EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 27 No. 01+02/26 www.petpla.net 12 Interview with Coen Vinke and Xandra van Turnhout, Holland Colours „Sustainability is more than a checklist“ by Heike Fischer The final destination of my round trip through the Benelux countries could not have been better. I was warmly welcomed in Apeldoorn, NL, about an hour south-east of Amsterdam, at Holland Colours B.V., one of the leading manufacturers of masterbatches, colourants and additives. Coen Vinke, CEO, who joined the company in 2018, together with Xandra van Turnhout, Head of Global Marketing & Communication, and August Dong, Growth Marketer, kindly took the time to answer my questions. I greatly enjoyed the interview and am delighted to share insights into this remarkable company, whose very first product was already produced sustainably. Editour F.l.t.r: Coen Vinke, CEO and Xandra van Turnhout, Head of Global Marketing & Communication at Holland Colours Interview with Holland Colours May 21, 2025 PETplanet insider: Is your company certified according to EcoVadis or other sustainability standards? Holland Colours: At Holland Colours Europe BV, sustainability is more than a checklist – it’s an ongoing commitment. We are currently completing our EcoVadis re-assessment. Since we are stock-market listed, we set our sustainability goals. We also make an ESG report as part of our annual report to evaluate and publish. We report according to CRSD guidelines, which will help us to continue the improvement of our ESG. PETplanet insider: What measures have you taken to reduce energy consumption in production? Holland Colours: In our production we strive daily to develop innovative products and reduce our carbon footprint. In fact, by 2030, we want to reduce our CO2 emissions by 50%. There are several ways to do this, including using less energy and optimising processes. But we can also do it by purchasing greener electricity. Over the last few years, we have already worked to use less energy compared to previous years with smart improvements in the various production locations, installing CFC lightbulbs, and similar endeavors. As this remains a focus in all divisions, we expect to keep seeing improvements. In July 2024, it was announced that HCA Apeldoorn had moved to 100% green energy. This was an investment in the sustainability of our company that will help us achieve our ambition and is, of course, good for the world. The difference between gray and green electricity is how it is generated. While gray electricity is generated from fossil fuels such as coal, green electricity is generated by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. Along with other green undertakings, HCA Americas purchased and retired/used renewable electricity certificates (RECs) between Jan 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025. These certificates represent a portion of wind energy outside of the normal coal energy offered by the local power company. HCA Asia also purchased green energy certificates within FY 24/25, reducing their kg CO2eq / kg to 0.52. As the HCA target is ≤0.58kg CO2eq / kg, this is great news for the Asia location. They also regularly plant trees (mangrove and on Surabaya streets) to help Earth’s health. Although this activity is not claimed as a CO2 reduction, it most certainly helps the effort overall. Reducing energy together with customers and partners, we cocreate sustainable solutions that reduce energy consumption, enable recycling, and cut waste. Our pigment encapsulation technology uses renewable resources where possible, helping us reduce energy consumption in production and meet growing sustainability demands from clients. In this way, the carbon footprint of our customers’ products is reduced. For example, our additives for packaging are designed to improve production efficiency. In line with our Accelerateto-Win strategy, we are working to establish a position in the circular value chain, using renewable ingredients and supporting the development of recycling markets. PETplanet insider: What strategies are you implementing to reduce production waste, and how do you ensure that it is returned to the circular economy? Holland Colours: Next to reducing our own production waste and increasing efficiency, our goal is to help our customers optimise their production processes, thereby reducing waste that results from rework and inefficiencies. Our additives are designed to support customers in achieving more efficient manufacturing processes, which ultimately leads to less waste and better resource utilisation. PETplanet insider: Are there specific programs for water and chemical savings in your company? Holland Colours: Yes, we have our own system in Europe and Americas. We have an Environment Sponsors
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