The amount of plastic packaging has been reduced significantly

16 October 2025

A better environment starts with each of us.’ As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, our Purchasing Manager, Jeffrey, has now set himself the ambitious goal of significantly reducing the amount of plastic used in our product packaging. Working closely with Jan, Claudia and Eduard, he has launched a structured improvement initiative — and the first results are already becoming visible.

Concerned by the excessive amount of plastic

'Initially, the focus on reducing plastic came from senior management,’ says Purchasing Manager Jeffrey. ‘But once I started working on this project, I was genuinely shocked by the amount of plastic surrounding our products. As a team, we immediately set to work. This year, every buyer has been given the objective to reduce the amount of plastic used in the products they are responsible for.’

The first signs of success

Eduard’s first solo project

As a Junior Purchaser, Eduard is still relatively new to the Dulimex procurement team. Although he has already gained solid experience in purchasing and is responsible for his own group of suppliers, the plastic‑reduction initiative for the range of retaining rings and cotter pins is the first project he has carried out entirely on his own. And with success cause more than 80% of the plastic in the DX assortment of spring pins & lynch pins has now been removed or replaced with more sustainable alternatives.

Initial quick wins achieved in our in‑house production

For our Purchaser & Product Manager Claudia, the greatest and most immediate gains could be achieved by reducing plastic in the products we assemble in‑house. Together with colleagues Wendy and Joop, she examined how plastic could be eliminated or replaced within the production process. The ‘low‑hanging fruit’ has now been addressed: any plastic that could be easily removed or substituted has been taken out of production.

Plastic‑free packaging for DX construction hinges and padlocks

“Our Purchaser & Product Manager Jan has taken the first steps within our range of hinges and locking hardware. The DX brand padlocks and discus padlocks are now fully plastic‑free. The same applies to the DX construction hinges. Whereas these were previously packaged individually in plastic bags, they will now be supplied without any plastic, delivered in a cardboard box instead.

What’s next?

We have already taken important steps to reduce the amount of plastic we use,” Jeffrey concludes. “But we are not done yet. In 2026, we will continue to commit ourselves to building a more sustainable world. Several promising projects are already in the pipeline.

'It’s clearly noticeable that the plastic bins here have become significantly emptier.”