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Page 1
Annual Report 2004
Health Safety Environment
Forbo Linoleum B.V.
Page 2
1
Preface
3
Policy
4
A new strategy
4
Policy statement Health, Safety and the Environment (HSE)
5
Evaluation of HSE objectives for 2004
7
Safety
9
Risk Assessment & Evaluation (RA&E)
9
Safety awareness
9
Accidents
9
Fire brigade
10
Health & Well-being
11
Periodic Employee Health Survey (PEHS)
11
Sick leave
11
Legionella
12
Noise in the work place
12
Investors in People (IiP)
13
Training & education
15
People & work
17
Terms of employment
19
Works Council
21
Suggestion box
23
Sports & Recreation
23
The Environment
24
Energy
24
Water
25
Soil
25
Nuisance
25
Air
25
Residual waste
27
HSE objectives for 2005
28
Contents
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In 2004, Forbo Linoleum B.V. was ISO 14001 certified for its environmental management system for the
third time since 1995 (each certificate is granted for a period of three years) as well as for, once again,
its health and safety management system. Our policy is to continuously improve our performance in the
field of health, safety and the environment (HSE). In this annual report, which forms an integral part of
our policy, we review our achievements in 2004 and formulate the objectives for 2005.
Our HSE performance in 2004 was positive. Safety improvement has been a matter of major concern
for the past few years and our efforts are starting to pay off: the accident rate dropped considerably in
2004. We realize, though, that we can do even better: the aim is to reduce the accident rate to zero. This
is why this issue is still given an important role in our training and education programme, namely as an
instrument to further increase the safety awareness among our employees.
In 2004, Forbo Linoleum B.V. was also certified for its Investors in People (IiP) programme. In IiP
– a human resources management system – the emphasis is on employee development and the com-
munication of the organization’s policy and objectives. The basic principle of IiP is that the improvement
of an organization goes hand in hand with the employees’ opportunities for further growth. This should
be an ongoing process in which the targets of the organization are attuned to those of the individual
employeethrough,forexample,trainingandcoaching.IiPinitiates,structurizesandcontinuesthisprocess,
which will eventually lead to the improved functioning of the training cycle within the organization.
The Forbo Flooring organization – of which Forbo Linoleum B.V. is a member – has put the environment
high on its agenda, as evidenced by the fact that all the production plants of the group are certified
in accordance with the requirements and specifications of the ISO 14001 environmental management
system.
This report specifies the company’s HSE targets for 2005. Our employees are already hard at work
to realize these targets by the end of 2005. In next year’s report, we will again detail our various
achievements.
Paul de Ruiter
Director Forbo Linoleum B.V.
Preface
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Forbo Linoleum B.V. is part of Forbo Flooring,
which is a member of the Swiss Forbo Group
and has 23 sales organizations and 9 pro-
duction plants worldwide. Its market share
of over 60% makes Forbo Flooring world
leader in linoleum. In addition, the company
develops, manufactures and sells a wide
selection of vinyl floor coverings of superior
quality. Forbo Flooring has production
facilitiesinFrance,theNetherlands,Scotland,
Sweden and Switzerland; the largest
linoleum plant is in Assendelft, the Nether-
lands. Forbo Flooring employs about 2500
people, of whom over 700 work at Forbo
Linoleum B.V.
In 2004, Forbo Flooring revised its strategy
and put a stronger focus on the improvement
of its sales and profitability. The development
of the new, international linoleum collection
Marmoleum global 2 and the broadening of
the product range in the commercial market
are important strategies aimed at achieving
such improvement. In 2004, over 50 new
projects were defined and started. The
majority will be completed in 2005.
New collections
In 2004, the company’s most important
Marmoleum collection was completely
renewed. Various departments worked
closely together to produce this new
collection – Global 2 – which features not
only a whole range of new colours but also a
new Marmoleum structure, ‘Piano’. (The
collection was introduced to the international
market in January 2005.) In addition, the
factory finish, which is applied to the floor
covering to facilitate floor care, has been
greatly improved. This new finish – TopShield
– reduces the use of maintenance products
considerably and thus makes floor care both
cheaper and more environment friendly.
Further, a new Novilon collection has been
developed specifically for the consumer
market. (The Marmoleum global 2 collection
and the new Novilon collection had their
international premiere at Domotex, the World
Trade Fair for Carpets and Floor Coverings in
Hannover [Germany] in January 2005.)
2004 saw the international launch of a new
Smaragd collection and the Marmoleum
colourful greys collection. The latter was
developed in collaboration with the Dutch
visual artist and colour specialist, Peter
Struycken. This captivating collection is
based on a colour concept in which colours
are combined to create various fascinating
greys. Marmoleum colourful greys was
launched at Salone del Mobile, the inter-
national furniture show in Milan (Italy).
HSE management system
Forbo Linoleum B.V. is certified for its Health,
Safety and Environmental (HSE) management
system: the health and safety system
complies with the requirements of NPR 5001,
the environmental system with those of ISO
14001. Both systems are audited by Lloyd’s
Register Quality Assurance every six months
in order to assess their effectiveness as well
as their compliance with the requirements of
these standards. Certification is granted for
a period of three years, and the certification
of the HSE management system at Forbo
Linoleum B.V. had to be renewed in 2004.
The two audits in 2004 were carried out very
thoroughly: both systems were scrutinized
and all system documents were inspected.
The results of the audits were good and both
systems received certification for another
three years. However, the auditors did
indicate a few points for improvement and
A new strategy
The company’sfocusisnow on improving salesand profitability, for which new-product
launches provide a major impetus.
make some recommendations, which have
been acted upon. Continuous performance
improvement is a major element of the HSE
management system. Each year, new objec-
tives aimed at improving the company’s HSE
performance are formulated. The actions to
be taken as well as the department-specific
objectives are incorporated into the HSE
annual plan.
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Forbo Linoleum B.V. assumes its entre-
preneurial responsibility regarding employee
health and safety, and the environment
(HSE). Since HSE management is considered
an essential part of the company policy, it
has been made an integral part of all
activities performed by the company.
The improvement of products and production
processes is a permanent item on the
company’s agenda, and all processes are
carried out in accordance with the relevant
rules and legislation. The basic principle is
that all products and activities, as well as the
entire production process, should reflect
respect for people and their environment.
This is the joint responsibility of both
employer and employees. To this end, all
employees receive HSE training geared to
their specific job and responsibilities.
Forbo Linoleum B.V. strives to develop and
implement sustainable production methods
that make the most efficient use possible of
the natural raw materials, additives, water
and energy needed for the process. Wher-
ever possible, efforts are made to minimize
the environmental impact and to reuse
residual waste.
People should be able to rely on their working
environment being safe and healthy. In the
performance of its activities, Forbo Linoleum
B.V. makes every effort to obviate risks that
may harm the health and/or well-being of its
employees and other parties.
Forbo Linoleum B.V. stimulates dialogue
among employees and with interested parties,
the Works Council and the authorities. Active
and effective communication with these
parties helps the company to look at its HSE
achievements from a critical point of view
and to make improvements.
In order to maintain and further improve the
HSE performance, each year Forbo Linoleum
B.V. formulates its policy and objectives in
accordance with ISO 14001 and NPR 5001. To
ensure the observance of this policy, periodic
audits are carried out by both internal and
external auditors. This allows the HSE
achievements in a specific year to be tested
against the HSE objectives established for
that year. The results are presented to all
employees of Forbo Linoleum B.V. and are
published in the annual HSE report.
Paul de Ruiter
Policy statement
Health, Safety and the Environment
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“Wherever we can, we at Logistics tighten the rules to help us to operate
in conformity with the current standards”
Jur van der Laan – department manager of the Service Goods and Samples & Brochures Warehouse,
gave safety awareness his undivided attention in 2004. “Togetherwith my fellow department managers,
I followed the course that had been developed to emphasize the importance of safe working. The course
– which the HSE Department, Forbo’s safety expert, the management of the Production Department,
and the company’s Arbo Service had devised – was tough, but I found it highly interesting and very
positive. Safe working is becoming even more important now that the tension between work pressure
and available means is increasing. In today’s hectic working climate, we tend to push this aspect aside.
Of course, it’s a matter of finding a good balance, but it’s important to stay on the right side of the
dividing line.
“After the course, I made a selection of its major points and presented them to my team leaders. They
passed on relevant information about safe working to their staff members, who then took pictures of
unsafe situations. Finally, I broughtin an actorand organized a role-playsession, in which the participants
had to deal with a number of these situations. This added an extra dimension to the course.
“We must ensure, though, that this focus on safe working doesn’t gradually become blurred. We must
incorporate the objectives into the annual plans and discuss the results with one another. The subject
must be a permanent item on the agenda of the team meetings. I keep going on about it to the team
leaders. At the end of the day, safe working must become ingrained in all of us.”
Jur van der Laan
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Safety
Minimizing the accident rate
The number of
accidents in 2004 decreased by 25% com-
pared with 2003. This was not only a very good
performance but also broke the trend of
preceding years. The decrease can be largely
attributed to the comprehensive safety aware-
ness improvement plan, which includes a
Safety Awareness course for employees in the
Engineering, Production, Logistics, Research &
Development, and Technical Maintenance de-
partments. The course, which was developed
by the company’s Arbo (occupational health
and safety) Service in close collaboration with
the company’s safety expert and HSE depart-
ment, concentrates on the specific situation at
Forbo Linoleum B.V. The course was organized
according to the train-the-trainer principle; in
other words, the senior and middle manage-
ment staff were both trained and taught the
skills to give the course to the employees in
their departments. The focus of the course was
on the responsibility of the management staff
for safety in their respective departments.
Safe working environment
The Risk As-
sessment & Evaluation (RA&E) system is
revised every three years. The last such revi-
sion, which included all departments, was
made at the end of 2003. In early 2004, the
RA&E system was assessed and, after a few
minor adjustments, approved by the compa-
ny’s Arbo Service. Improving the safety of the
machines in the production departments
was given top priority. The majority of the ap-
proximately 400 machine adjustments de-
fined in the RA&E plan were realized in 2004;
the remainder will be performed in 2005.
Health & Well-being
Keeping low the level of sick leave
The aim
to further reduce the average sick leave rate in
2004 was not achieved: even though many
departments reached their individual targets,
the overall sick leave rate increased from 5.2%
(2003) to 5.6%. The sick leave and reintegra-
tion policy will be further tightened in 2005.
Periodic Employee Health Survey (PEHS)
Every five years, employees are invited to
participate in the PEHS and also in 2004, a
part of the work force received an invitation
to undergo a medical test, which includes a
number of basic as well as job-specific
examinations. In 2004, the response to the
invitation was 80% – an exceptionally high
figure. The recommendations and conclu-
sions from the examinations were discussed
with the relevant management staff and all
necessary actions were taken.
Inspecting the work place
In 2004, a
consultant from the company’s Arbo Service
inspected the computer workstations in
various departments in order to give indivi-
dual advice to employees regarding the
height of their desk, the arrangement of their
computer equipment and the adjustment of
their chair. All this was to ensure the best
posture during work.
The Environment
Saving energy
The energy saving recorded
for 2004 was 3.2% per m
2
of manufactured
product. The reduction was mainly the result
of the lower consumption of steam. Another
part of this saving can be attributed to the
Evaluation of
HSE objectives for 2004
In 2004, the company’s efforts to increase safety awareness were effective: the acci-
dent rate decreased by 25%. The special safety awareness course played a major role
in achieving this result.
more environment-conscious use of the
incinerators in the Oxidation Department
and the Drying Rooms, as well as the
optimized utilization of the hot water system
in the Oxidation Department.
Energy Plan
A new five-year Energy Plan
was launched in 2004. This was done in con-
sultation with the Province of Noord-Holland,
because the Energy Plan is an integral part of
the permit issued under the Dutch Environ-
mental Management Act and granted by the
Province. Forbo Linoleum B.V. uses three
energy streams, namely gas, electricity and
steam. The gas and steam consumption can
be measured at several measuring points on
the company’s premises, so that, based on
the energy consumption, the processes can
be adjusted. Since there are no such mea-
suring points for electricity, a study was
conducted into how the electricity consump-
tion can be made measurable in the depart-
ments that use large quantities of electricity.
Reducing residual waste
Even though the
total quantity of residual linoleum waste
decreased by 5% in 2004, the target figure
set for the disposal of linoleum end-product
rolls (a maximum of 700 tons) was not
reached, mainly because the Finished Goods
Warehouse had to dispose of a considerable
quantity of old stock. The target for the
disposal of granulates (a maximum of 360
tons) turned out to be too ambitious and was
not reached either. The Trimming Depart-
ment made a positive contribution, though,
by further decreasing the quantity of non-
processed recycling material to 348 tons.
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“The drive to learn and to help people – that’s what a first-aider
needs”
Even as a child, Ton Hemprig knew what first aid was: “First aid runs in the family. My father used to
be a first-aider at Forbo, and as a ten-year-old I’d leaf through his first-aid book.” Ton combines his
first-aid activities at Forbo Linoleum B.V. with his job as planning officer at Technical Maintenance. As
senior instructor he organizes first-aid courses. “We’re starting a new course in 2005 because we need
more first-aiders. The current group of 45 members must be increased to 70 – the intended 10% of the
company’s work force – evenly distributed over the various departments and preferably also over the
different shifts.
“The drive to learn and to help people – that’s what a first-aider needs. It’s this combination of
inquisitivenessand helpfulnessthatmakesa capable first-aider. Butgood social skillsare also important,
because you’ve got to deal with all sorts of people, from the head office to the shop floor.”
Ton hopes that 2005 will see the provision of means to purchase new aid and rescue equipment: “We’re
investigating whether it’s feasible to buy an AED – an automated external defibrillator. We’d also like to
have a classroom of our own. We’re fortunate that Forbo’s management recognizes the importance of a
well-functioning first-aid organization.”
One of Ton’s activities as senior instructor is setting up first-aid drills: “I sit down at my computer and
think up an accident; for instance, someone breaks his leg at a certain place on the premises. Sitting at
your computer, you can dream up any situation – and that’s right up my street!”
Ton Hemprig
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Risk Assessment and
Evaluation (RA&E)
The RA&E system is revised every three
years. The last such revision was at the
end of 2003 and has been approved by
the company’s Arbo Service. In early 2004,
a plan was formulated aimed to improve
considerably the safety in the production
departments. The sequence in which unsafe
situations and activities were tackled was
determined by the priority they had been
given in the RA&E plan. Based on the new
guidelines for machine safety, high priority
had been given to about 400 machines that
needed adjustment. The aim was to make
them safer without, if possible, affecting
their operation and maintenance. Although
it was a huge operation, the majority of the
machine adjustments were realized in 2004;
the remainder will be carried out in 2005.
Based on the RA&E plan, similar action was
also taken in other departments to remedy
unsafe situations.
Safety awareness
However, providing a safe working environ-
ment is not enough: the employees them-
selves must make a positive contribution
by working safely. They can do so by using
personal protective equipment where this is
obligatory and being alert to what may pose
a risk, for example, forklift truck movements,
the use of knives or rolls that may fall over. In
addition, every employee must be informed
of the safety instructions in his or her
department.
Working safer – lower accident rate
In 2004, courses and training programmes led to considerably improved safety in the
production departments. Unsafe situations can be acted upon more rapidly now that
the reporting of accidents and near-accidents has become easier.
To increase safety awareness, in 2004
the management staff of the Production,
Logistics, TechnicalMaintenance, Research &
Development, and Engineering departments
attended a safety course focused on the
specific situation at Forbo Linoleum B.V. The
course had been developed in collaboration
with the company’s Arbo Service and dealt
with the following subjects:
• the theory of safety awareness
• safety procedures and instructions
• recognizing dangers
• safety rounds
• accident analysis
• communication
• HSE annual plan.
The course was given top-down according
to the train-the-trainer principle: the Arbo
Service instructed the senior and middle
management, theytrained their team leaders,
and the latter passed on the information to
the employees in their departments.
Employees of various departments also
followed other courses in safe working, such
as the Sufficiently Trained Person (VOP)
course for those who work with electrical
installations, and the Safety for Operational
Management Staff (VCA-VOL) course.
Accidents
The company’seffortsto improve safe working
and safety paid off in 2004: the accident rate
decreased by 25%. A total of 35 accidents
were reported. In ten cases, the accident led
to sick leave. Two cases were reported to the
Labour Inspectorate, which subsequently
launched investigations. These had not been
concluded by the end of 2004.
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In 2004, all accidents, near-accidents and
unsafe situations were reported using the
new, electronic form, which makes their
handling and registration far more efficient.
The management staff, together with the
Forbo safety expert, analysed the accidents
and established their causes. This process
allows the management staff to determine
which measures are needed to prevent
current or potential unsafe situations. The
RA&E system monitors the subsequent risk-
handling.
The electronic form is also used for reporting
near-accidents: in 2004, a total of 34 reports
of near-accidents and unsafe situations
were received; this is nearly twice the figure
recorded in 2003. However, this is in fact a
good sign, because it demonstrates that
employees recognize harmful situations
and take steps to have them remedied.
The significance of such reports as a
means to reduce the accident rate was also
emphasized during the safety awareness
courses in 2004. In 2005, the employees will
again be expressly apprised of the fact that
the reporting of near accidents and unsafe
situations contributes to making the work
place safer.
Fire brigade
2004 was a busy year for the fire fighters of
Forbo Linoleum B.V.: they responded to 40
calls for assistance (40% more than in 2003).
Sixteen of these calls were fire alarms;
fortunately, all the fires were extinguished
before they could spread. The other calls led
to the fire brigade assisting with problems
resulting from, for example, damage to
sprinkler pipes caused by vehicles, system
failures or box pallets that had fallen from
racks in the Finished Goods Warehouse.
When what seemed to be a serious fire broke
out on the roof of the neighbouring company
(Nash), the municipal fire brigade turned
out with its heavy equipment. Forbo’s fire
Physical/technical
50%
Organizational
7%
Person-related
43%
The causes of accidents and near-accidents in 2004
fighters prevented the fire from reaching the
cars in the car park of Forbo Linoleum B.V.
The brigade’s most talked-about action fol-
lowed the report of a leakage of a harmful
substance (a solution diluted with sulphamic
acid) while it was being tested as a rinsing
agent for the cooling channels of one of
the calender rolls. Because the fire brigade
was not familiar with the substance and
the danger identification cards were filed
away in the Security Department, the
regional emergency centre was called for
detailed information about this substance.
Subsequently, the duty officer of the regional
fire brigade immediately issued a full alert.
When it became clear that the substance
was only a 5% solution (95% was just water),
the 70 fire fighters returned to their base.
This example demonstrates the importance
of good communication and – perhaps
even more important – good listening. These
aspects will be emphasized during the
brigades’ future joint fire drills.
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Periodic Employee Health
Survey (PEHS)
In 2004, the company’s Arbo Service per-
formed a PEHS in the following departments:
• Distribution Management
• Central Planning
• Raw Materials & Maintenance Warehouse
• Service Products Warehouse
• Samples & Brochures Warehouse
• Group Sales Support
• Management/Staff Operations
• Quality Assurance/HSE
• Department managers
• Safety/Works Council
• Security
• Office Services
• Telecommunication
• Cleaning Service
• Company Restaurant
• Esterification
• Calender 1
• Drying Rooms.
The focus of the 2004 PEHS was on the health
effects of risks at work, as well as on the em-
ployees’ perception of their work. The PEHS
comprisedaquestionnaire,amedicalexamina-
tion and an invitation to participate in a health
check programme, which included:
• the calculation of the participant’s length,
weight and body mass index (BMI)
• the measurement of cholesterol
• the measurement of blood pressure
• a urine analysis.
The results show that many employees are
overweight: they (like many other people)
eat too much too often, eat too much fat, and
– as they do not take enough exercise – burn
too few calories. The BMI is a measure of
weight proportionate to height, and is used
to determine obesity. It is calculated by di-
viding body weight by height squared. A BMI
of between 18.5 and 25 indicates a healthy
weight. Based on the recommendations of
the Arbo Service, the company is investiga-
ting how it can contribute to the health of its
employees.
The PEHS identified a number of areas for
special attention, such as the employees’
perception of their work, the variety in their
work and in their posture, working conditions
during the production process and displaying
good manners. These items will be put on the
agenda of the team meetings of the relevant
departments.
Health: a ‘weighty’ matter
A large number of employees participated in the 2004 Periodic Employee Health
Survey (PEHS). They obviously understand the importance of good health and the need
to watch one’s weight, and Forbo Linoleum B.V. is going to give them a helping hand.
A large number of employees participated in
the 2004 PEHS: of those approached, 84%
completed the questionnaire and 80% un-
derwent the medical examination. The high
attendance rate can be partly attributed to
the thorough information about and the plan-
ning of the survey, which was done together
with the company’s Arbo Service.
The PEHS results led to the submission of a
number of recommendations to the manage-
ment. The Human Resources Department dis-
cussed these recommendations with the man-
agementstaffofthe relevantdepartments.The
results of these talks have been incorporated
into the departmental objectives for 2005.
Sick leave: 5.6%
Rather than further decreasing to (at least) the
targetfigureof5%,sickleaveincreasedby0.4%
to 5.6%. Sick leave, preventing sickness, and
reintegration still require the management’s
undivided attention, especially because of
the strict requirements of the Dutch act ‘Wet
Verbetering Poortwachter’ regarding these sub-
jects. Therefore, the major focus in 2005 will
be on the reintegration of returning employees
and on taking specific measures to tackle fre-
quent sick leave. The company doctor will be
involved in any actions that will be taken.
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
Sick leave 2000 - 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
Sick leave per age group 2004
20-24 yr 25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
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Causes of sick leave in 2004
A total of 947
sickness reports were received. These can be
divided into five categories, namely:
In 43 of the 947 cases, the cause was an
accident:
Legionella
Aspartofthe company’slegionella prevention
programme, an external consultancy made a
risk analysis of the entire hot water system
at Forbo Linoleum B.V. in 2004. Based on
this analysis, a management plan was
formulated, which substitutes the former
plan drawn up internally. In 2004, a start
was made with the implementation of the
recommended improvements, which mainly
relate to the mains-water system in the office
buildings E12 and E14. The improvement
project will continue in 2005.
Noise in the work place
The Dutch Arbo Act prescribes that the noise
level at a work place may not exceed 85
dB(A). Noise reduction can be achieved by:
• taking measures at the source (e.g. using
machines that produce less noise)
• screening off the source (e.g. by placing
the source in a sound-insulating case)
• screening off the work place (by means of
e.g. sound-insulating provisions)
• providing and prescribing the use of
personal protective equipment (e.g. ear
protection).
Preferably, the first option should be tried
out first.
Forbo Linoleum B.V. does its best to exceed
the statutory noise requirements and to
keep the maximum noise level under 80
dB(A) by taking measures at the source. A
noise level of 80 dB(A) is almost four times
lower than the legal requirement (doubling
the amount of noise means an increase of 3
dB(A). Employees are provided with personal
protection equipment only if this first option
or the subsequent two measures do not
produce the desired result.
The resultsofthe WorkHygiene Surveycarried
out in 2000 were used to draw up a long-
term plan. Based on this plan, the following
departments were inspected in 2004.
Mixing Department
The noise level measured in the area of
the pressing unit in the Mixing Department
was too high. As technical solutions are
unfeasible, the relevant employees have
been advised to use ear protection.
Raw Materials & Maintenance
Warehouse
Transporting four empty cement containers at
the same time makes a lot of noise. Changing
the clamps used on the upper containers
did not reduce the noise level sufficiently.
A solution would be to transport two rather
than four containers simultaneously, but
this would double both the transportation
time and the energy consumption. Levelling
out the relevant stretch of road has led to
some improvement, though not enough.
The relevant employees have therefore been
advised to use ear protection.
Noise nuisance
During both the RA&E and the various
team meetings, a number of departments
expressed the desire to have the work
place noise measured. At Trim East and
West, the noise level was measured after
the installation of the UV systems: it still
complies with the targeted maximum level of
80 dB(A).
The noise was also measured around the
inspection table of Calender 2. The excessive
value measured can be attributed to the
drive motor of the Mixaco mixer, which is
mounted above and at an angle to the table.
In 2005, measures will be taken to solve this
noise problem.
Flu/short period of sickness
584
Motion sickness
172
Stress/psychological problems
25
Other
155
Unknown
11
Total
947
1 - 7 days
1.06%
8 - 42 days
1.36%
43 - 365 days
2.60%
Ongoing sickness
0.58%
Total
5.60%
Industrial accident
10
Sports accident
9
Traffic accident
6
Other
18
Total
43
Duration of sick leave in 2004
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Investors in People
The efforts of Forbo Linoleum B.V. in the field
of development-oriented human resources
were recognized in November 2004 when the
company was awarded the Investor in People
(IiP) certificate.
An IiP company works systematically on the
development of its employees while keep-
ing a clear focus on the contribution each
individual can make towards realizing the
company’s objectives. This requires clarity
regarding the company’s objectives, making
clear-cut arrangements as regards the em-
ployee’s personal growth, and ensuring the
observance and evaluation of such arrange-
ments in a structured manner. In order to live
up to these requirements, the following ac-
tions were taken in 2004.
Information
The management team held information
meetings for all employees in May and No-
vember 2004, following reports from the
holding regarding the strategy and future of
the Flooring companies.
The use of existing human resources instru-
ments (e.g. job assessment interviews and
team meetings) was again expressly brought
to the attention of the management staff. The
management staff are involved in the ongo-
ing development process through the re-
vised version of the manual for management
staff, which is available on the company’s
intranet.
Implementation
Nearly all job assessment interviews, includ-
ing the agreements regarding the employees’
personal development programme, were
held within the established time-frame.
In the autumn of 2004, a number of employ-
ees were invited to attend a growth-potential
interview. The aim of such interviews is to as-
sess an employee’s potential growth and to
give the employee an insight into his or her
career prospects at Forbo Linoleum B.V. This
management instrument is used to formulate
the company’s manpower and succession
planning.
During the interview, the employee’s skills
and current and potential qualities are dis-
cussed, as are his or her interests, ambitions
and suitability for other jobs within the orga-
nization.
In 2004, these interviews were held with
members of the senior management as well
as with HBO (Higher Vocational Education)
and university graduates who are not a mem-
Development-oriented
human resources management
Skilled, adequately trained employees are of vital importance to any company – which
is why Forbo Linoleum B.V. puts a lot of energy into employee development, as is
evidenced by the company’s certification as an Investor in People.
ber of this team. The interviews were also
held with a number of other employees at
the request of the management. The results
of the interviews were discussed by the man-
agement team and will be discussed with the
employees concerned.
The training and education programme
2004/2005 was formulated for all depart-
ments in the summer of 2004.The programme
was implemented on 1 September 2004.
Certification
In 2004, a somewhat unusual campaign was
launched to keep employeesfocused on both
the Investors in People (IiP) programme and
the company’s development-oriented human
resources programme during the summer pe-
riod: a picture postcard lottery, with the lucky
winners being given a traveller’s cheque or a
dinner cheque.
In preparation for the IiP audit, the internal
supervisors discussed the relevant docu-
ments with Mr Verspaandonk, the auditor
from Lloyd’s. The central focus of these dis-
cussions was the zero diagnosis, the action
plan and the management manual. During
the audit, which wasperformed in September
and October 2004, Mr Verspaandonk spoke
with 62 employees from all sections of the
organization. Based on these discussions,
he nominated Forbo Linoleum B.V. for the IiP
certification. The certificate and Lloyd’s final
report were received in November. The points
for improvement specified in the final report
were discussed with the management staff
concerned and arrangements were made to
take appropriate action.
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“People are open to ideas that will help improve their performance”
As training and education coordinator, Annemarie Huiberts deals with the development and organiza-
tion of internal technical courses and theory modules that support training on the job.
“In 2004, we and Technical Maintenance set up the Sufficiently Trained Person NEN 3140 (VOP) course.
Around one hundred employees participated. Production employees who’ve followed this two-day
training may independently perform minor electro-technical operations to repair failures. Together with
the Quality Department, we developed the Inspection and Defect Codes course for employees in the
Trimming and Calendering departments. The result of this course is that we now have more uniformity
in productassessmentand the use of correctdefectcodes, which isvital to ensure thatourclientsreceive
the right products.”
Annemarie has noticed that although it takes some getting used to, most people like to ‘go back to
school’. “People are open to ideasthatwill help improve theirperformance. During theirjob assessment
interview, they can indicate in what field they’d like to receive further training. The popular ones are
Industrial Automation, Control Engineering, and the Process Technique vocational training (VAPRO).
“In 2005, we’ll be giving a course in industrial accounting – which will deal with the reporting and
analysis of process performance – and teaching employees in the Oxidation Department and the Drying
Rooms how to operate the incinerators. We’re also going to set up training courses in such subjects as
oxidation, energy and packaging machines in the Trimming Department.
“We’ll continue our training-on-the-job programme. For this, we’re developing a theory module, which
deals with the basic technical skills in the various departments that new employees have to master. The
participants, along with their supervisors, will have to perform a number of tasks and then take a final
test. We’re trying to give training and education more structure.”
Annemarie Huiberts
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15
In 2004, Forbo Linoleum B.V. invested
€ 456,000 in external training programmes.
This figure does not include the 18,000 man-
hours (or 10 man-years) lost as a result of
employees attending such courses.
Expertise
Forbo Linoleum B.V. seeks to employ the
most competent people in the sector, which
is why the major focus of the 2004/2005
training and education programme was on
courses that enable the company to enhance
its expertise.
The qualifications for each job at Forbo Lino-
leum B.V. are reformulated every year in or-
der to keep up with today’s rapid develop-
ments and continuous changes in the various
domains. This has led to the development of
new, compulsory technical courses for a large
number of jobs in Operations. One of these
courses is in colour theory. In 2004, this one-
day internal course was attended by over 40
operators from various production depart-
ments. Another example is the Inspection
and Defect Codes course, which in 2004 was
followed by over 30 employees from the Trim-
ming and Calendering departments.
Training and education in 2004:
an ongoing development
No-one can fail to notice that a lot of training is going on at Forbo Linoleum B.V. It is
important that the company actively stimulates its employees to further develop
themselves in order to reach its objectives. Each year, arrangements are made with the
employeesregardingtheirtrainingandeducation.Thesearrangementsareincorporated
into the company’s annual training programme.
Safety
In 2004, safety was again a major subject in
the company’s training and education
programme. In order to help employees to
comply with the statutory regulations
regarding safe working with electrical
installations, a two-day internal Sufficiently
Trained Person (VOP) course was held. About
160 employees participated in it, and are
now qualified to perform a number of electro-
technical operations. Thirty employees
received the Safety for Operational
Management Staff (VCA-VOL) certificate.
Thirteen managers participated in the train-
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the-trainer programme, in which they were
provided with the skills to give safety training
to the employees in their own department.
As a result, in the autumn of 2004 the
management staff and their substitutes in
Operations received a safety course from
their own manager.
Internal transfer of knowledge
Investing in know-how is essential, because
knowledge plays a vital role in providing any
company with a competitive edge. It is
therefore important that the knowledge
available within Forbo Linoleum B.V. is
organized and used effectively. Many courses
and training programmes (including the
technical ones referred to above) are
developed and given by the company’s own
people.
The Forbo Academy is a good example of in-
ternal knowledge transfer. The Academy was
established in September 2004 to organize
product-related training programmes for
Forbo Flooring’s sales and account manag-
ers. The aim is to ensure that the target group
of Forbo Linoleum B.V. – mainly architects,
end users and flooring companies – recog-
nize the company’s work force as the most
skilled and experienced partners in the floor-
ing industry. The Academy’s training
programmes focus on floor care and on ar-
chitecture and design, and are given by the
company’s own specialists.
The systematic transfer of knowledge from
one group of employees to another enhances
the overall level of knowledge. With this, as
well as the other initiatives mentioned
above, the organization is improving its
internal knowledge management.
In 2004, the company’s employees attended
a total of 922 courses and training
programmes, representing a 41% increase
compared to the figure for 2003.
Courses and training programmes in 2004
Automation/informatics
7
Automation/PC applications
45
Business administration
2
Colour theory
46
Commercial
40
Communication
14
Development of personal skills
12
Electrical and control engineering/electronics
22
Financial/economic
7
Fire brigade
1
Forklift truck driving
233
Human resources
9
Inspection and defect codes
31
Installation technique
38
Languages
10
Logistics
15
Management
12
Other techniques
28
Overall equipment effectiveness/small group activity
2
Problem analysis & decision-making
9
Process technique
49
Project management
2
Public administration
1
Purchasing
2
Safety
285
Total
922
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As a result of the continuing global economic
downturn, lower sales figures than expected
were recorded for 2004. In times like these,
cost control is highly important and because
personnel costs make up a considerable part
of the total operating costs, vacancies were
filledonlyaftercriticalconsideration.Although
16 new employees joined the company in
2004, 42 employees left, which means an
outflow of 26. The graph shows an outflow of
only 2 because since the beginning of 2004,
employees who work in the sales offices
abroad (International Sales) are included
in the number of staff employed by Forbo
Linoleum B.V. Forty-three such employees
were counted in 2004 and 19 in 2003.
As a result of the lower intake, the average
age of the company’s work force increased
from 41 (2003) to 42.
The majority of persons employed by Forbo
Linoleum B.V. have a full-time job, although
the number of part-timers slightly increased
again in 2004. Among the male employees,
the percentage of part-timers increased from
6% in 2003 to 7% in 2004, excluding those
who work four or five shifts and therefore,
according to roster, less than 38 hours a
week. Among the female employees, the
percentage of part-timers was 12% in 2004
(11% in 2003).
Career prospects in 2004
Employee development receives particular
attention at Forbo Linoleum B.V. It is con-
People and work
In 2004, the employees at Forbo Linoleum B.V. again welcomed fewer new colleagues.
However, there is plenty of potential for the organization to grow.
sidered important that the employees’
personal growth keeps pace with their career
development. Although people may develop
within their job, the number of promotions is
a useful measure of employee development.
In 2004, 46 employees were appointed to
other positions (42 in 2003).
Male, part time
7%
Female, full time
4%
Female, part time
12%
Male, full time
77%
Full-time and part-time employees 2004
780
760
740
720
700
Number of employees 2000 - 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Age group 2004
20-24 yr 25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
male
female
Number of employees who joined
the company in 2004
Marketing & Sales NL
5
Operations
5
Finance & ICS
2
Human Resources
1
Flooring Marketing
2
SAP Competence Centre
1
Total
16
Number of employees who left the
company in 2004
At their own request
11
Early retirement
18
Dissolution procedure
1
Termination of contract
3
Protracted sickness
8
Deceased
1
Total
42
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“Automation is just fine – as long as it works properly!”
René Smitisteam leaderin the Storage & Distribution Department. He and hiscolleagueshave to ensure
that every truck is loaded on time with the right products and that it departs on schedule.
More and more warehouse processes are being automated. For example, in 2004 AGVs (automatic
guided vehicles) were introduced. According to René, thistakessome getting used to: “These unmanned
forklift trucks tend to break down a few times a week, which means we have to use the conventional ones
again. There’s a considerable increase in the work pressure when this happens, because the number of
employees is now geared to the use of AGVs. Also, we spend a lot of time and energy on improving these
vehicles, partly at the cost of other important matters that require our attention.”
The nextstep will be the automation of the pick islands. “So far,” Rene said, “the decrease in the number
of jobs has been compensated for by hiring fewer temporary workers, but now, with phase 3, we’re
talking about a reduction of another three men per shift – and this is disturbing some people.”
Even so, the team leaderrecognizesthe positive aspectsof automation: “Phase 1 – the automation of the
box-palletcranes– led to a lotof the dull workdisappearing, and we’re quite happywith that. Also earlier
projects, such as the fully automated pins field and the Sorting Table, were introduced successfully.
Automation is just fine – as long as it works properly!”
René Smit
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19
A large number of regulations and terms of
employment apply at Forbo Linoleum B.V.
Most of them are available on the intranet,
and employees who do not have a PC at their
work place may request access to this me-
dium through their superior. The information
on the site includes calculation examples
and explanatory notes to the regulations, as
well as a large number of forms for direct use.
Access to these data can be obtained by clic-
king on ‘ Organisatie Personeel & Organi-
satie Arbeidsvoorwaarden en regelingen’.
Manyofthe company’sregulationsand terms
of employment had to be adjusted in 2004,
partly as a result of statutory regulations and
social developments.
• On 1 January 2004, new company regu-
lations (approved by the Works Council)
were introduced. These regulations mainly
relate to such matters as using computers,
the procedure for reporting sick/recovery
from sickness, and smoking.
Terms of employment
In 2004, both government legislation and social developments affected the company’s
terms of employment. The impact was felt in many spheres, ranging from the special
smoking areas to the short-lived PC private project.
• As of 1 January 2004, smoking is banned
at Forbo Linoleum B.V., except in special
smoking areas. A compensation scheme
has been introduced as an incentive to
stop smoking.
• On 1 January 2004, the insurance benefits
paid under the ANW gap insurance (ANW =
the General Surviving Relatives Act) were
adjusted, while the differentiation be-
tween the premiums for men and that for
women was removed.
• In 2004, Avéro Achmea increased the
premium for the collective health insurance
by 22%. Forbo Linoleum B.V. therefore
called in an external consultant and
investigated whether the company should
switch to another insurance company or
adjust the current insurance package.
However, it turned out that the present
conditions are still favourable, despite the
huge increase in premium. Therefore, no
change has been made.
• In January 2004, a bonus of € 80 was paid
to all active employees as a token of the
management’s appreciation of their com-
mitment and positive attitude.
• Following the placement of the company’s
pension savings scheme with ABN AMRO
Bank, a number of well-attended informa-
tion meetings were held in January 2004.
The scheme applies to employees who
were born on or after 1 January 1946 and
were employed by the company before 1
January 2001.
• In February2004, the companylaunched its
‘private PC project 2004’, which included
a second supplier where employees could
purchase a PC with peripheral devices
while benefiting from a tax break. The
project had to be cancelled, though,
when on 27 August the Dutch Council of
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Ministers rescinded such fiscal benefits
with immediate effect.
• On 1 July 2004, the premium for the in-
surance covering the WAO gap (WAO =
Disablement Insurance Act) was reduced
slightly.
• Following PWZ Achmea, insurer Zilveren
Kruis Achmea introduced a collective 10%
discount on the supplementary services
attached to the compulsory medical insu-
rance.
• The collective car insurance premium was
increased by 3%. The 33% fleet discount
remained unchanged.
Collective Labour Agreement (CLA)
2004
In the summer of 2004, Forbo Linoleum B.V.
and the trade unions concluded a new CLA,
which was unanimously adopted by the
union members.
In2004,theCLAnegotiationsweredominated
by the Stichtingsakkoord. In this agreement
concluded in 2003 the social parties had
agreed on zero growth in wages in 2004 and
wage restraint in 2005. They had concluded
a provisional agreement for 2005, pending
the outcome of the levensloop dossier (the
Dutch levensloopregeling enables employees
to save a percentage of their salary, which can
be used to pay leave for personal matters). In
the end, though, no agreement was reached
on this dossier. This, along with a number of
other uncertainties, led Forbo Linoleum B.V.
to conclude a CLA up to 1 January 2005.
Two rounds of talks were needed to reach
the following results, which, together with
the trade unions’ positive recommendation,
were submitted to the union members.
Duration of the CLA
1 July 2004 to 1 January
2005.
One-off bonus
those who were in the
employ of Forbo Linoleum B.V. on 1 December
2004 received a gross payment of € 350 in
December 2004. Part-timers received this
bonus in proportion to the number of hours
they work. Employees who work full time in
four/five shifts were regarded as full-time
employees.
Single, variable bonuses
if a 93% quantity
yield is achieved in the production in the
3rd and 4th quarter of 2004, employees will
receive a payment of 0.125% of their gross
wage in January 2005. If 95% of the budgeted
number of meters are sold in the Dutch
market in the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2004,
employees will receive a payment of 0.125%
of their gross wage in January 2005.
Extra hours allowance for part-timers
part-
timers who work – at the request of the ma-
nagement, occasionally and during regular,
daily business hours – longer than the regu-
lar working hours agreed upon, will receive
for these extra hours a 30% allowance on top
of their regular pay.
Daycare scheme
the contribution for chil-
dren up to the age of 4 will be increased from
€ 500 to € 750, and for 4- 12-year-olds from
€ 400 to € 600.
Trade union membership fee
the tax law
provides for tax benefits regarding trade
union membership fees. (Ninety-four union
members took advantage of these benefits
in December 2004).
Work experience places
the number of
such places will remain at five while the
number of places as part of the SWA (SWA
= Association for Work & Labour) learn-work
projects will be increased to two for the
2004/2005 school year.
AWVN (employer’s organization) regulation
Forbo Linoleum B.V. will continue to contri-
bute to the trade unions.
In 2004, the government both prepared
and took a large number of fiscal measures
related to the changes in the early retirement
and pension schemes, causing uncertainty in
this area. In 2005, the management, together
with the pension fund board and the trade
unions, will investigate how such measures
will affect the company’s pension schemes.
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21
Works Council (WC)
Seventeen Works Council meetings were held
in 2004: nine regular meetings, two special
meetings, and six consultative meetings with
the management team. One such consulta-
tive meeting was attended by a member of
the Board of Directors. The WC’s executive
committee held a meeting every two months
with the management team.
In 2004, the WC was not asked to express
its opinion, although it did deal with three
applications for its approval. These pertained
to the e-mail protocol, the adjustment of the
opening hours of the company restaurant
and the ATV 2005 basic roster (the clustering
of shorter working hours). The first two appli-
cations received the WC’s consent. The latter
application required consultation with the
employees, which took place in December
2004. The decision will follow in 2005.
One of the WC’s initiatives in 2004 was the
publication of a monthly newsletter aimed at
improving the communication with the em-
ployees.
In addition, three WC working groups were
formed to deal with the following subjects:
• transparent responsibilities for product
quality
• respect and communication
• transparency of non-CLA employees.
The working groups will continue their activi-
ties in 2005.
The HSE Committee
The HSE Committee held ten meetings in
2004.
In order to increase its effectiveness, the HSE
Committee split up into four groups. Each
group focuses on a specific objective related
to one of the following four themes:
• Periodic Employee Health Survey (PEHS)
• Risk Assessment and Evaluation (RA&E)
• HSE annual plan
• communication with the shop floor.
The HSE Committee also dealt with a num-
ber of reported incidents, such as the dust
situation in the Mixing Department and the
picking devices in the Finished Goods Ware-
house.
Participation and relaxation
TheHSECommitteewasverypleased,theSuggestionsCommitteemadeacleansweepand
the Sports and Recreation Committee created a lot of enjoyment. At Forbo Linoleum B.V.,
2004 was a year not only of fine work but also of participation and relaxation.
The HSE Committee is very pleased with the
achievements in 2004, because:
• considerable investments were made in
RA&Es
• with the safety awareness project, a start
has been made with creating a safer com-
pany culture
• the presence and further tightening of sys-
tems aimed at ensuring the working condi-
tions led to a considerably lower accident
rate.
The very small number of near-accident
reports that were received is a matter of
concern, because, based on such reports,
preventive measures can be taken.
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“The HSE Committee keeps an extra watchful eye”
Chairing the HSE Committee istime-consuming, butBram Reitzlikesto do otherthingsbesideshisregular
work as a project engineer: “I’m also vice chairman of the European Works Council of the Forbo Group.”
Bram explained that in 2005, the HSE Committee will again focus on Risk Assessment & Evaluation.
“In 2004 over 400 places were made safer by putting up fences, building platforms, mounting hoisting
beams or adjusting machines. More adjustments will be made in 2005, and we’ll follow the results
very closely. Another point of action will be the well-being of our employees, and, more specifically, the
pressure of work they have to deal with. Of course, someone may suffer from burn-out at some time or
another, but if it happens in a department more often, this is a sign to be on the alert. This is where the
results of the Periodic Employee Health Surveys (PEHS) play an important role.
“We also keep an eye on the HSE annual plan and, more specifically, the follow-up of the RA&Es. The
Committee has strongly recommended that the PEHS long-range plan should be included in the annual
plan so that employees will know when a RA&E will be carried out in their department. The Committee
receives the reports of every investigation that is performed by the Arbo Service, such as the one recently
conducted into the dust problems in the Mixing Department and the Calendering Area. As such, we can
keep an extra watchful eye.”
Bram Reitz
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In early 2005, the Works Council will publish
extensive information about the activities of
the Council and its committees in 2004.
Suggestion box
In 2004, the Suggestions Committee re-
ceived 108 suggestions (166 in 2003). Of the
143 suggestions that were assessed, 21 were
rewarded, 119 were rejected and 3 received
an incentive prize. The ‘winning’ suggestions
were rewarded with a total of € 18,540 (two
received the maximum of € 6,000).
In 2004, the Committee managed to further
reduce the number of ideas waiting to be
assessed and closed the year with only 99
ideas still under consideration – the lowest
figure for 20 years. To put this achievement
into perspective: when the new Committee
started in 2002, it faced a backlog of over
360 suggestions.
However, there is no reason to be compla-
cent. The graph below provides an overview
of the number of ideas not yet dealt with, per
year of submission, and shows that a large
The suggestions submitted in 2004 were
received from:
Operations
91
Human Resources
9
Marketing & Sales
5
Finance & ICS
3
Total
108
40
30
20
10
0
Overview of ideas not yet dealt with, per
year of submission
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
number of ideas have been under consid-
eration for a long time. In most cases, the
reason for this is that appeals are being
lodged against their rejection or because the
Committee’s decision has been submitted
to arbitration, which takes a lot of time. In
2004, the management team set up an inde-
pendent Arbitration Committee to deal with
the applications for arbitration (the first for
many years). The Arbitration Committee has
already decided on four protracted cases.
Another year of hard work lies ahead: in
2005, the Suggestions Committee will focus
on settling the protracted cases, and ensure
that all suggestions are assessed within
three months.
Sports & Recreation (S&R)
TheSports&RecreationCommitteeplaysavery
active role in the well-being of the employees
of Forbo Linoleum B.V. The Committee seeks
to strengthen the rapport among employees
and to promote a pleasant work atmosphere
by organizing numerous activities. The various
clubs that come under its umbrella organize
events that combine relaxation and exertion,
such as cycle racing, table tennis, tennis, jog-
ging, indoor football and billiards.
In 2004, the Committee organized the 15th
annual cycle tour: over 750 current and re-
tired employees and their families followed
the beautiful and carefully mapped out route
through the villages of Uitgeest, Limmen and
Castricum. The Committee also organized the
biannual day out for the company’s people
who have retired or taken early retirement:
over a period of two days, ten buses took the
invitees to the village of Luttelgeest (Noord-
oostpolder), where they had coffee and en-
joyed a lavish lunch in the orchid nursery
there. In the afternoon, some of the partici-
pants made a tour of the Noordoostpolder,
others took a boat trip on the lakes between
the former coast and the empoldered land,
while the rest visited the village of Urk. A
dinner in the town of Hoorn rounded off this
enjoyable day out.
The monthly bingo drives were, as usual,
highly popular: each drive attracted an aver-
age of 120 participants. The annual Sinter-
klaas party at the end of November was a real
feast for the 100 children and their parents
who attended it. Reinier the clown and his
barrel organ were a real treat.
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Energy
Company Energy Plan 2004
In 2004, as part of the Dutch Environmental
Management Act, the Province of Noord-
Holland attached new energy regulations to
the company’s permit, which implied that a
number of investigations had to be conduc-
ted at Forbo Linoleum B.V. This led to the
formation of the EnergyActionTeam, which
comprised employees from the Engineering,
Technical Maintenance and HSE depart-
ments. The team’s task was to formulate the
company’s energy balance and to conduct a
survey aimed at establishing possibilities for
saving energy. In its survey, the team fo-
cused mainly on the various energy-consum-
ing processes (e.g. the generation of steam
and compressed air) and the production de-
partments (from the Esterification Depart-
ment to the Finished Goods Warehouse).
The team also consulted employees and
management staff in order to make the maxi-
mum use of their knowledge and expertise.
First, the energy balance was formulated.
Based on measurements and estimates, the
energy streams – both the primary (natural
gas and electricity) and the secondary (steam
and compressed air) – were allocated to the
various production departments and instal-
lations (e.g. steam boilers, air compressors
or incinerators). Then the energy streams of
the various departments and installations
were converted to the same unit and added
up. The users were arranged in order of en-
ergy consumption.
The next step was to make an inventory of
the energy users within the various depart-
ments. For each user (or group of identical
users), the possible technical or organiza-
tional energy-saving measures were studied,
which resulted in a list of over one hundred
potential measures. From this, a number of
measures were selected for each department
or installation, taking into account the
technical or organizational feasibility, the
investment needed for their implementation,
the realizable saving, as well as any profits
or losses involved. These measures were fur-
ther elaborated and incorporated into the
Company Energy Plan 2004.
The suggestions vary from taking simple
measures to ensure good housekeeping, to
conducting future-oriented studies. Techni-
cal measures are recognized as the best
Less energy: good for the environment
Smart measures have further reduced the company’s energy consumption. The
Company Energy Plan 2004 makes full use of new energy-saving options.
energy-saving options. The selective imple-
mentation of these measures may lead to a
decrease in energy consumption of at least
5% of the amount of energy needed for each
unit of product. Each year, the team will
report on the progress of the implementation
and on the results of the measures.
Energy saving in 2004
In 2004, the energy consumption per m
2
of
manufactured product decreased by 3.2%,
which can be largely attributed to the 6%
lower natural gas consumption. The electri-
city consumption decreased by nearly 1%.
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Energy consumption per department 2004
esterification
oxidation
mixing department
calenders
drying rooms
trimming dep.
recycling
finished goods warehouse
buildings
450 TJ
400
350
300
250
Energy consumption 2000 - 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
natural gas
electricity
Page 26
25
The major factors that contributed to the
lower energyconsumption are the decrease in
the average consumption of steam, the more
efficient use of the incinerators in the Oxida-
tion Department and the Drying Rooms, and
the recovery of the highest possible quantity
of residual heat from the incinerator offgases
in the Oxidation Department.
Steam consumption
In 2004, the steam
consumption per m
2
of manufactured product
decreased by 9.5%, mainly as a result of
switching off over 70 space-heating applian-
ces during periods outside the heating
season. In early 2004, the pressure in the
steam system was lowered a little, in order to
slightly reduce the steam temperature and to
reduce the thermal loss in the piping.
Drying Rooms
Shorter drying times and
energy savings are directly related, which is
why a number of options to reduce the drying
times were further investigated in 2004. For
example, one stove was provided with a
lowered ceiling in order to test whether the
air flow profile in the Drying Rooms could be
improved. Notably air circulation and venti-
lation appeared to provide possibilities for
reducing the drying time.
Water
In 2004, the total water intake amounted to
84,762 m
3
; this figure comprises 17,888 m
3
of
drinking water and 66,874 m
3
of surface water.
The majority of the drinking water intake is
used for sanitary purposes, while a consider-
able quantity serves as make-up water for the
steam system. The surface water intake
decreased by 14%. This water is mainly used
for protecting the pipe system against frost,
but also for the weekly testing of the sprinkler
system pumps and the cooling of hot drain
water from the steam boilers.
Soil
Soil management is part of the company’s
internal environmental management system
in accordance with ISO 14001. The company’s
soil management plan, which was developed
as part of this system, has been in operation
since 2000. The only activity in terms of soil
management in 2004 was the inspection of
the piping system carried out by Gasunie (the
Dutchgascompany).Thepollutedsoilthatwas
excavatedasresultofthisinspectionwassafely
disposed of at the Nauerna waste dump.
Nuisance
The Complaints Service of the Province of
Noord Holland received no complaints about
Forbo Linoleum B.V. in 2004
Noise in the vicinity of the premises
In
2004, Forbo Linoleum B.V. commissioned the
carrying out of noise measurements at the
points specified in the permit. As in previous
years, the measurement results indicated that
the noise produced complied with the permit
issued under the Environmental Management
Act. Not a single noise complaint was received
by the company’s Security Department (in
2003, there was one such complaint).
Odour
In 2004, no odour-related com-
plaints were received (in 2003, there was
one such complaint).
Air
The emission concentration of certain sub-
stances is defined in a number of statutory
regulations. One such substance produced
by Forbo Linoleum B.V. is nitrogen oxide (NO
x
),
which is emitted by the hot water boiler
in the Oxidation Department and by the
two steam boilers. The maximum emission
concentration for NO
x
isspecified in BEES(the
Dutch Decree regarding the emission require-
ments for large furnaces). Forbo Linoleum
B.V. also produces dust and volatile organic
components (VOC). The maximum emission
concentrations for the two are prescribed in
the Dutch Emission Guideline (NeR), while
the company’s permit under the Environmen-
tal Management Act specifies the maximum
values for the quantitative emissions per
year. The Technical Maintenance Department
is responsible for registering all points at
which components are emitted into the air.
Carbon dioxide (CO
2
)
CO
2
is formed
during the combustion of such fossil fuels as
coal, oil and natural gas. Forbo Linoleum B.V.
uses only natural gas as fuel. The combustion
of one m
3
of natural gas produces 1.78 kg of
CO
2
. In 2004, the facilities of Forbo Linoleum
B.V. emitted 15,716 tons of CO
2
.
e
n
v
i
r
o
n
m
e
n
t
80,000 m
3
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Water consumption 2000 - 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Surface water
Drinking water
19,000 tons
18,000
17,000
16,000
15,000
Emission CO
2 2000
- 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Page 27
26
“We at Forbo have taken the lead in residual waste processing”
According to Rob Korpershoek – the man responsible for keeping the company’s residual waste records
– a lot is going on in the area of residual waste processing: “One newtechnique follows another, leading
to an increasingly smaller amount of residual waste ending up on the dump. In 2000, we took 3,500
tons to the Nauerna site, but in 2004 the figure was only 270 tons. All our residual linoleum waste is
processed in Germany and used as fuel for, for instance, cement ovens. This is a win-win situation: it’s
good for the environment and advantageous for us, because it’s cheaper than taking it to the dump.
Even so, I’m looking for a more useful application for our residual linoleum waste. I hope that one day
I’ll find a better solution than incineration. Another large waste stream is packaging waste – foil, paper,
pallets and iron. Waste streams can be quite profitable: for example, there’s big money in scrap iron.
“We’re now working on the renovation of the entire residual waste system, including the construction
of a new container area and the placing of new containers in the factory. We also hope to find another
method for processing the cleaning water from the Trimming and Oxidation Department, and thus to
realize a substantial saving in costs.
“New rules for keeping residual waste records came into effect in January 2005. We now have to use
special documents. I tell you, each time we’ve come to understand how something works, they come up
with something new. Sometimes even the waste disposal plants themselves don’t know the new rules or
ask us how to do things. We at Forbo have taken the lead in residual waste processing.”
Rob Korpershoek
Page 28
27
Volatile organiccomponents(VOC)
Volatile
organiccomponentsalsocontributetoclimate
acidification. A large part of the VOC emission
at Forbo Linoleum B.V. can be attributed to
the processes in the Drying Rooms and in the
Esterification and Oxidation departments,
which is why one or more incinerators have
been installed in these departments. This has
led to a considerable reduction of the VOC
concentration in the offgases. Minor quanti-
ties of VOC are also released during the pro-
duction processes in the Mixing, Calendering
and Trimming departments. In 2004, the total
VOC emission amounted to 14,457 kg.
Nitrogen oxide (NO
x
)
NO
x
is formed during
combustion processes and contributes to cli-
mate acidification. NO
x
is released by all the
company’s gas heated installations, such as
the steam boilers. The nitrogen oxide emis-
sion in 2004 was 3,544 kg. Unfortunately, this
value cannot be compared with that measured
in previous years, since the former calculation
method has turned out to be incorrect.
Dust
The dust emission at Forbo Linoleum
B.V. can be attributed largely to the activities
in the Mixing Department and, to a lesser de-
gree,tosuchprocessesasrecycling,thepneu-
matic transport of wood flour and limestone,
and the feeding of these raw materials into
the silos. A large number of dust filters have
been placed in the relevant areas in order to
limit dust emission as much as possible.
Substances that affect the ozone layer
In
2004, leaks in the various cooling systems
led to the escape of 686 kg of cooling agent,
representing a substantial increase compa-
red to the figure for 2003 (132 kg). The two
leaks in the Calender 4 freezing compressor
system accounted for nearly the entire emis-
sion (647 kg).
Residual waste
Residual linoleum waste
In 2004, Forbo Linoleum B.V. managed to re-
duce the amount of residual linoleum waste
by over 5%, namely from 2,015 tons (2003) to
1,901 tons. Residual linoleum waste compris-
es three main streams: granulate (588 tons),
rolls (876 tons) and other waste (437 tons).
All 2,015 tons were supplied to incinerations
plants, where the heat obtained from the in-
cineration process is used to, for example,
generate electricity (thermo recycling). No
residual waste was dumped in 2004.
Residual packaging waste
In 2004, the total amount of residual packag-
ing waste decreased by over 40% – a very
good performance.
All 404 tons were supplied to waste disposal
plants for recycling.
Other residual waste
As part of its environmental policy, Forbo
Linoleum B.V. prefers to supply such residual
waste to recycling plants. In 2004, 833 tons
were recycled (over 15% more than in 2003),
while 886 tons were supplied to incineration
plants. Only 270 tons of non-combustible
material ended up on the waste dump.
Packaging covenant
Forbo Linoleum B.V. again managed to reduce
its packaging needs in relation to the produc-
tion volume in 2004, and thus complied with
the objective laid down in the Packaging
Covenant III to reduce the total amount of
residual packaging waste each year.
The objectives in the Covenant that are
relevant to the floor covering business are:
• From 1999 to 2005, the increase in the
quantity of packaging materials may not
exceed two thirds of the growth in the
nation’s gross national product (GNP).
• In 2005, the total quantity of packaging
material the industry supplies to dump-
ing grounds or incineration plants may not
exceed 850 kilotons.
• 70% of the residual packaging waste must
be recycled.
e
n
v
i
r
o
n
m
e
n
t
4,000 tons
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Residual waste disposed of in 2000 - 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
waste dump
incineration
recycling
30,000 kg
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
Emission VOC 2000 - 2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
The quantities recorded for the various waste
streams were:
paper/cardboard
255 tons
pallets
94 tons
synthetic material
19 tons
tinplate
36 tons
Total
404 tons
Page 29
Safety
Minimizing the number of accidents
Even
though the 25% decrease in the accident rate
in 2004 was an excellent achievement, each
accident is one too many and every effort will
be made in 2005 to reduce the rate to zero. In
order to further improve work safety, the
safety awareness course will be organized for
all employees in the Operations Department,
and more attention will be paid to the
reporting of near-accidents and unsafe
situations. The signalling and removal of
unsafe situations is both a very simple and a
very effective way to prevent accidents. In
this, all company employees have an
important role to play. Each team leader and
machine operator in the production and
logistics departments will be invited to
attend the VCA basic safety training course
for operational management staff (VCA-VOL).
RA&E follow-up
In 2005, the remaining
items of the machine safety improvement
programme 2004 will be dealt with, and the
priority 3 and 4 risk situations will be
remedied as soon as possible.
Health & safety
Sick leave
The current sick leave policy
will remain unchanged in 2005. Even though
2004 saw a slight increase in sick leave, the
targeted maximum average sick leave rate
for 2005 is again 5%. This percentage may be
higher or lower for the various departments,
as specific targets have been formulated for
each department based on the number of
employees and the sort of work performed.
PEHS
As part of the five-year PEHS plan,
the PEHS survey will be performed in the
departments selected for this. This time, the
survey will be carried out in two phases: the
firstdepartmentswillbe surveyed in February
2005, and the remainder in September
2005.
HSE objectives for 2005
The environment
Saving energy
The target for 2005 is to
reduce energy consumption by a further 3%.
The Drying Rooms are the major consumers
of electricity, followed by the Oxidation
Department. In 2005, an electricity
consumption meter will be placed in these
departments to help employees find,
together with the energy coordinator, ways to
reduce the energy consumption. The specific
departmental targets are specified in the HSE
annual plan.
Reducing residual waste
The following
targets have been set for the reduction of the
various residual waste streams in 2005:
• end-product rolls: maximum of 1,000 tons
• granulate: maximum of 600 tons
• rinsing water (Trimming Dept.): maximum
of 90 tons
• sludge from the incinerators (Oxidation
Dept.): maximum of 20 tons.
28
Page 30
Het HSE Annual Report 2004 is published by
Forbo Linoleum B.V.
PO Box 13, NL 1560 AA Krommenie
Industrieweg 12, Assendelft
The Netherlands
Telephone: (0031) (75) 647 74 77
E-mail: contact@forbo.com
Internet: www.forbo-flooring.nl
Editors
Loes Baltus, Human Resources Department
René Jongejan, HSE Department
René Jupijn, Purchase Department
Kees Klaver, freelance journalist, Berkhout
Fred Seifert, HSE Department
Design & layout
Fred Binsbergen, Wormerveer
Photography
Corné Bastiaansen, Amsterdam
Marijke Dijkstra, Human Resources Department
Erik Poffers, Fotostudio Van Wijk, Krommenie
Colophon