從森林到瓶塞：Amorim 如何打造循環經濟的成功案例

全球軟木產品領導者 Corticeira Amorim 近日被《World Finance》授予「葡萄酒產品行業最具可持續發展公司」的榮譽。這一獎項充分肯定了Amorim在利用軟木這一天然、可再生資源實現創新應用，以及推動行業可持續發展方面的領導地位與不懈努力。

Corticeira Amorim, the global leader in cork products, was recently awarded the honor of "The Most Sustainable Company in the Wine Products Industry" by World Finance. This award fully recognizes Amorim’s leadership and unremitting efforts in using cork, a natural and renewable resource, to achieve innovative applications and promote the sustainable development of the industry.

Amorim is the world's largest cork processing and exporting company and the oldest cork company, having been in continuous operation for more than 150 years since its establishment in 1870. We have established business networks in nearly 30 countries around the world, have distribution systems across five continents, and provide services to more than 30,000 customers, of which more than 93% of sales come from international markets outside Portugal.

Amorim是全球最大的軟木加工和出口企業，也是歷史最悠久的軟木公司，自1870年成立以來已持續運營超過150年。我們在全球近30個國家建立了業務網絡，擁有遍布五大洲的分銷系統，為超過3萬名客戶提供服務，其中93%以上的銷售來自葡萄牙以外的國際市場。

軟木：天然的可持續資源

軟木是一種來自地中海地區軟木橡樹的獨特資源。這些樹木每9到12年收穫一次軟木，過程不會對樹木本身造成損害，從而確保了資源的可再生性。同時，軟木橡樹林在支持生物多樣性方面發揮了至關重要的作用，它們為多樣化的動植物提供棲息地，並充當全球重要的碳匯。

Cork: a natural and sustainable resource

Cork is a unique resource derived from cork oak trees in the Mediterranean region. The softwoods from these trees are harvested every 9 to 12 years without causing damage to the trees themselves, ensuring the renewable nature of the resource. At the same time, cork oak forests play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, providing habitat for a diverse range of plants and animals and acting as a globally important carbon sink.

值得一提的是，每收穫一噸軟木，這些森林即可吸收多達73噸的二氧化碳，這使軟木成為目前世界上最環保的材料之一。軟木橡樹的平均壽命可達200年，這進一步放大了其長期固碳的能力。

軟木瓶塞：品質與可持續性的結合

Amorim每年生產超過56億枚軟木瓶塞，涵蓋葡萄酒、烈酒和起泡酒等多個品類。我們每日生產的瓶塞數量超過2200萬枚，主要服務於包括法國、意大利和美國在內的全球頂尖市場。然而，我們的核心並非僅追求生產規模，更是通過研發不斷提升產品品質，確保每一枚瓶塞都達到卓越的感官與性能標準。

It is worth mentioning that for every ton of cork harvested, these forests can absorb up to 73 tons of carbon dioxide, making cork one of the most environmentally friendly materials in the world. Cork oaks can live an average of 200 years, further amplifying their ability to sequester carbon over the long term.

Cork stoppers: where quality meets sustainability

Amorim produces more than 5.6 billion cork stoppers every year, covering multiple categories such as wine, spirits and sparkling wine. We produce more than 22 million bottle stoppers every day, mainly serving the world's top markets including France, Italy and the United States. However, our core is not just to pursue production scale, but also to continuously improve product quality through research and development to ensure that every bottle stopper meets excellent sensory and performance standards.

在創新方面，我們實現了一項重要突破：成功開發出幾乎不含三氯苯甲醚（TCA）的瓶塞。TCA是一種可能影響葡萄酒風味的化學物質，這一技術突破結合了傳統工藝與尖端科學，不僅提高了瓶塞的品質，也大幅增強了釀酒師和消費者對軟木瓶塞的信心。

此外，Amorim堅持「零浪費」原則，將未被用於瓶塞的軟木材料回收並應用於地板、隔熱材料、建築結構，甚至航空航天等高科技領域。這一策略讓我們實現了100%的循環經濟運營模式，最大限度地提升了軟木資源的價值。

循環經濟的典範

旗下品牌 Amorim Cork Composites 展示了如何通過循環經濟提升可持續性與創新性。瓶塞生產中的副產品被研磨後重新用於開發新產品，例如航空航天材料和生態運動場填充物等，將軟木的應用範圍拓展至傳統領域之外，為越來越多行業提供可持續選擇。

In terms of innovation, we achieved an important breakthrough: we successfully developed a bottle stopper that is almost free of trichloroanisole (TCA). TCA is a chemical substance that may affect the flavor of wine. This technological breakthrough combines traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge science, which not only improves the quality of bottle stoppers, but also greatly enhances the confidence of winemakers and consumers in cork bottle stoppers.

In addition, Amorim adheres to the "zero waste" principle and recycles cork materials that are not used for bottle stoppers and applies them to high-tech fields such as flooring, insulation materials, building structures, and even aerospace. This strategy allows us to achieve a 100% circular economy operating model and maximize the value of cork resources.

A model for circular economy

Its brand Amorim Cork Composites demonstrates how sustainability and innovation can be enhanced through the circular economy. By-products from bottle stopper production are ground and reused to develop new products, such as aerospace materials and eco-sports stadium fillings, expanding the application scope of cork beyond traditional areas and providing sustainable options for a growing number of industries.

隨著各行各業對環保材料需求的增長，我們不斷探索軟木在新興領域的應用潛力。這些努力不僅增強了我們的競爭力，也進一步推動了全球可持續發展目標的實現。

積極管理森林：可持續發展的根基

軟木橡樹林是Amorim業務的根基。我們深知負責任的森林管理對於維護生態平衡的重要性，並投入大量資源提升森林的健康和韌性。我們採用了多項創新技術，使軟木橡樹更能抵禦氣候變化、病蟲害和其他環境挑戰。

為了提升森林的經濟效益，我們通過研究與改進，將首次軟木收穫的時間從傳統的25年縮短至10至12年，大幅增強了林地的可持續性和經濟吸引力。此外，我們還不斷擴大森林種植面積，保護現有森林，並提升其碳匯能力，這些努力進一步鞏固了軟木橡樹林作為全球自然碳匯的重要地位。

As the demand for environmentally friendly materials increases in various industries, we continue to explore the application potential of cork in emerging fields. These efforts not only enhance our competitiveness, but also further promote the realization of global sustainable development goals.

Actively managing forests: the foundation for sustainable development

Cork oak forests are the foundation of Amorim's business. We understand the importance of responsible forest management in maintaining ecological balance and invest significant resources in improving the health and resilience of forests. We use a number of innovative technologies to make cork oak more resistant to climate change, pests and diseases, and other environmental challenges.

In order to improve the economic benefits of the forest, through research and improvements, we have shortened the time for the first cork harvest from the traditional 25 years to 10 to 12 years, significantly enhancing the sustainability and economic attractiveness of the forest land. In addition, we continue to expand forest planting area, protect existing forests, and improve their carbon sink capacity. These efforts further consolidate the important position of cork oak forests as the world's natural carbon sink.

根據普華永道（PwC Naturity）的一項生命周期分析，軟木瓶塞在七大環境指標中有五項表現遠優於人工合成材料，例如減少非再生能源消耗、降低固體廢物產生以及減少溫室氣體排放等。這些研究進一步印證了軟木在實現碳中和目標中的核心作用。

未來展望：以可持續發展為核心

According to a life cycle analysis by PwC Naturity, cork bottle stoppers perform far better than synthetic materials in five of seven environmental indicators, such as reducing non-renewable energy consumption, reducing solid waste generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These studies further reinforce the central role of softwood in achieving carbon neutrality goals.

Future Outlook: With sustainable development as the core

作為軟木行業的先驅，Amorim將繼續推動技術創新與環境保護的融合。我們相信，可持續發展不僅是一種責任，更是驅動未來增長的關鍵。我們將持續投資於研發，挖掘軟木資源的更多應用潛力，並攜手合作夥伴推動更廣泛的循環經濟實踐。

As a pioneer in the cork industry, Amorim will continue to promote the integration of technological innovation and environmental protection. We believe that sustainable development is not only a responsibility, but also the key to driving future growth. We will continue to invest in research and development, explore more application potentials of cork resources, and work with partners to promote broader circular economy practices.

此次榮獲「最具可持續發展公司」稱號，是對我們150多年來不懈努力的高度肯定。我們期待以更創新、更可持續的方式，服務全球客戶並為生態環境作出更多貢獻，共同創造綠色未來。

Winning the title of "Most Sustainable Company" this time is a high recognition of our unremitting efforts over more than 150 years. We look forward to serving global customers in a more innovative and sustainable way, making more contributions to the ecological environment, and jointly creating a green future.