Today we are giving our readers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create some of our portfolio-worthy, sustainable, and accessible playscapes. Without the people who help us produce our playground equipment, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do!
KRAIBURG’s EPDM balls and half balls and Kaiser & Kuehne’s Water Play – Blue Planet, Kopenhagen
KRAIBURG Manufactures Sustainable Rubber Solutions that Meet the Highest Standards.
For this feature we are to proud to highlight KRAIBURG our manufacturer for rubber surfacing and accessories for a multitude of reasons; some of the matters that are closest to their hearts include upcycling, tests on pollutants, vegetable plasticizers, social responsibility, emission reduction and positive eco-balance.
For KRAIBURG, sustainability means striving for a balance in which ecological action, social responsibility and economic success have the same importance.
In fact all of these efforts has led to KRAIBURG recently receiving silver status from EcoVadis which means that they are in the top 25 percent of companies taking sustainability seriously. Considering that this is the first year that KRAIBURG has been evaluated that is a monumental achievement indeed!
KRAIBURG awarded Silver level in the first year of the companys participation.
EcoVadis is an internationally recognized service that provides sustainability ratings for companies and helps them manage their corporate social responsibility performance in a clear, trackable way. Its evaluation system covers a broad range of impacts such as environmental, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. They evaluate more than 85,000 organizations in over 160 countries and over 200 industries every year.
KRAIBURG’S high quality and durable products are made from recycled rubber that would other wise be disposed of in ways that would be harmful to the environment.
To KRAIBURG, the rating solidifies their mission but also provides them a starting point for their sustainability practices moving forward.
“This means that we take a public position and demonstrate binding responsibility towards our staff members, towards the local site and the people who live there, and also towards the environment,” said Oliver Zintner, Kraiburg TPE CEO. “We are intensifying this attitude every year, always aiming to take the company one step further.”
KRAIBURG’S Euroflex EPDM curvy blocks can be customized in a variety of configurations and colors.
Making High Quality Products From Recycled Rubber
KRAIBURG is a global leader in the manufacturing and production of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds, offering solutions for soft, elastic TPE. In non-scientific terms, that means they make plastics that have been refined to have a soft, rubbery feel. This high quality and durable material is made from recycled rubber that would other wise be disposed of in ways that would be harmful to the environment. In fact, one division of their company has rubber recycling as its central focus recycling as much as 35,000 tons of rubber, or 7.5 million car tires every year .
The use of recycled material leads to an enormous CO2 saving of 126,656 [t CO 2 eq], comparable to the annual CO2 emissions of 16,499 German citizens.
Not only do their products contribute to environmental protection due to how much they recycle high-quality raw materials they also contribute to increased biodiversity animal and human welfare.
KRAIBURG’s dairy cow dry mat is reducing ammonia emission by 44% one mat at a time.
Did you know, for example, that the presence of urine on walking areas in barns is the main source of ammonia? If ammonia emissions are not controlled it can have a negative impact on biodiversity and human and animal health. That means that it is necessary to drain the urine off ground surfaces as early as possible, and one of the ways to do that is to create a slope or smooth surface. But, on hard ground, it is likely that animals would slip.
KRAIBURG – leading the way in the rubber industry
KRAIBURG’s rubber flooring mats are designed specifically to be animal-friendly, soft and reduce emissions. The rubber mats give animals the quick-drying surfaces and necessary grip to promote their stability and overall welfare.
Adding KRAIBURG’S Euroflex EPDM tiles to a splash pad will increase traction AND fun!
More Traction Means More Fun!
Just as KRAIBURG is helping cows from slipping and sliding in barns when they are standing on wet surfaces, their same products are helping children avoid dangerous slips on Goric-built playgrounds as well. Rain or shine, whether children need traction under their shoes or the rubber of the wheels of their wheelchair, Kraiburg’s materials are helping to ensure that children can play without limitations.
KRAIBURG’S Euroflex EPDM accessories come in a variety of colors and shapes.
Goric has always prided itself on pioneering the design of accessible outdoor play equipment, meeting both U.S. and Canadian safety and accessibility standards and underscoring the necessity of working with manufacturers who share those values.
Goric’s customization process combined with KRAIBURG’s high quality and durable product line has led to unexpected and unique solutions. This has resulted in more imaginative play like this the “lava field” depicted in the image above. Learn more about this project here.
Our distinctive playgrounds are better on so many levels because of KRAIBURG’s commitment to sustainability and high quality. Our playgrounds–and the world in which we live–are more aesthetically pleasing (and sure to be around for generations to come) because of the important, impactful work of this outstanding manufacturer.
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