example (amongst many), is the deployment of robotic warehousing of materials and off-cuts down to the smallest usable pieces, backed by multi-saw technology.

Materials used come from the most sustainable and, therefore, most renewable sources possible. All packaging used is both recycled and recyclable, and, as far as possible, all noxious or harmful substances have been eradicated from processes. This is made possible by employing laser edging and water-based lacquers and wood stains in one of the most advanced coating and finishing plants in the industry.

Reaching CO₂ Performance Ladder Level 5 had external challenges for the business; as part of this programme is the chain of custody for sustainability outside the factory gates, both upstream and downstream.

DKG is involved in numerous external CSR initiatives that contribute to sustainability in different ways. One such example is a Carbon Farming Project, which started in 2021. This project is underpinned by the promise to extract CO2 from the atmosphere working with farmers local to their factory. The commitment is to extract 150 tonnes of CO2 from the air over a 5-year period providing benefits for both the environment and farmers with greater crop returns.

DKG is producing kitchens that don’t cost the earth from a sustainability standpoint. True and mature sustainability production methods bring with it efficiencies that deliver cost benefits over time. DKG pass on to their partners in retail and contracts alike the fruits of those efficiencies in terms of quality and price and the company is fully aligned with the Dutch government’s ambition to achieve a fully circular economy by 2050.

For more details visit: https://www.kellerkitchens.com/en/csr

Keller is well known for offering the widest range of colours (2,050 NCS) and finishes in the kitchen furniture market – along with a vast range of cabinet options, all produced by the most sustainable means possible. The company is proud to be a Carbon Neutral kitchen manufacturer since 2017. *

For further information, please visit www.kellerkitchens.com.