Opinel has been recycling its wood chips for heating… for fifty years

Large pipes run across the ceiling of the factory where the famous Opinel folding knives are made. They play no role in the production and are simply used to transport the wood chips remaining after the size of the handles to a large 16 m high silo. “Rather than getting rid of them, we use them to heat the factory during the winter, or to dry certain types of wood”, explains Gérard Vignello, deputy general manager of Opinel, based in Chambéry (Savoie).