Specialty Fabrics Review May 2019 - 68

THE GREATER GOOD

Respect for the planet
Parà Group's green initiatives focus on conservation,
preservation and clean energy.
BY PAUL JOHNSON

A

s a world leader in the manufacture of
marine, awning and outdoor fabrics,
Parà Group makes a wide range of
products for iconic brands, such as Ralph
Lauren Home, Fendi Home and Missoni.
Five state-of-the art factories in Northern
Italy produce more than 33,000 pounds of
yarn and 32,000 feet of fabric every day. Even
with such production capacity and global
business success, the company has not lost
sight of its environmental goals. Instead,
Parà has dedicated itself to energy efficiency
and ecological stewardship through water
reclamation, solar power and cogeneration
of power.
Parà goes beyond the current standards in
energy efficiency and sustainable ecological
programs. Under its "Respect for the
Planet" initiatives, it employs a variety of
measures to conserve energy and preserve
the environment. According to CEO and
managing partner Marco Parravicini, "Energy
savings and respect for the environment have
always been a priority for Parà. Our production
water recycling plant was built 40 years ago,
and the cogeneration plant for the production
of electricity and steam was built 20 years ago."
At its Pontirolo manufacturing facility, a
modern cogeneration power station recovers
and harnesses previously produced power for
greater efficiency. Methane gas powers three
8-cycle endothermic engines that produce
electric and steam power for the factory, and
steam from the manufacturing process and
engine emissions are recaptured and then
utilized. The process is much more efficient
than a conventional production of electric
and thermal powerplant. "This plant is made
up of three giant Caterpillar engines, which,
thanks to the use of methane gas, are able
to produce 4 megawatts of electricity each
day," says Parravicini.
68 REVIEW MAY 2019

In addition to the cogeneration power
station, Parà has heavily invested in solar
panels as a sustainable and eco-friendly source
of power. More than 215,000 square feet of
photovoltaic panels have been installed on the
factory roofs at the Pontirolo plant and at its
headquarters in Sovico. The solar cells produce
about 1,000 kilowatts of electricity to further
reduce the carbon footprint. "The main
objective was to create a production plant that
respects the surrounding environment and
secondly that of making our factory efficient
and competitive in terms of energy costs,"
says Parravicini.
But energy efficiency isn't the only priority
for Parà. The company also invested in an
advanced single-stage wastewater treatment
plant at Pontirolo. About 530,000 gallons of
water are treated per day, and it produces a
94 percent clean water yield. The system uses
a variety of processes, and nitrogen-based
compounds purify the water. This water
reclamation program has greatly benefitted
local farmers. "Our water cleaning plant
allows us to completely clean the water
used during the production phases," says
Parravicini. "These waters can be used for
the irrigation of the surrounding fields that
are used for agriculture."
Parà consistently searches for intelligent
ways to innovate, conserve energy and
implement environmentally friendly
production methods because environmental
standards keep increasing and more carbon
savings are necessary. "It is difficult to predict
what will happen in the next 10 years,"
Parravicini says, "but you can bet that Parà
will be ready to invest in new technologies
in this sector."
Paul Johnson is a writer based in Minnesota.

Parà Group's cutting-edge wastewater
treatment plant treats approximately
530,000 gallons of water per day with
a 94 percent yield. Photo: Parà Group.

SUPPORTED BY

Industrial
Fabrics
Foundation
www.ifai.com/industrial-fabrics-foundation/

Donate today at www.indfabfnd.com.

The Greater Good focuses on IFAI
member companies that do good
business-and also strive to be
good neighbors, good citizens
and good partners. From hiring
the disadvantaged to creating a
recycling network to paying
employees for community service
during the off-season, we want
to recognize the organizations
that share their success.
If you'd like to see your company
highlighted here, please email
associate editor Sammi Jones,
smjones@ifai.com.


http://www.ifai.com/industrial-fabrics-foundation/ http://www.indfabfnd.com

Specialty Fabrics Review May 2019

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