LAPP publishes CO2 footprint for more and more products

Companies’ sustainability communication often focuses on Scope 1 and 2 emissions that arise within the company itself and from purchased energy. Data on Scope 3 emissions, which are generated along the entire value chain of manufacturing companies and also determine a large part of the carbon footprint of the products manufactured, are often more difficult to determine. LAPP wants to create transparency here too and is increasingly publishing data on the emissions caused by the production of fastening solutions.

The “product carbon footprint” (PCF) is a key term in companies’ commitment to greater sustainability. It indicates the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated during the life cycle of a product. The PCF is particularly important for many stakeholders, especially customers and business partners, because it enables them to assess the climate friendliness of individual products and thus make sustainable purchasing and investment decisions. This is increasingly crucial in many industries because they prioritise sustainable procurement, not least for the benefit of their own carbon footprint. The challenge here is that the PCF is difficult to collect due to complex supply chains, high resource requirements for data collection, data gaps and poor data quality.

LAPP is the global market leader for integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. It is one of the first companies in this industry to publish data on the carbon footprint of its products according to the cradle-to-gate approach.

This covers the entire life cycle of a product, from the extraction of raw materials to the moment it leaves the logistics centre. To ensure the transparency and reliability of the data, it is verified by DEKRA. It all starts with data on the popular ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 110 connection and control cable, with a further 40 products in the ÖFLEX® series to follow.

In future, the company will also extend its PCF analysis to its system products (SKINTOP®, SKINDICHT®) and data cables (ETHERLINE®, UNITRONIC®).

The popular ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC 110 was the first in the calculation of the entire ÖLFLEX® portfolio from LAPP.

How is a PCF calculated?

The basis for calculating the PCF is ISO standard 14067, which provides internationally recognised guidelines for quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions of a product. The emissions are specified in the form of CO₂equivalents (CO₂e), which take into account not only CO₂itself, but also other greenhouse gases such as methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). The first step is a life cycle analysis. As LAPP follows the cradle-to-gate approach, this analysis includes:

Raw material extraction: emissions from the mining, processing and transport of materials such as copper for the conductor and plastic for insulation and sheathing
Production: Emissions during the manufacture of the cable, including waste
Transport, packaging and storage: Emissions during transport for the delivery of products between the production plant and the factory gate of the LAPP logistics centre as well as storage and packaging of the products

Ideally, primary data is collected that comes directly from the manufacturing companies and the suppliers involved. If primary data is not available, secondary data, i.e. average values from reliable databases such as ecoinvent, is used instead. In practice, the availability of primary data in sufficient data quality is currently still very low, meaning that generic data from the databases often has to be used. However, ISO 14067 stipulates that the data sources used must be precisely documented and their data quality assessed. Meanwhile, LAPP is working to continuously improve the accuracy of the data by intensifying its dialogue with suppliers.

Basis for long-term sustainability strategy

Anna Maier is Project Manager Product Sustainability at LAPP and is responsible for the PCF project at LAPP. She says: “Sustainability is part of LAPP’s DNA. With the Product Carbon Footprint, we are creating transparency for a growing number of products and thus an important basis for our overarching sustainability strategy.” The data should not only provide LAPP and its customers and partner companies with better information, but also lead to concrete measures.

For example, copper for the strands of the cables is responsible for over half of the emissions in the ÖLFLEX® series. LAPP is therefore considering focussing on copper suppliers with a lower carbon footprint in future, for example by using recycled copper. LAPP is also a partner of “The Copper Mark” quality assurance system, which ensures responsible copper production along the entire value chain.

Organic is the future, even in connection technology

LAPP is also working on bio-based solutions for composite materials for cables and connectors. They replace a certain proportion of fossil raw materials with renewable resources such as algae, maize or agricultural waste, thereby significantly improving the environmental and climate footprint of the products. LAPP ensures that the plant-based raw materials do not compete with food production wherever possible. With the ETHERLINE® FD bioP Cat.5e data cable, LAPP has already launched the first series-produced cable with a bio-based outer jacket.

At the SPS 2024 trade fair for industrial automation, LAPP also presented prototypes for plugs and connectors, also made from composites with a bio-based content, which are close to market maturity. “LAPP is thus demonstrating new possibilities in the connection technology segment,” says Anna Maier. “We are doing pioneering work with our developments in sustainable connection solutions, taking part in cross-market discussions and are always in close dialogue with our customers so that we not only focus on their needs in terms of sustainability, but also quality and reliability.”

The decision on where to source the copper for the cables and wires can make a significant difference to their product carbon footprint.

Focus also on data from the utilisation phase

However, LAPP does not stop at the cradle-to-gate approach for the PCF of its products, but has also started to look at the costs and emissions from the utilisation phase of the cable, which often have a significant impact on the overall balance. This also provides valuable insights for the development and production of connection solutions.

One concrete example of this is the dimensioning of cable cross-sections: although larger conductor cross-sections initially mean higher production costs and greater use of materials, they result in significantly lower energy losses during operation. This not only lowers ongoing energy costs for customers, but also significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions – an advantage that can outweigh the costs over the entire service life.

With its increasingly holistic approach to collecting sustainability-related data, LAPP is a pioneer in the industry. Anna Maier: “We want to analyse our own impact on climate change – with the aim of reducing it. We are convinced that this foresight is a competitive advantage and also supports our customers and partners in achieving their sustainability and efficiency goals.”