Turning waste into a win for businesses and the environment

Dijamanti, a company that produces massive wood panels, has become a trendsetter in environmental sustainability in Kosovo’s wood processing sector.  Established in 2017 with support from USAID, Dijamanti sells the panels to local processors that turn them into tables, chairs, stairs, and other products.  

A thriving business, Dijamanti has a high volume of production – and a high volume of wood waste.  “The amount of waste left over from production was piling up by the day, more and more, and we came to a point where our factory was surrounded by waste…We had to halt production throughout the day so we could remove the waste out of the factory,” explained Arton Kastrati, Manager at Dijamanti. 

Fortunately, the company found an energy efficient solution for their waste problem. In 2018, Dijamanti purchased equipment to recycle their wood waste to produce pellets. Pellets are biofuels made from compressed wood fiber. They are a renewable, clean-burning and cost-stable heating alternative for homes and other environments. The new equipment enabled the company to recycle all of their waste continuously throughout the day, leaving them with zero waste, and no interruptions in their production. “Now Dijamanti not only produces massive wood panels, we have a profitable secondary product line, where we produce around 1.5 tons of pellets a day from all of our waste,” said Arton. 

With rising energy costs in Kosovo and globally, pellets have become a much sought-after product for heating. Recently, the demand, and consequently the cost, of pellets has also increased, adding profits for the company.  

For Arton, though, the environmental bottom line is just as rewarding as the financial one.  “It’s a great feeling that we are able to recycle our waste and contribute to protecting our environment!” 

USAID helps businesses like Dijamanti increase the competitiveness of their products.  Through trainings, business-to-business meetings, and increased access to local, regional, and international markets, USAID provides opportunities for the private sector to learn best practices in meeting European Union standards.