ZOOM on events ZOOM sugli eventi SEMINAR ON “ECOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE AND COMPETITIVENESS IN ENTERPRISE” Seminario “Intelligenza ecologica e competitività d’ impresa” Choosing the future by knowing the present: This is the claim of the seminar organised by the NoxorSokem Group on October 16 at the Polo Tecnologico (technology hub) in Pordenone, under the patronage of API Industria Pordenone and the Polo Tecnologico itself. The goal of the seminar was to present innovative, environmentally-friendly products to the market and at the same time investigate the link between marketing and ecological intelligence for greater corporate competitiveness. The opening address by the Chairman of the NoxorSokem Group, Gianluca Pinna, was followed by an extended speech by Rinaldo Fantin presenting the philosophy behind the seminar. The contribution by Sirio Fantin presented the new Sokem range which includes isocyanate-free and solvent-free glues, and new adhesive systems to replace traditional double-sided adhesive tape. The day’s events were concluded by Fulvio Truant’s presentation of the Noxor range of products with low environmental impact: non-chlorinated paint removers, products for treating painting-booth waste water, and new-generation solvents made from renewable sources to replace traditional petroleum-based solvents. These are maintenance solvents: they are distilled from maize and soya, they have a low VOC content, they’re highly eco-compatible and, for some solvents, they don’t even need hazard labelling. The seminar, organised in conjunction with Pordenone’s SICAM trade fair (the international exhibition of components, semi-finished products and accessories for the furniture industry), was aimed at the furniture makers in the area, and over 40 different companies attended. Building on the assumption that the majority of consumers are unaware of the links between their daily purchasing habits and the impact that these habits have on the economic, social and environmental system, the seminar expressed its hope for a more widespread “radical transparency”, i.e. a deeper awareness of the impact of the things we use. From the customers’ point of view, this transparent and responsible mechanism can give a marked boost to the collective desire to protect its purchasing power. But from the companies’ point of view, greater alignment
78 2010 JANUARY/gennaio - international PAINT&COATING magazine
The audience and the head table with the speakers at NoxorSokem seminar
between the consumers’ system of values and their purchasing choices means a new battlefield on which to gain a competitive advantage; an economic and marketing opportunity that is more solid and more promising than our current system, which is based more on “not saying” than on transparency per se. Clear, prompt and transparent information will offer us a new opportunity for radical, ethical and moral change, which will help meet the (manifestly clear) needs of our customer-system.