Angelina Grebennikova
Stanislava Stoyanova
The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Natalia Yankovskaya
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Currently, the TED company complies with a closed production cycle and a principle of zero waste. In that regard, special equipment was designed to reuse production waste, such as remnants of mattress covers or offcuts from felt lines, as well as foam leftovers. This waste reusing equipment enables the material, which would otherwise be wasted, to be placed back into the production system to fill products. Thus optimizing 100% of the raw materials without line waste.
As an example, foam and polyurethane materials can be used only for the core of a mattress, after repurposing these materials, they would be applied also in the outer part of a mattress.
The innovation we chose to represent is called Zero waste technology, which repurposes waste materials. Seven years ago, in 2015, the company TED BED in collaboration with Spanish company Masias Maquinaria, which in fact is the producer of the machine, introduced it to the Bulgarian market for the first time. The Spanish company may have created the zero waste machine, but the Bulgarian company was the one to implement it and it is considered their innovation.
It helps for more sustainable usage of our planet resources and potentially helps to maintain biological diversity. The core of the technology is that it processes technological waste materials into fibers that could be used for quilting and fillings. For example, those reused materials can become filling of a pillow.
The innovation is developed to address the following sustainable goals: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation; responsible consumption and production; partnerships for the goals. The innovation contributes to the world in a positive way as it helps to save resources. The waste stream is reduced and there is less pollution compared to making new products from new materials. The poor waste management contributes to climate change and air pollution, and directly affects many ecosystems and different living species, so by integrating the machine into TED’s working cycle, the company meets several sustainable goals of the UN.
The zero waste technology started a new era for the mattress company. Their main goal has always been to improve their products and services. Furthermore, this appeared to be the driving force for including the machine, in the first place, in their working process. From that moment, the company’s focus has shifted onto responsible consumption and production and the world’s sustainability. At the interview, the sleep and sustainable expert, Denitsa Todorova said: “A prime mover for the company nowadays is to put the planet and the people on one line with making profit.” TED is no longer in the list of the companies, which consider making profit their main and most important goal.
Sustainability is important for many reasons including Environmental Quality. In order to have healthy communities, we need natural resources, and a nontoxic environment. The zero waste machine not only creates valuable products from no longer in use products, but also has a positive impact on the planet. How exactly? The waste, which is a result from post production is not more thrown away, it does not need any additional recycling, no transportation and utilization costs. As a matter of fact, this spare material is being repurposed on the same production. What could be more efficient in this regard?
The overall impact of the zero waste machine innovation from the start has been to reuse materials, in this way the planet benefits as much as the company itself. The short term effect of the innovation was that TED company started to be recognized as a sustainable corporation. They were included in the businesses, which care about nature.
Before integrating the machine in the working conditions of the company, all materials were disposed, but after the technology was introduced, they were and still are entirely reused. That has always been and will be the company's main goal. Thanks to this technology in the last seven years there have been saved up to 2 million kilos of raw material. That statistic gives the firm a motivation to continue using the technology and the long term effect of the innovation is to be always that useful and have a positive impact as well and even improve more in the future. One more long term effect is that this high technological equipment contributes to the ecological stabilization. As all the waste materials were thrown away, polluting the environment, after the machine was invented, all the wastage was repurposed. The last, but not least, the technological breakthrough, benefits society and contributes towards economic growth and stability. Due to the implementation of the technology, more workers have become involved in the process, therefore more jobs have been created.
Regarding the impact of zero waste technology on the whole company, it is obvious that this innovative machine benefits the business. If earlier all pieces of already used materials in the production process were disposed, now they are entirely reused. The recycled material itself can be applied in the outer part of a mattress, for example, in covers (the outer fabric layer of a mattress), in comfort layer (the uppermost layer of the mattress) and in the inner part of pillows.
Zero waste technology also influences the quality and quantity of staff resources. The high technological machine itself works automatically. However, it is, obviously, it is essential to launch the process of materials’ recycling by humans.
It should be noted that funds that had been saved due to usage of this unique installation, were spent on different social projects which benefit local communities and organizations. For example, since 2017, TED has been a reliable partner of SOS Children's Villages, Bulgaria. Besides, TED BED has started a dual education program with its own financing. The program involves the practical education of the students from the Professional School of Architecture and Woodworking, 'Hristo Botev', Plovdiv, by TED's management team. Moreover, the company donates regularly to social establishments like hospitals, homes for elderly people, monasteries, etc.
TED BED’s collaboration with Masias Maquinaria, Spanish producer of the high technological machine, leads to opening up new markets. The leading Bulgarian manufacturer of mattresses is expanding its international markets by signing a contract for strategic representation with the Spanish company Comfur Iberica—a company with over 75 years of history. Moreover, new partners of TED BED company can be considered Portugal and Andorra. And we are confident that this list will be expanded.
As we have already mentioned, the concept of TED innovation is consistent with three Sustainable Development Goals. First of all, the investment of TED company in zero waste technology promotes sustainable industrialization and fosters innovation. The high technological machine is a quality, reliable and resilient infrastructure that has a crucial impact on the environment and, consequently, on the whole society. Its unique technology of materials’ processing contributes to the reduction of environmental impacts and disaster risks as well as the construction of resilience and the increase of efficiency in the use of natural resources.
Moreover, the zero waste installation meets the requirements of responsible consumption and production. According to Ellen MacArthur, the linear system «extract-produce-discard» that depletes natural resources and recycles waste is deeply flawed and can be replaced by a model where waste is not toxic per se, but only a resource for a subsequent cycle. It would appear that Founder of the Circular Economy Foundation, Ellen MacArthur, is talking about innovative models in the near future. However, TED company has already implemented this model in the manufacturing process since 2015. Undoubtedly, it helps to accelerate the pace of manufacturing as well as increase the efficiency and labor productivity. As a result, this technological breakthrough benefits society and contributes towards economic growth and stability.
Last but not least, TED company fulfills the potential of partnerships for the goals. Without TED BED’s collaboration with Masias Maquinaria, Spanish producer of machines, Zero waste technology couldn’t exist.
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TED BED EAD is a leading Bulgarian producer of mattresses, beds, sleeping systems and bedroom accessories with over 20 years of experience in this field. The company offers a diversified portfolio of quality products, specifically developed with care for recreational and healthy sleep. TED BED has a strong corporate culture based on mutuality, trust and professional responsibility. They believe in building open and sustainable partnerships. TED’s leading policy is to consistently implement innovations in technology and design.
