Who chose EPDItaly tells its story: Trafo Elettro
Mattia Pallone, QHSE Manager, Trafo Elettro Srl
Trafo Elettro was founded in 1969 in a small workshop and is now one of the leading companies on the market for the manufacture of electrical devices, materials and electronic components. Every day, the company invests in improving customer service, product quality and the reduction of environmental impact.
The Veneto-based company has chosen EPDItaly to obtain EPD certification for several types of products.
On this topic, we interviewed Mattia Pallone, QHSE Manager, who explained the reasons that led the company to adopt EPD certification and the benefits this document offers.
What are the main motivations that pushed you toward voluntary EPD certification?
The initial impulse came from a specific customer request. However, we decided not to treat it as a mere compliance task, but to turn it into a strategic project—developing LCA and EPD capabilities in-house to integrate environmental data, metrics and expertise into our decision-making processes. Over time, the EPD has evolved from a formal requirement into a genuine tool for governance and strategic decision-making: it allows for traceability of assumptions, comparison of scenarios, methodological consistency and alignment with ESG policies.
This strengthened dialogue across the value chain—suppliers, customers and auditors—enhanced our benchmarking capacity, and helped define improvement roadmaps with measurable and verifiable KPIs. In short, we have internalized critical skills, reduced external dependencies and enabled a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement.
What product(s) in your company has/have obtained EPD? What are its main characteristics?
We have obtained EPDs for three families of 2500 kVA resin transformers already in production, and for a 3500 kVA resin transformer currently under design, whose EPD is a prerequisite for participation in a tender. These machines are designed for reliability and safety, with a focus on operational efficiency and maintainability. The LCA covers the entire life cycle and quantifies both impacts and benefits across stages A–C, using primary site data and qualified background data, and including use and end-of-life scenarios consistent with real applications.
What are the main benefits gained from publishing the Environmental Product Declaration? What are the expected effects on the market?
For us, the real turning point was acquiring the skills. Today we are able to build and interpret an LCA/EPD, update scenarios, engage suppliers on data quality, and translate technical outcomes into operational decisions on materials, logistics and end-of-life management.
This means less dependency, faster response times, greater agility in design iteration, the ability to simulate alternatives, – and above all – a methodological framework that consolidates our autonomy.
For customers, the benefits are tangible: comparable and verified information for conscious purchasing decisions, reduced risk of greenwashing, and data that can be immediately integrated into tenders, specifications and ESG reporting. In other words, the EPD enables data-driven decision-making for both producers and users, shortening the time between analysis, choice and implementation. It also improves predictability of environmental performance throughout the life cycle—an essential factor for maintenance planning, total cost of ownership and emission-reduction targets.
Can EPDItaly help spread a stronger product-sustainability culture?
Yes, because it acts on pragmatic levers. EPDItaly provides clear PCRs, independent verifications and a public register that makes figures transparent and accessible building trust across the value chain and shifting attention from claims to measurable improvements.
If the public register continues to be complemented by practical tools—case studies, targeted webinars, and guidelines for data collection and modelling—the transfer of know-how becomes systematic. Methodological convergence with European standards further strengthens the consistency of results and reduces “translation” costs between buyers and suppliers. In this way, the culture of product sustainability evolves from isolated initiatives into an established organizational practice linked to processes and objectives.
How important, in your opinion, is the presence of sustainable products within a Program Operator (EPDItaly) that makes international networking one of its strengths?
It is important for very practical reasons: foreign markets require common rules and results that can be interpreted everywhere. Having Made in Italy transformers with EPDs recognized internationally ensures methodological alignment and immediate comparability.
For exports, it means clearer specifications, fewer ambiguities in requirements, and faster evaluation processes. For foreign partners and customers, it offers an objective basis for comparing competing solutions. Ultimately, it enhances the value of Italian manufacturing through verified data, simplifies technical communication and opens new commercial opportunities more easily. This positioning also supports long-term stakeholder relationships and facilitates access to regulated markets where impact measurement is already an integral part of supply requirements.