When circular economy becomes real practice: #SOS9 students discover SAIB Spa
On February 20th, 2023 SOS students and staff had the opportunity to visit the SAIB SpA headquarters and production site in Fossadello, Piacenza (PC), a 600.000 square meters area in the middle of the Pianura Padana.
Thanks to the support of SAIB CEO Clara Conti and hosted by Vito Catalanotto - SAIB Showroom manager - SOS students were “walked through” the history of the company, from its origins dating back to the Italian Economic boom, to its growth and establishment as a leading sustainable company within the sector, before visiting Spazio 5/A, Saib's new showroom/atelier where products and collections are displayed as well as the production site, to see the step by step process, that turns waste into high-quality products can be made.
Founded in 1962, SAIB is one of the leading Italian companies producing raw and melamine-faced chipboard panels that, as of December 2022, became part of the Egger Group, worldwide leader in wood products.
Its products are marked RPB – Regenerated Particle Boards due to the particular manufacturing process which consists in transforming end-of-life wood. Constant investments in new technologies, together with research aimed at obtaining surfaces with a strong tactile yield and emotional impact, make chipboard panels made from recycled material a new frontier for furniture manufacturers and interior designers, providing an ethical and innovative choice at the same time.
The commitment to sustainability and circular economy positions SAIB Spa in the forefront of respect for the environment and health.
On the basis of shared common values and the goal to educate the next generation of sustainable design professionals in the framework of the 17 SDGs of the UN agenda for sustainable development, SAIB is one of the founding partners of the SOS School of Sustainability Foundation.
The support of partners like SAIB has been instrumental in the development of SOS, but perhaps the most important contribution is giving the opportunity to students to see the application of sustainable theory and circular economy as learned in the classroom being put into practice by a reality like SAIB, always moving forward, developing and contributing to an essential cultural shift, is truly and invaluable experience.
