Floors of large surfaces, such as airports, hospitals and schools, will be able to receive a new life thanks to an ambitious project of technology transfer and sustainable innovation. The protagonists of this initiative are Artigo, an Italian company part of the Mondo group, and Inovalab, a spin-off of the University of Padua, supported by STAM, an engineering and technological consultancy company, Technology Broker of the European Space Agency (ESA) for Italy in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
The initiative is inspired by the innovative solutions being developed in the field of bio-based, non-toxic and highly recyclable adhesives and additives for the flooring sector. With a composition of up to 95% bio-based, these adhesives will be able to revolutionize the process of recycling materials thanks to a heat-activated debonding system.
Through a devulcanization process, the materials used in the coatings can be regenerated as secondary raw materials, drastically reducing the environmental impact and offering new opportunities for the circular economy.
Artigo estimates CO2 savings within a range of 100 to 200 tons per year, based on the quantities of flooring returned from the market.
"Over the past 10 years, Inovalab has built a leadership role in the development of electrothermal solutions," says Fabrizio Dughiero, founding partner of Inovalab, "with applications ranging from the household appliance sector to the aerospace sector, in particular with the high-quality joining of metal components through the controlled supply of heat. This sector will increasingly find space also for terrestrial applications, of which the agreement with Artigo is a highly valuable example."
"This agreement is proof that space research can be an extraordinary accelerator of innovation even in apparently distant fields," says Stefano Carosio, executive director of STAM. "Our role, as ESA's technology broker, consists in proactively facilitating the meeting between supply and demand of innovation, making the most of our solid skills in system engineering and our multidisciplinary and cross-sector technological expertise."
Artigo has been part of the Mondo Group since 1992 and specializes in the production of resilient rubber flooring. It combines technological research and creativity to offer durable and versatile solutions, ideal for public and private environments. With over 60 years of experience, it stands out for its attention to design and sustainability. The company operates within a global group with plants in Italy, Spain, Luxembourg and China.
The Mondo group was founded in Alba in 1948 as a manufacturer of balls for the pallapugno. In over 70 years of history it has become an international group with 6 production plants in Italy, Spain, Luxembourg and China and sales subsidiaries in Europe, North America and Asia. The company is made up of three divisions: Artigo, Mondo Sport&Flooring, supplier of athletics tracks and equipment for the last 13 editions of the Olympic Games and Mondo Toys, the division dedicated to balls and toys.
Inovalab is a spin-off of the University of Padua that sees researchers and university professors committed to transferring technologies and knowledge in the electrothermal and electromagnetic fields to companies. The goal is to support all those companies that aim to improve processes or that involve the use of heat, such as heating metal or cooking food; these processes can be optimized with the introduction of innovative electrothermal technologies.
STAM is an engineering and technology consultancy company with a long tradition in the field of technology transfer and open innovation. Founded in 1997 in Genoa, STAM has a solid experience in projects in the space and defense sector. The collaboration with the main Italian industrial companies has generated spin-offs in a wide range of industrial sectors, contributing to the diversification of the business and to company growth.