Key Performance Indicators

Since 2016, all AstenJohnson sites have been replacing the lights in their plants with LED lights. The result is 60% of electricity savings compared to the original lights, plus significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

In 2017, AstenJohnson Eupen installed solar panels on site. In 2022, AstenJohnson Eupen tripled its solar capacity by installing more panels. The total installation has a maximum capacity of 725 MWc. The additional panels allow an annual CO2 reduction of 500 tons on average.

Motion detectors were installed at several locations, including Valleyfield, Williston, and Eupen, to help further reduce energy usage.

In August 2023, AstenJohnson Eupen installed a cogeneration plant. All AstenJohnson sites are implementing energy efficiency actions that are resulting in encouraging CO2 reduction results.

We have established a Carbon Net-Zero objective for 2050. While the objective to 2030 is defined without voluntary offsets, the long-term objective to be carbon neutral will consider carbon offsetting actions.

In 2021, a group of AstenJohnson volunteers and their family members planted around 1,100 oak trees in an area near Strakonice, where trees were affected by bark beetles. Not only will these trees help restore the area impacted by bark beetles, they also serve as a carbon sink, improving air quality in Strakonice.

In 2021, AstenJohnson Eupen changed all broke conveyor designs in Europe made from virgin PET Monofilaments to fabric made of at least 50% rPET (recycled PET). In 2018, we developed a proprietary innovation called ArmorTec® which capitalizes on Nano technology to provide a surface enhancement for forming and dryer fabrics, helping to improve Paper Machine energy efficiency and fabric cleaning shower effectiveness.

Understanding customers’ needs has always been central to AstenJohnson. As our customers have heightened their sustainability ambitions, so have we. We are continuously working to improve our processes and products to help our customers reach the next level in sustainability.

Several projects were implemented to increase the percentage of recycled and reused waste at our facilities.

While replacing all HID & fluorescent light with LED lights in 2017, AstenJohnson Clinton also made sure that no waste went to landfill and was recycled instead.

In 2020, AstenJohnson Suzhou implemented a garbage classification project and a collaboration with a local partner to recycle the scrap waste, giving it a new life. As a manufacturer of PET fiber, a larger portion of the PET resin used by AJ Nonwovens to make fiber comes from recycled beverage bottles. In 2020, 358,042 pounds of scrap material from AstenJohnson Williston were recycled with a local company. Our AJ Nonwovens site in St. Louis, Missouri is working with a major customer to reuse cardboard cores and 5,500 cores are returned every 3 to 4 months. AstenJohnson Valleyfield implemented a system to recycle disposable face masks in 2020.

AstenJohnson Valleyfield started collecting food waste in 2021, which helps divert approximatively 1000 pounds of food waste per year from landfills.

In November 2021, AstenJohnson Suzhou donated sixty computers to YingChuHua Charity Organization, keeping them from being thrown away while helping their communities. The same initiative took place in 2016 and 2018.

AstenJohnson Williston installed PPE (personal protective equipment) recycling boxes for disposable and cut gloves, safety glasses, disposable masks, and ear plugs in 2022.

In 2018, 2021 and 2022, AstenJohnson Eupen participated to the “Great Spring Cleaning” action by volunteering to collect waste in the surrounding areas. In 2019 and 2022, AstenJohnson Valleyfield conducted a similar action by organizing a waste collection activity around the site.

Aiming for waste free production means working in all the departments to decrease overall waste.

Waste is defined as something that cannot be rehabilitated and therefore is landfilled or burned.

• Reduce total waste from production and from other sources
• Increase % of total waste that is separated for reuse or recycle
• Decrease % of total waste that goes to landfill

AstenJohnson did not wait to define targets to begin improving production processes to decrease the overall waste generated. Our Research and Development departments continuously work to improve our processes. Decreasing our waste production by improving our processes is part of their daily work. All our sites are certified ISO 9001.

All our sites are actively working to prevent and recycle process waste. Paper, cardboard, metal, and wood are recycled at many sites, including AstenJohnson Clinton, AstenJohnson Strakonice and AstenJohnson Eupen.

In 2023, AstenJohnson Eupen participated once again to the “Great Spring Cleaning” action, while AstenJohnson Valleyfield organized for the third year a waste collection activity around the site for Earth Day.

In 2023, AstenJohnson Strakonice implemented a system to recycle empty, written-out markers, highlighters, pens, rollerball pens and pencils.

We continue to encourage our associates to use reusable bottles instead of plastic. Water dispensers have been installed at many sites to ease the transition between plastic and reusable water bottles.

In 2019, the Kanata Business Support Center started a “wellness team”. After holding a wellness challenge for 3 years, they created an idea bank to gather and share wellness activities. Moreover, since June 2019, a bi-weekly communication called “Wellness Wednesday” is sent to the Kanata sites. AstenJohnson Charleston also has an annual wellness program.

In 2021, a cultural survey was conducted. In 2020 and 2021, workshops have been organized on a quarterly basis in Eurasia on different subjects, with emphasis on Internal Communication and Employee Engagement.

We encourage our associates to volunteer to help in our communities. In 2021, AstenJohnson collaborated once more with United Way on the Bags of Love program. AstenJohnson has collaborated with them for more than 10 years to build community. Other long-term initiatives include the Red Cross Blood Drives and the Lee Denim Days (Donations to the American Cancer Society).

In 2018, 2019 and 2022, a group of associates participated in the H.O.P.E. Tournament in Kanata, Ontario to raise funds for community-based charities. Additional donations and fundraising included Christmas donations in 2020, and the AstenJohnson Valleyfield fundraising for the Foundation of Fire Fighters in 2017.

In 2021, AstenJohnson Eupen supported and sponsored the “Music Helps” charity benefit to support those affected by the flood disaster.

Since 2021, AstenJohnson Eupen is promoting soft mobility by offering a bicycle leasing program to our associates. In Clinton, we encourage physical activity by providing payroll deductions to local YMCAs.

AstenJohnson Clinton associates partner with Senior Options to deliver “Meals on Wheels.”

In 2020, we formalized the Respect in Our Workplace policy. Trainings were organized as part of the new policy roll out. We also updated our company value statements during the process.

In 2016, we formalized our focus on safety by implementing Zero Accident Culture, or ZAC. ZAC is at the heart of who we are and what we do. Implementing ZAC throughout all levels of our organization helps the wellness of all associates, and supports other improvements in quality, production, and profitability. There were no fatalities in 2022. In 2020, a dedicated website was created to display our effort and track the progress of our safety initiatives.

Diversity is essential to AstenJohnson. Equal opportunity is promoted, and neither harassment, discrimination, nor bullying are accepted. Our Human Rights policy states our beliefs in terms of respect, ethical performance, and compliance. We strive to create an environment of trust and honesty inside and outside our organization by treating everyone with respect and dignity.

AstenJohnson is committed to monitoring and improving safety conditions in our offices and plants, through our Zero Accident Culture. Our safety objectives and our progress on our safety initiatives can be found on https://AJZac.report

Since 2020, all associates have completed annual AstenJohnson “Performance and Development Review”. This process ensures individual feedback and gives the opportunity to discuss career plans.

In 2021, 95% of employees were trained on sustainability matters and 100% were trained on compliance, with an emphasis on the Code of Conduct, and the basics of Anti-Bribery and Competition law.

We are committed to investing in the education of future pulp and paper customers. In 2015, AstenJohnson University was created to educate pulp and paper customers and provide a place to discuss issues, as well as share best practices. This program has already educated thousands of participants. We also wrote and offer a Paper Machine Clothing textbook that provides key information about papermaking and innovation. We have established a Pulp & Papermaking Scholarship for senior students at the Shanxi University of Science and Technology in China.

We enable our associates to have access to and participate in internal and external trainings.

With regards to our Zero Accident Culture, all AstenJohnson associates complete regular safety training. In addition, our associates are prepared with safety gear when they visit customers. They adhere to all customer safety requirements, as well as AstenJohnson safety standards. It is common to start meetings with Safety as the first agenda items. Many sites conduct stretching exercises and safety communications at the beginning of each manufacturing shift.