From market hurdle to market advantage: how Spirotech makes its green transition pay off

What do you do when your customers are increasingly asking for sustainable and transparent product information? You make sure you're prepared for it. Spirotech, a specialist in HVAC solutions, decided to proactively address sustainability and had validated Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) drawn up. This ensures the company complies with the strictest international guidelines – essential for tenders in Scandinavia, among other things.

We had the opportunity to guide Spirotech through this process. Their motivation to view sustainability not as an obligation, but as an opportunity, made for a great collaboration. With the EPDs, they make the environmental impact of their products transparent and help customers meet their own sustainability goals.

CCO Paul de Bruin, responsible for commercial strategy and market development at Spirotech, was instrumental in this transition. "Initially, this was something we had to do to meet market demand," he says. "But gradually, we saw that this is much more than just ticking a few boxes. We are preparing our organization for the future with it."

Sustainability in their DNA, but market demands accelerate the transition

For Spirotech, sustainability is not a new concern. For years, the company has been developing solutions that make installations more energy-efficient and easier to maintain. Nevertheless, the pressure to actively engage with reporting and certification grew steadily.

"As a family business, we think in generations," says de Bruin. "For us, sustainability is not just a financial or operational consideration, but also something we want to leave behind. That conviction is strong within our organization."

At the same time, it became impossible to ignore market pressure. Large customers and distributors expect not only quality guarantees but also transparency regarding environmental impact.

“Corporate clients are imposing increasingly stringent sustainability criteria, and that has an impact throughout the entire supply chain.”
_{Paul de Bruin, CCO at Spirotech}

"Many of our customers are corporate organizations," de Bruin explains. "They feel the pressure to report on their impact and impose those requirements throughout the entire chain. Quality control is also crucial here: many companies have optimized their processes down to the last detail and expect the same from their suppliers."

The fact that a validated EPD became the norm in several Scandinavian countries was therefore no coincidence. Spirotech had to take the step, but chose to approach it strategically from the outset.

From EPD to a broader sustainability strategy

To ensure that process ran efficiently and correctly, Spirotech engaged Mantis as an external coordination partner. "We wouldn't have been able to do this so quickly and efficiently on our own," says de Bruin. "The Mantis team helped us unearth the right data, but especially to give it structure and direction. All within the planned timeframe."

“Collecting and processing data is an arduous task, but Mantis made it as easy as possible.”
_{Paul de Bruin, CCO at Spirotech}

The data collection and reporting process proved more complex than expected. "It's sometimes an arduous task, both for us and our employees," de Bruin admits. "But Mantis made it as easy as possible for us. They processed much of the data themselves, allowing us to focus on our core business."

According to de Bruin, the successful collaboration was largely due to their approach. "We chose Mantis because of the team's accessibility and their level of expertise," he says. "They always think along pragmatically, ask the right questions, and provide concrete solutions."

"Their no-nonsense mentality was also a decisive factor for us. The experts not only master the theory but also truly understand how to apply it in practice. They combine academic knowledge with a hands-on approach, and that was exactly what our company needed."

Read the case: ‍
How Spirotech strengthens its competitive position with validated EPDs 

The impact of the EPD process

The direct impact of the EPD process is clear. "Some customers consider an EPD an absolute prerequisite," says de Bruin. "Without this certificate, our products aren't even considered for tenders. We had a concrete market demand, and that has now been met."

The certificates were immediately put to use. "Customer demand was high, so the EPD was immediately included in technical datasheets and tender documents," de Bruin explains. "We also specifically shared them with customers and distributors who use this as a selection criterion. They were, of course, very pleased with that."

But the biggest return might lie in the broader strategic impact. "We've also laid the groundwork for a broader sustainability strategy," says de Bruin.

"We have not only solved a problem, but also laid a foundation for the future"
_{Paul de Bruin, CCO at Spirotech}

The path to such a strategy isn't always straightforward. "Even within our boardroom, the practical feasibility of sustainability initiatives is regularly discussed," De Bruin admits. "They require time, resources, and effort, on top of all daily concerns. Yet, we try to view sustainability more broadly than just a financial consideration or a compliance risk. Of course, there's still a lot of exploration needed: how do you concretely shape this? We are now actively exploring that."

Next steps

The first certification is now complete, but Spirotech is looking ahead. "After this first successful EPD process, it's now the turn of other product groups," says de Bruin. "New EPDs for priority products are under development. At the same time, we are working on embedding these processes within the organization."

The company is also further expanding its sustainability reporting. "We are now developing our first draft CSRD report, which should become a blueprint and a roadmap for planning improvement actions," says de Bruin.

His verdict on the collaboration?

"Would I recommend Mantis to others? Absolutely, with almost a perfect score," he says. "Why? Because the experts are accessible, know what they're talking about, and truly think along with our organization's needs, not just in terms of theory."

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