Product responsibility
Article 964a ff. Code of Obligations
Concept and due diligence
Arbonia aims to expand its leading position in the European doors market by developing innovative and reliable products, strengthening product quality and sustainability, reducing delivery times, and strengthening customer relationships. Our product management and development take on the responsibility for the conformity of our products at the interfacer between our company and the market. Both ensure that all new requirements from customers and / or of legal regulations and standards are implemented. They assign responsibilities within the company, define specifications for quality assurance, and regulate the labelling requirement including corresponding certifications in line with technical conformity. They additionally guarantee the safety and health for (end) customers and control the handling of problematic components such as dangerous chemicals.
Measures including evaluation of effectiveness
With our measures, we especially want to extend the service life of the products. Key factors are the continuous optimisation of the quality management system and production methods, the modernisation of the machinery as well as the careful selection of suppliers with the highest standards. Corresponding training courses for employees are to enable them to implement measures and bear responsibility.
Material risks and how they are handled (own scope of business and, where applicable, business relationships)
New sustainability requirements may lead to a lower product margin as customers are unwilling to pay higher prices. At the same time, there is a risk of damage to the company’s image or reputation if the product portfolio is not sufficiently sustainable or product developments do not correspond to market demand. Furthermore, there is a particular focus on product safety or technical defects which may have legal consequences. This requires strict tests and high safety standards.
Key performance indicators
Key performance indicators comprise key figures on expenses as well as employees in the area of research and development. For the quantitative performance measurement of our product innovations, we collect data on the revenues from them. Feedback from customers and end users allow a qualitative assessment. In addition, we collect data on the product volumes in accordance with ISO 14001 and ISO 50001-certified sites.
Product development and innovation
Our innovative products and solutions are decisive for acquiring new market shares. The focus lies on the manufacturing of interior doors and shower stalls in series as well as according to individual customer requirements. In addition, technical doors, frames, wall partition systems, trims, and fittings are part of our product portfolio.
Arbonia’s product strategy is based on optimising existing production processes and products as well as on developing innovative solutions. The focus is on the topics of energy efficiency, CO2 footprint, and product safety. Product development not only concentrates on technical progress but also on an innovative design that aims to convince users, fitters, and planners in equal measure. The exchange of experience between the companies as well as the contact with research centres are to support this. Success monitoring for new developments is ensured with systematic project management and regular reporting to management.
The companies make important contribution to establishing future standards and regulations through their active participation in bodies and committees. This also makes it possible to identify trends early in order to adjust our own strategic orientation.
New requirements on the part our customers or legislators feed directly into product programme planning and roadmaps. The Arbonia sales managers of the individual markets are kept informed through close collaboration, and the Development department implements the defined projects accordingly.
In the reporting year, Arbonia introduced a new development for ecological construction, a durable door with a linoleum surface. The contents of linoleum consist of 98% natural or mineral raw materials such as wood flour, linseed oil, paper substrates, mineral fillers, and tree resins. The selection of CO2-binding raw materials and the use of renewable energies in production make it possible to manufacture this door surface with a positive CO2 balance.
Key figures for product responsibility
1 New products are defined as products introduced during the last three years.
Customer-oriented products
The basis for developing high-quality products with optimised material use is in-depth market observation: Through regular customer surveys, Arbonia ensures that the requirements and demands of customers are taken into account in the innovation process. In the reporting year, Kermi achieved first place in the shower / tub enclosures area in a survey of specialist tradespeople by the "markt intern" publishing company. In this process, topics such as handling complaints, care, and sales support were assessed. At Kermi, it was possible to reduce customer complaints by approx. 35% during 2024 at the same time. This improvement is due to the newly developed and expanded quality management, which reduces the error rate, as well as the introduction of supplier management.
Product safety and quality assurance
Standardised processes aimed at ensuring product safety are an integral part of operational workflows. This involves checking material quality and functionality as well as applicable safety guidelines. Training programmes ensure that all corresponding employees are familiar with these processes and can apply them correctly.
In the development process, risk and hazard assessments are carried out and measures are implemented to reduce hazards where appropriate. Furthermore, particularly in the case of products with electrical and / or electronic parts, extensive internal and external testing is carried out, for example, regarding electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility. At Kermi, for example, long-term tests take place in the in-house laboratory. If necessary, modifications are made to products following these tests.
Arbonia consistently complies with the specifications of the REACH Regulation, which regulates the handling of chemical substances and limits or prohibits their use in production throughout Europe. The use of low-pollutant materials in the manufactured products is of great importance to Arbonia as well as its customers. Numerous products go through a pollutant test and are certified according to the guidelines of eco-INSTITUT. For example, the entire production volume of Prüm as well as Garant is covered by such certificates. The Glass Solutions Business completely does without polluting materials such as chromium, lead, or plastics during development. The objective is to eliminate all polluting materials from the existing production as well – a project that has been implemented 95% to date at Glass Solutions and is still being consistently pursued.
Certifications of the Arbonia companies
Internal product management and development ensure that even highly specialised customer requirements are fulfilled and all legal regulations and common standards are observed through standards-compliant production. For this purpose, in-plant production controls are carried out. The quality assurance of the respective company monitors the materials used during manufacturing, supervises production control, and checks the manufactured parts.
A consistently high product quality is ensured in part by the ISO 9001 quality management system as well as further certification bodies such as ift and SIPIZ. In the Glass Solutions Business Unit, the products are tested and sold in accordance with the standards EN 14428 (CE) and PPP 53005 (TÜV / GS). This covers characteristics such as sturdy materials, seals, and easy-care use.
The companies that have been certified in accordance with ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 implement additional, standardised processes for the sustainable design of production with their environmental and energy management systems beyond the Group standard.
1 Production costs of goods produced at the site, excluding purchases
Several years ago, individual companies produced Environmental Product Declarations to understand the ecological impacts of their products. We now want to expand this approach and apply it to the entire corporate group in order to record the environmental impacts of important product groups more precisely and offer our customers more transparency in this respect. In 2025, a company-wide project for environmental product declaration is planned for several product groups that are still to be defined.
Durability of our products
The durability of products is decisive for sustainability, since it conserves resources, reduces waste, and minimizes the need for frequent replacement, which contributes to a lower environmental impact. The life cycle of the products is supplemented by various service solutions from Arbonia. Intensive support of customers during the construction phase is thus just as much a matter of course as preserving the value of the manufactured products. This is done through maintenance instructions and maintenance work, for example.
An example of innovation for more durability are the premium edges of Prüm and Garant, which are especially shock-resistant due to their zero joint technology. The robust PU edge from RWD Schlatter means that the doors can be used for longer. This is especially important in areas in which doors are intensively used on the one hand and on the other hand in places where the edge is especially stressed, for example, in hospitals. The active exchange of know-how of the companies within the Glass Solutions Business Unit is reflected in the durability of their shower stalls, among other things.
A further aspect is the selection of materials. For manufacturing doors and frames, Arbonia consciously relies on the natural, regionally available, and renewable raw material of wood. On the one hand, wood contributes to people’s well-being indoors. On the other hand, wood makes an active contribution to climate protection, since it absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere during its growth and stores it in its biomass for a long time, roughly 0.7 to 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per cubic metre of wood. As long as wood products remain in existence, the stored CO2 also remains bound. Appropriate management and procurement methods are essential for the sustainable use of forests and wood as a raw material (see "More sustainable material procurement" p. 71). Climate change and its consequences such as extreme weather events and pest infestations have a negative effect on forests, which is why their protection and maintenance is of great importance.
