Indeed, environmental management is a decisive aspect of the business strategy for Simas – operating for over
60 years (it was established in Civita Castellana in 1955). The company constantly monitors the production processes. The assessment is performed by an external company, which has the task of performing environmental analyses (noise, flue gas emission in the atmosphere, dust…). The results of the analyses are then reported in the special registers envisaged by the certification bodies. In the next 10 years themes like water/energy saving, green low environmental impact product manufacture, technological innovation and safe to use, easy to clean and multifunction products will become of paramount importance. Every year we invest over five thousand euros for training personnel on environmental themes in particular”.
A mix of craftsmanship and industry
Simas, an emblem of the craftsmanship inherent in its Italian DNA and which is evolving at the same time, focuses on original principles: common views, teamwork, trusted agents, punctual assistance in the pre- and after- sales stages. Prerogative: everything rigorously processed using internal processes, from casting and painting to the firing tunnels to the barcode system, with a pathway from internal logistics to distribution. Today, like yesterday, Simas is a reality made up of ‘human capital’, of people and processing parts is often passed down from father to son, in the name of work ethics. A joint stock company with 68 shareholders and 125 employees who undertake to realise projects in which everybody works using their own skills. 150 thousand pieces produced a year, rigorously made in Italy, to construct up-to-date trends together, whose main prerogative is to last in time.
Authentic ethics
Simas is one of the few sanitary ware factories which is authorised to use the Ceramics of Italy trade mark, the seal of Confindustria Ceramica which is intended to enhance the historical, cultural and productive heritage of the Italian ceramic tradition. “Ceramics of Italy” is, therefore, synonymous of Italian excellence. The video made by Ceramics of Italy is dated 2017 and dedicated to the “sustainability of Italian sanitary ware”. It examines the pathway of excellence that has historically distinguished “Made in Italy” production. Simas is one of these companies. Still regarding ethics, Simas has lent its weight to the ioCO2MPENSO initiative thanks to which it has compensated its annual CO2 emissions by planting and looking after 200 trees within the project of reforestation.
Italian Culture
From the cultural exhibitions in the Milan Triennale to the sponsorships, including the academic one since 2005 of the Advance Training courses of Poli. Design - Consortium of the Polytechnic of Milan for architects and designers and the subsequent one of the Masters Course HoReCa Workshop - Project, Design & Marketing.
Simas pays great attention to the world of University students, responds timely to their questionnaires on specific market research. Amongst the first in "Milano, capitale del design", since 2005 Simas has its own Space, at via Melzo 9. An open space where it is possible to view the collections and learn about a wide range of products. A workshop of meetings for architects, designers, interior designers, decision makers, where there are also seminars with professional credits.
Prizes and awards
ADI Ceramics Design Award 2016, honourable mention, the only acknowledgement of its kind given to a ceramic sanitary ware company. ICONIC AWARD 2017 – WINNER, international award in the products category, for acknowledged “High-quality”.
Eco sustainability and attention to raw materials
The common denominator in Simas is the extreme quality of the materials and a production that respects the environmental policies throughout the production process, based on precise control parameters and audits in every stage of processing. The use of advanced technologies and careful research into materials and how they are disposed of guarantee the product extra quality and maximum environmental protection, starting from the places where production is carried out.
Production processes, disposal and recovery
Back in 2010, amongst the first companies of the district of Civita Castellana, Simas participated in the innovative recovery plant of used gypsum of the "Centro Ceramico civitonico" introduced on a domestic scale, designed and built primarily on the needs of the companies of the territory. A true revolution in the field of recycling ceramic waste. The first 'zero impact' plant in Italy was opened in 2010 for the waste with recovery of the used gypsum. An example of a business culture that opened a new era of cooperation and aggregation amongst enterprises.
The raw materials are analysed and subsequently selected only if they respond to the requirements of eco-compatibility. Another important recovery concerns the ceramic waste (chamotte) that is then, partially, re-used in the mix. Furthermore, since 1991, the flue gases, filtered and purified are used for heating part of the casting department. The water used for washing the painting robots is also recycled: suitably purified (using a chemical purifier and a biological purifier) it is re-used for the same purpose. The products are also made with a sharp eye on water wastage: the flush pipes of Simas WCs are water friendly and use 4 or 6 litres of water.
‘Process’ , ‘Environmental Management and international Certifications
Simas is certified CERMET, with 2 important standards: UNI ISO 9001 – 2008 for the quality of the production process (since 1997) and UNI ISO 14001 - 2004 (since June 2006) for correct environmental management. Standards that define the requirements for creating quality management systems and guarantee respect of the environmental laws.
Since 2016 some SIMAS products of particular interest on the international markets, have been certified according to the WaterMark (Australia and New Zealand) and UPC and Water Sense (United States and Canada) standards that guarantee their compliance with the strict standards existing in these countries as regards hydraulic equipment. Particularly restrictive certifications that require stringent yearly product tests. Simas then comes in the ‘Water Label’ classification, that, concerning water saving, defines 5 classes of consumption in the discharge of increasingly smaller quantities of water. It has recently started the process of inclusion in the BIM (Building Information Modelling) for contract and residential projects in Italy and abroad.
Spreading the concept of sustainability
Simas focuses on direct communication, both paper based and online, detailing the company's process and product certifications to inform the distributor through its own agencies. The distributor is a strategic figure in the system, who must take up the opportunities offered by sustainability and make them an added value to its own work.
