We help our clients with their product development and this is where sustainability starts. There are many considerations to take into account but we always keep the final product in mind. Some of these considerations are listed below, make sure to click on the links for more information about each design consideration process.

• Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Design for Disassembly (DFD)
• Design for Recycling (DFR)
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

These are all well established methods and we have been implementing them for many years. Throughout the years we have also seen slight improvements in these methods. We know that it is a constant movement and the flexibility of Rompa Group makes it possible to move and adjust with these implementations. A design must consist of a detailed description of the requirements of the good, whether this is a part or complete product. At our design office in The Netherlands we work with talented and experienced designers. Their professional skills help our clients with the setup of a sustainable design.

At Rompa Group we split the life cycle of a product into 3 phases.

Beginning of life (BOL)
In the context of manufacturing and product life cycles, the beginning of life (BOL) refers to the initial stages of a product's existence. This is the stage of ideas and prototypes. The BOL stage is the most crucial stage for sustainability since it is in this phase that materials are selected, production location is selected and processes are set into place. It is here where we select reusable plastic so we can be sure that by the end of the life cycle of the product we can either reuse or recycle the plastic.

Middle of life (MOL)
The prime time of a product's life cycle. It’s where the product is ready for marketing and sales. The most important goal of the phase is: time. We want this phase to last as long as possible. Meaning that the product is being used as it was designed for, for as long as possible and without damage. We can extend this phase by making it possible for the product to be repaired.

End of life (EOL)
Some products never reach this phase, which is a good thing as they are still being used for what they have been designed for. But there has to be a proper solution for the products that have reached this cycle. During this phase a product is not being used or sold anymore. It is the final stage of the product and this is where reuse and recycling comes to mind to properly restart the cycle with a new product.

Why is the product life cycle important for us? Taking the full life cycle of a product into consideration means that we also consider what happens with the product when it is not being used anymore. This means that we take responsibility for the product we produce, but more importantly of the materials we implement. Together we want to make sure that we have a circular product life cycle instead of a linear cycle. This way we can be sure that all manufactured plastic will be reused, recycled or repaired.

When reusing, recycling or repairing is not an option we have biodegradable plastic as a solution. We at Rompa Group make sure we have options to choose from, we offer a wide variety of bioplastics. Below we list the basic components of biodegradable plastics:

• Biobased and non-biodegradable, so-called “drop-in” (bio-PE and bio-PET)
• Biobased and (naturally or industrially) biodegradable (PLA, PHA, PBS and corn starch blends)
• Fossil-based and non-biodegradable (ABS, PC, PS, ASA, PB)
• Fossil-based and (industrially) biodegradable (PBAT, PCL)

REACH stands for: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances. REACH is set up as per European regulation and addresses the possible impacts of chemical substances for both human and environmental health. It is the most important legislation in many years and it will also be very important for our future. In short, it means full transparency of all products and materials that are produced and used at all manufacturing companies that use chemical substances. Rompa Group reposts all substances we manufacture and import as required by REACH.

Rompa Group is your partner in designing products with a long life cycle, using biodegradable materials and making sure we do our very best to make our products sustainable and ready for the future. Are you ready to partner with us? Interested in more information about this topic? Make sure to give us a call, our specialists are always available to answer your questions.