Global Pioneer in sustainable high pressure laminates
The dynamic Giovanni Iurza entered the world of high pressure laminates his grandfather pioneered and made them sustainable as well as beautiful to emerge as a Global Leader in the vast laminate industry.
Today, he is the acclaimed CEO of Greenlam Decolan SA based in Ticino, Switzerland. Greenlam Decolan is part of a multinational group that exports its eco-friendly high pressure laminates to 104+ countries worldwide. The acronym HPL (High-Pressure Laminate) defines laminates obtained through the lamination of pressed fibers. It is a specialized market, with industrially produced products which find applications in various sectors from construction to transportation, and infrastructure to machinery.
Telling us what makes them a market leader, Giovanni says, “We should all have a moral obligation to embrace a ‘Green’ philosophy. We should leave our children and grandchildren with a welcoming, healthy, and safe place to live. This is the philosophy that drives Greenlam Group, and here in Switzerland, as Greenlam Decolan SA, we are proud to be part of a great company that pays so much attention to sustainability and ecology.”
Presently staying in Switzerland, Giovanni completed his Master’s in Economics and Business at Federico II University in Naples, Italy following which he wrote a book titled ‘On Investment Decisions in a Competitive Market’.
He then began working with his grandfather, who pioneered the production of high pressure laminate since the post-war period. Giovanni foresaw potential difficulties in this industry due to production costs in Europe. He thus decided to establish a new company, Decolan SA, with production in India.
It didn’t take long for Decolan’s quality production line to find a market in Europe. This led Giovanni to initiate a hub in Switzerland in 2004, a well-organized country with clear regulation, where the government responds effectively to business needs. In 2019, Indian multinational Greenlam Industries acquired Decolan, leading to the establishment of Greenlam Decolan SA with Giovanni as CEO.
Simplicity, integrity, and a strong work ethic to achieve a goal — these are the values that have since driven Giovanni in his entrepreneurial journey. And his passion has always been – sustainability. Their laminates are eco-friendly because they are made using 100% plant-based and non-polluting materials. What they produce respects not only the environment, but also the workers themselves.
“Increasing attention to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues is becoming critical for all good companies. Being sustainable goes hand in hand with setting long-term values. We have a dedicated group of experts, the Green Strategy group, who make sure we are going in the right direction. We truly believe that sustainability can go hand in hand with beauty.”
In this regard, the undertaken company policies have been many and versatile:
- Greenlam’s production sites use a pressurized hot water process. In this way, withdrawals from local groundwater have been drastically reduced, as has wastewater discharge, which they anyway recycle for irrigation.
- The Research & Development sector makes sure that all HPL laminates are completely non-toxic and non-polluting. Production components are regularly tested and the melamine and phenolic resins used in the impregnation process are largely of natural – plant origin. This guarantees a final product that is solvent-free and allows Greenlam to have access to the most important international certifications (GREENGUARD®, NSF® & EN 16516 to name a few).
- Moreover, their products are FSC® and PEFC certified, confirming the company’s commitment to sustainable raw material consumption and reforestation. Greenlam plants autochthonous trees or other arboreal species which can adapt to the microclimate and can enrich both the biodiversity and the local population from an economical viewpoint.
Greenlam Decolan’s alignment with sustainability standards and certifications has helped them reach a wider group of clients, including government bodies and companies in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. They have been developing a specific range of certified antibacterial laminates for more than 10 years, and since the end of 2020, a line of specifically antiviral laminates too. Their HPL laminates can even be used in operation theaters and schools as they are suitable for food contact and contain no IARC (chemicals’ levels regulated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer) or OSHA listed carcinogens.
Reflecting on their cutting edge production, Giovanni says, “It is essential to stand-out in four aspects – the aesthetics of the final product, overall quality of work, customer care in terms of the offered services, and price of course.”
An advocate of work-life balance for success, Giovanni himself is married with three children, two of whom live in London and one in Italy. Leaving a message for all young entrepreneurs, he says, “Years ago, one started with an idea and tried to realize it; only after these first two steps did the entrepreneur start looking for economic assistance. Nowadays, if the business is not backed by funds from the very beginning, it is challenging to be successful. My advice is to start with the right investments and an international vision because, only then, can you achieve the proper agreements and make your idea profitable.”