Unilin fully commits to sustainable and independent energy
April 29, 2026 • 2 minutes reading
1. How much of our energy is already renewable?
Today, 64% of Unilin’s global energy mix comes from renewable sources. By comparison, in 2020 this was just 57%. A large share of this energy is generated on or near our own sites, making Unilin less dependent on the volatile energy market while proving that sustainability and economic resilience go perfectly hand in hand.
2. What does this renewable energy mix look like?
We deliberately opt for a mix of technologies in order to build a resilient system:
- Wind and solar: 5 wind turbines (Avelgem and Feluy in Belgium) and nearly 50,000 solar panels across 6 countries
- Biomass: 2 green energy plants (Wielsbeke and Oostrozebeke in Belgium) that exclusively convert non-recyclable wood waste into energy
- Wood dust: at several sites, this by-product of the sawing and milling process is reused as fuel
In addition, we place maximum focus on energy efficiency. New combined heat and power systems enable us to warm our machinery using residual heat. At various sites, we already use detailed monitoring systems that accurately map energy consumption. We are rolling out this approach step by step, starting with the locations with the highest consumption. Understanding where our energy goes allows us to optimise our overall consumption and prevent waste.
3. What is the next step in our energy ambition?
Unilin’s sustainability goals are based on science-based targets. This means they are not only ambitious but also scientifically grounded. We are firmly on track to reduce our direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) energy-related CO₂ emissions by 42% by 2030 over a ten-year period. Since 2020, we have already reduced our total carbon footprint by 20%. We want to continue to focus on this in the years ahead. For example, we would like to install a new wind turbine in Wielsbeke. Unilin’s long-term vision? To operate in a fully circular and carbon-neutral way by 2050.
Unilin takes the circular economy to the next level with recycling line for MDF, HDF and laminate
Unilin has achieved a world first in Bazeilles, France: for the first time, MDF and HDF boards – the core of laminate floors – can be recycled on an industrial scale. . Thanks to a €20 million investment, the company is now able to make the wood fibres from these boards reusable for the production of new decorative panels and laminate floors.
Waste wood that can no longer be recycled is turned into green energy
It is our ambition to recycle wood as long as possible. Unfortunately wood cannot be recycled indefinitely because the fibres have become too degraded. What happens to the waste wood that can no longer be used to manufacture high-grade products? Smart incineration in our green power plants to generate our own green energy!
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From waste to resource: how Unilin recycles laminate floors
What happens to your old laminate floor? At Unilin, the answer is clear: collect and recycle. Through the Recover programme, we collect old floors, which are then recycled into new MDF and HDF panels using a technological world first. “For years, recycling the panels seemed impossible,” says Geert Coudenys, R&D Director at Unilin Panels.