From Pipes to Plants: Pipelife Bulgaria’s Production Site Goes Green

Pipelife Bulgaria is known for its top-quality piping solutions; however, you might be surprised to find out that the company’s employees also boast green fingers and a genuine passion for nature. Over the last year, this fondness has grown into a one-hectare orchard next to the production site in Botevgrad, as well as multiple social and educational events devoted to the topics of sustainability and biodiversity.

_{Protecting Local Wildlife}

The production site of Pipelife Bulgaria is situated in a scenic valley region north of Stara Planina mountain. Although the plant itself lies in the industrial part of Botevgrad town, a surprising variety of local flora and fauna can be found in its proximity.

Last year, a baseline monitoring was carried out at the site, starting targeted biodiversity initiatives at Pipelife Bulgaria. The monitoring, performed by an independent expert, allowed for detecting the many species that live near the production site and identifying the best conservation measures.

_{Joint Effort for a Green Cause}

As Pipelife Bulgaria is currently extending its production facilities and building an open storage space, it was also crucial to further widen the biodiverse zones surrounding the plant. A national regulation in Bulgaria requires for 20% of the total area in industrial settings to be devoted to greenspaces. Out of the entire green zone, one-third must be covered by perennial plants and vegetation and one-third by trees.

After devising a multi-step biodiversity action plan for the production site, Pipelife Bulgaria’s team was keen on turning it into reality. Last autumn, they planted 156 new trees in an area of approximately 10 000 m2. Both coniferous and deciduous trees were planted, and the exact species were selected by the experts that had visited the factory earlier that year. Local varieties of fruit trees were also included in the mix, marking the beginning of Pipelife Bulgaria’s own orchard.

Giving home to more than 150 trees might seem laborious had it not coincided with the annual meetup of the Wienerberger group employees in Bulgaria. Last year’s meeting took place in Botevgrad and resulted in networking, strategic decisions, and some elbow grease.

Besides tree planting, the participants made insect hotels for the new orchard. They combined various materials with smooth inner surfaces and different diameters to accommodate a wide range of critters. The products from Pipelife, Wienerberger and Semmelrock stocks were selected to ensure the durability of the newly-built insect houses as well as the protection of the tenants from wind and rain.