Belgian IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM Wins European Environmental Award EMAS

press release NOVEMBER 2008

Belgian IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM® wins European environmental award EMAS

The roofing specialist IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM® received, as only Belgian company, an EMAS award from the European Commission. The company actually received the award for its efforts in lowering its energy consumption and its commitment to limiting its CO2 emission. IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM reduced its CO2 emission with not less than 30% over the past five years. Moreover its energy consumption dropped drastically : 30% less electricity and 25% less gas consumption over a period of six years.

The EMAS Awards (European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) are granted every year to companies and public services that dedicate themselves to environmental conservation. This year's theme was the reduction of the consumption and the greenhouse gas emission. 32 companies from 13 European countries participated in the competition. IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM won the EMAS Award 2008 in the category "medium-sized companies".

IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM's ecological policy is well reflected in its own company figures. Thus the CO2 emission has been reduced with 30% these last five years. Furthermore the energy consumption per square meter of membrane produced dropped drastically : 30% less electricity and 25% less gas consumption over a period of 6 years. IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM has been investing for years now in the recycling of raw materials as well as in the development of energy saving and energy producing solutions for roofs. Known examples are the revolutionary DERBIBRITE NT®, a white reflective waterproofing membrane that reflects sunrays, keeping the interior of buildings cooler, and DERBISOLAR®, a reflective waterproofing with integrated amorphous photovoltaic cells.

André De Smet, CEO IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM: “We are very pleased with this EMAS Award indeed. We consider this award as an acknowledgement for our many years of effort in the field of environmental conservation. It is obvious that we continue our green policy. By 2010 IMPERBEL intends to replace half of its raw material by recycled bitumen.”

About IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM

The Belgian company IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM, started as a family-based company in 1932, is now a renowned world group specialized in the waterproofing of roofs and flat surfaces. IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM invests heavily in ‘greennovations for roofs’ and has a number of energy saving and energy producing roofing materials in its product range. The group consists of three production units - two in Belgium (Lot & Perwez) and one in the United States (Kansas City) – and has 380 employees worldwide. More than two third of the production is destined for export. Today, the consolidated turnover of the group IMPERBEL-DERBIGUM is more than 102,5 million euro.

For more information

DERBIGUM RCA pr

Els Trio Kim Reynders

Bergensesteenweg 32 Koningin Astridlaan 38

B-1651 Lot B-3500 Hasselt

Tel. +32 2 334 87 00 Tel. +32 11 59 05 99