Founded in 1882, the family-owned group Fantoni, specialized in chipboard panels and MDF (medium-density fiberboard) office furniture and sound-deadening systems, sound, is headed today by Paolo Fantoni, moreover CEO of the EPF (European Panel Federation), which defends the circular economy in a pragmatic approach. Interview.

AA What are the strategic lines developed today by Fantoni, the historic manufacturer of acoustic wood panels?

For the last 10 years, we have been focusing on two major objectives. First, we have been concentrating on the introduction and development of sound-absorbing panels improving acoustic quality in spaces in which sound reverberation is too great, notably in concrete and glass buildings, like many office building or cafeterias.
In addition, our production of furniture is focused on chipboard panels made of 100% recycled wood. We are now waiting for the government to favor this recycled materials market by supporting the purchase of such products by the public sector. In Italy we lack policy initiatives in this area.

What percentage of products at Fantoni are manufactured from recycled materials?

About 60% of our products are composed of recycled panels. The rest concerns products without wood but most of our production is in MDF. We initiated a green policy in 2004 and we are awaiting the government’s support because we fear the competition of large producers of woody biomass who use huge amounts of wood. It is important to give priority to recycled wood producers rather than producers of renewable energies based on burned wood.
Furthermore, it is devastating that Europe is defining new targets on renewable energies without doing it region by region. According to the region, wood is abundant or scarce and a good policy in this matter should be based on the analysis of resources.
Last, it is important to raise furniture manufacturers’ awareness on the end of the life cycle of products by raising awareness on dismantling and reusing furniture elements. If in France you have set up policies favoring the development of this sector, in Italy, reuse exists for the packaging market, for example, but not for the furniture field.

What are Fantoni’s latest innovations and can you tell us about Inter-rail, which serves the Fantoni industrial complex in Osoppo?

We invested 65 million euros in a new press line for MDF panels, a continuous press, the largest in Europe. This will make more efficient production possible while consuming less energy and material.
As for Inter-rail, it is a company in which we own 50% of the capital and which enables us to receive 90% of our raw materials by rail: wood from Bosnia, Croatia, mostly the Eastern European countries. This makes it possible to reduce road transport and is part of our green policy.

For more information, the website of Fantoni.