We are going to reduce our carbon footprint by almost two-thirds this year!

Most manufacturing companies try to keep their operating costs associated with electricity as low as possible. However, they often forget how such energy is obtained and that the cheapest energy is unfortunately not ecological and represents an increased burden on our planet. As part of our environmental strategy, we seek to combat this current paradigm and show a better way. While last year a quarter (25.1%) of all electricity supplied to us came from renewable sources, this year it is as much as 100%. Most of the green energy is solar, followed by biogas, water, wind and biomass.

In addition to a sustainable approach to obtaining green energy, its manufacturing will also significantly reduce our amount of CO₂. Therefore, we expect that while maintaining the same level of electricity consumption, our carbon footprint will decrease by up to 83% yearly. When gas and automotive fuels are included, which are part of operating energy consumption, the total CO₂ reduction should be around 60%. As an example, the average carbon footprint created during production of one guitar will be reduced from the 35.3 kg to 14.1 kg of CO₂. These values vary due to the specific production processes used during the manufacture of each model. The carbon footprint for each model is available on our website.

“The environment is an important topic for me, as is the impact of our production on it. That is why I have been trying for a long time to find a really effective way to reduce our company’s carbon footprint. I have considered many options, including producing our own electricity. However, this path is not generally beneficial even in a healthy economic environment and, without subsidies, not effective. Solar panels on the roof and a Tesla parked in front of the house are simply not the best solution. I have gradually come to the conclusion that the motivation for large energy suppliers to invest in carbon-free resources will play a key role in this regard. This can benefit all customers, from large companies to individual households,” says Petr Furch.

Our renewable energy comes from large energy suppliers. Although this energy costs more, we seek to support our suppliers in their environmental activities and motivate them to produce more green energy in the long term. At the same time, we call on other manufacturers to join in improving the environment together.

Support for the care of exotic woods and ecological production technology

The use of green energy is part of a broader concept in which we have a long-term, sensitive and environmentally friendly approach. Last year, for example, we established a long-term cooperation with the Panamanian community of Arimae, which is dedicated to the protection and care of local exotic trees with an emphasis on their sustainable development. Our cooperation is based on the financial support of the community for the care of four hectares of cocobolo (dalbergia retusa) trees and two hectares of mahogany (swietenia macrophylla) with a total average annual increase of 39 m³. We thus compensate nature and the community for a majority of the volume of exotic material consumed in the production of our guitars.

We use an ecological approach also in our manufacturing processes and technology. An example is the Full-Pore High-Gloss finish, which maximizes the resonance of each instrument but is also easy on the environment. This UV finish was developed internally and contains 98% less solvent than typical lacquers, therefore significantly reducing air pollution. A special recycling system in the spraying station collects and filters the oversprayed lacquer for immediate reuse, thus preventing any chemical degradation.