Case Study: Wilsonart Earns FSC Certification for Laminates

Meeting the Demand for FSC Certified Products:

Wilsonart is a leading manufacturer of High Pressure Decorative Laminate (HPDL), which is used as a decorative surface for countertops, cabinets, furniture, walls and doors.

Wilsonart’s customers were increasingly seeking Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody (COC) certification for their own products to meet growing green customer demand. Among others, cabinet and furniture manufacturers wanted to use FSC Certified laminate components because their products would then qualify for the US Green Building Council’s LEED MR 7 credit. However, there were no certified laminates available on the market.

As a result, Wilsonart decided to pursue FSC certification to supply its customers with the certified components they needed to tap into the green building products market.

Navigating the Certification Process with SCS:

In pioneering a new category of FSC certified products, Wilsonart faced early challenges in tracking the sources of its input materials through the supply chain. Working with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), one of the largest and most experienced FSC certifiers, Wilsonart was able to address this challenge.  In October 2010, Wilsonart achieved full FSC COC Certification for all Wilsonart® HD® High Definition® and Premium Laminates. Wilsonart also offers FSC COC Certification on seven additional HPDL products in hundreds of different combinations of finishes, colors, and textures, by special order.

A Leader in FSC Certified Laminates:

As the first laminate manufacturer to achieve FSC certification for its products, Wilsonart reinforced its reputation as a leader in the industry.  Wilsonart’s decorative laminates are now featured in a wide range of FSC Certified furniture and other wood products.  According to Rajesh Ramamurthy, Wilsonart’s Director of Sustainability, “Wilsonart prides itself in being easy to work with. Thiscertification makes it much simpler for our customers to achieve FSC certification on their laminate-clad components. It also allows Wilsonart Laminates to support its customers in achieving MR Credit 7: Certified Wood for LEED Certified projects.”