To deal with Thailand’s rising litter downside, an organization is popping to the nation’s vegetation.
Universal Biopack makes packaging that it sells to eating places and producers. But as a substitute of plastic, he makes use of a mixture of bamboo and cassava, crops which can be extensively discovered throughout the nation.
After rising quickly in current a long time, Thailand has turn into one of many largest economies in Asia. But like many different international locations within the area, it has been gradual to attempt to fight the hundreds of thousands of tons of rubbish which can be produced every year.
“Waste administration is an enormous downside in every single place,” mentioned Universal Biopack CEO Vara-Anong Vichakyothin.
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The firm is utilizing know-how devised at a Bangkok college to make its packaging zero waste. He hopes it’s going to ultimately exchange most of the Styrofoam bins and plastic luggage that find yourself in large rubbish dumps in Thailand and different Southeast Asian international locations.
Its eco-friendly method took 5 years to develop and is so adaptable that it may find yourself getting used to package deal issues like furnishings and even telephones. The bamboo he makes use of comes from the stays of the chopstick manufacturing course of.
In the cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, the place takeaway drink containers and noodle packets line the sidewalks, the corporate provides eating places, natural farmers and different companies within the meals and beverage trade.
But discovering new purchasers may be tough.
Takeout distributors in Thailand wish to maintain prices down in a aggressive enterprise with skinny margins. Asking them to spend extra on packaging for environmental causes is a tough promote.
“The native financial system nonetheless can not help [this technology]mentioned Universal Biopack founder Suthep Vichakyothin.
But that hasn’t stopped different firms from getting into the sustainable packaging market in Thailand. Like Universal Biopack, they’re betting on higher environmental consciousness that can ultimately result in elevated demand.
To be extra aggressive, Suthep’s firm is investing. His aim is to extend manufacturing by constructing {a partially} automated meeting line at his manufacturing facility close to Bangkok and doubling his employees from 50 to 100 individuals.
The aim is to extend month-to-month capability from 300,000 models to 1 million.
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Much of the demand comes from overseas. One of his purchasers makes use of the pure container for the coconut water that he exports.
Universal Biopack says additionally it is taking an curiosity in its merchandise from different international locations, notably Scandinavia.
CNN Money (Hong Kong) First revealed on February 12, 2017: 9:08 pm ET