Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) have been an essential component in the cooling, construction, and logistics industries for over 30 years. They provide reliable protection for temperature-controlled products, ensuring the safety and quality of numerous vital goods. But what happens to VIPs when they reach the end of their lifecycle?

Together with one of our partners in the pharmaceutical transport box sector and with support from the German Federal Environmental Foundation, we have launched a project to advance the circular economy of VIP support cores. The goal: recycling VIP core materials with a maximum proportion of recycled content, significantly reducing the ecological footprint.

According to a detailed calculation conducted with TU Dortmund, the potential carbon emission savings for Vaku-Isotherm alone amount to more than 1,000 tons of CO₂e annually. On a global scale, this could lead to estimated savings of 76,000 tons of CO₂e per year.

In 2024 alone, Vaku-Isotherm recycled 140 pallets of expired VIPs from the transport box sector, which were then reused in construction and other industries. This contributes to a reduction in raw material usage by up to 90% – a crucial step toward a more sustainable future.

"For many years, we have been investing in the sustainability of our value chain for both ecological and economic reasons. The focus is now on building an efficient circular economy," says Sebastian Baars, CEO of Vaku-Isotherm.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Repurpose. Together with our customers, we are taking this path and making a bold statement for a greener future!

(Image source: Freepik)