Decarbonising the world's largest linoleum factory
Forbo's Marmoleum has long been recognised as one of the most sustainable flooring solutions in the world. Our Marmoleum floors are made from up to 98% natural raw materials such as linseed oil, wood flour, limestone, resin and jute. Marmoleum is unique as it has CO2 uptake in the product itself. The photosynthesis of the bio-based materials used in Marmoleum provides CO2 uptake that exceeds the CO2 emissions caused by transportation and production processing. Therefore, Marmoleum is climate positive (or carbon negative) from cradle to gate, based on our third-party verified Environmental Product Passport (EPD).
But creating a climate positive product is only part of the story.
As a company, Forbo is committed to continuously reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and working towards its ambition of reaching net-zero by 2050 at the latest across its value chain. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Reducing these emissions is therefore a critical part of building a more sustainable future.
The Assendelft site in the Netherlands plays a key role in this journey. Not only is it home to Marmoleum production, it is also the largest linoleum manufacturing facility in the world. As such, the decisions made here have the potential to influence Forbo's wider journey towards net-zero.
Producing Marmoleum involves a number of heat-intensive steps. The natural raw materials are blended and processed to create the linoleum material. During production, heat is required to support processes such as material preparation, maturation and drying, helping to ensure the quality, durability and performance of the final floor covering.
Want to see how Marmoleum is made? Check out this video:
Matthias Groppe, Paderborn.
While Marmoleum is climate positive cradle to gate without offsetting, reducing emissions from our manufacturing operations remains an important part of Forbo's ambition to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The decarbonisation plan for Assendelft focuses on further reducing the emissions associated with production processes and energy use while maintaining the quality and reliability our customers expect.
To learn more about this journey, we spoke with Alex, Energy Product and Process Engineer at Forbo Flooring.
Assendelft is the biggest production site of linoleum in the world. Alex, can you explain what the challenges are from a greenhouse gas emissions and energy point of view?
Assendelft is the largest linoleum production site in the world, operating with continuous, energy-intensive processes. The main challenge from a greenhouse gas perspective is the heavy reliance on natural gas for process heat and steam. We need to continue reducing CO₂ emissions while maintaining 24/7 production, product quality and delivery reliability.
This journey started a long time ago. Which key environmental milestones has the Assendelft site already achieved?
Assendelft has been advancing its sustainability journey for many years. Already in 2008, the site switched to 100% renewable electricity, sourced from wind power. In 2013, solar panels were installed on the newest warehouse, which holds a LEED Gold Certificate (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). In 2025 alone, these solar panels generated 101,000 kWh of electricity.
Which energy-intensive processes are the most critical at the site, and why are they particularly challenging to decarbonise?
The most critical processes are steam generation and the thermal drying processes in linoleum production. These require high, stable temperatures and a continuous heat supply.
Steam is currently generated using natural gas-fired boilers. Electrification options, such as e-boilers, are technically feasible, but they require major grid upgrades, infrastructure investments and careful system integration. Grid congestion is a nationwide challenge, so we collaborate with other industrial companies, technology suppliers and local authorities to help unlock additional grid capacity and enable further decarbonisation without compromising operational reliability.
Matthias Groppe, Paderborn.
Matthias Groppe, Paderborn.
How do technical feasibility, production reliability and sustainability ambitions come together in the decision-making behind the decarbonisation roadmap?
A solution must be sustainable, but also robust and financially sound. Our approach is to first reduce energy demand by identifying energy losses and applying operational excellence practices, and only then replace fossil energy sources. Ambition without reliability is not an option at a global flagship site. What surprised me most was how interconnected everything is. Decarbonisation is not just a technical project. It affects grid capacity, investment cycles, maintenance shutdowns, operational planning and long-term strategy. It quickly becomes a company-wide transformation rather than an engineering exercise
Assendelft is not just any site, it's a flagship. How can the solutions developed here inspire or be replicated at other production sites?
Assendelft can serve as a blueprint for industrial decarbonisation within Forbo. Solutions developed here, especially around large-scale electrification and steam replacement, can be adapted and replicated at other sites. We are not only implementing technology, but creating a scalable model.
As a young Energy Product and Process Engineer, what does it mean to you to contribute directly to Forbo's 2030 targets and long-term net-zero ambition for 2050?
For me, contributing directly to the 2030 targets and the 2050 net-zero ambition means having a noticeable impact. It is motivating to work on projects that are not theoretical, but that physically change how energy is produced and used on site.
If you look ahead to 2050, how would you like people to describe the Assendelft site and the transformation it has gone through?
By 2050, I hope Assendelft will be seen as a traditional industrial site that successfully reinvented itself, transitioning from gas-dependent to smartly electrified, flexible and future-proof, while maintaining its industrial strength and global leadership.