AVZ Group: 'Sustainable innovation as the new standard'

In conversation with Innovation Manager Wil Heijmans of AVZ-Group: "Innovation has always been an important lifeline, from the invention of the wheel to the steam engine and electricity. In a rapidly changing world, the shading industry is no exception, although we see an important change compared to the innovation of the past: innovation can no longer be seen separately from sustainability. In StellaGroup we have found a strong partner in this. Thanks to the broad cooperation with our sister companies, we can develop and market products faster and more efficiently, always working from the important themes such as sustainability, the growing role of solar solutions and the integration of technology for ease of use."

Sustainable development

"We believe that sustainability is no longer a choice, but rather the essence of product development. For example, for our new products we make a detailed Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), which allows us to accurately map the impact of materials and production processes. These analyses enable us to search specifically for more sustainable alternatives, ultimately reducing our carbon footprint. We work with partners to recycle used awning fabrics, whose material is reused to produce new fabrics. This is just one of the ways we are promoting the circular economy within solar shading."

Focus on solar

"In addition to sustainable development, energy-efficient solar solutions play a major role in our vision. We have expanded our solar offering to include applications in our screens and shutters and are investigating the rollout to other products and product groups. We are also investing heavily in new developments in the field of home automation, with which we are further optimizing ease of operation for the end user and focusing on more energy-efficient operation. These innovations are aimed at both current and future market demand, where user-friendliness and environmental friendliness go hand in hand."

Collaboration as a key word

"Within StellaGroup we join forces. Cooperation with our sister companies has led to joint product developments, such as the new Stella Advanced Technology S300 solar motor or a new veranda awning. By standardizing processes and sharing knowledge between the different companies, we can innovate faster and further expand our product range. This gives us the flexibility to respond better to our customers' needs and offer a wider range of products, both in complete systems and individual components.

Our innovations do not arise only from our own development. We also work closely with our customers to continuously innovate. This co-creation with dealers and other partners enables us to respond faster to market demands and develop customized solutions. Whether validating ideas, testing prototypes or tailoring products to specific markets, our customers' input is invaluable. These close collaborations have led to some successful innovations in recent years."

The future of solar shading

"Looking ahead, we see great opportunities in the area of solar solutions and luxury, multifunctional outdoor living products. The growing demand shows a clear need for high-quality products with accessories and the creation of a semi-permanent outdoor space. In addition, we expect the increasingly stringent BENG guidelines, which require new homes to meet strict energy efficiency requirements, to have a major impact on the solar shading sector. The integration of solar shading into the design of new homes will only become more important as a result. Our goal remains to remain as sustainable as possible with each new development, without losing sight of the core of renew-ing!"