Solving problems with bio logic
August 1st 2008 Mike James, MD of Bio-Productions, is an official Green Hero. But he's not about to
don a cape and wear pants over his trousers,preferring instead to quietly carry on
solving janitorial problems with less harmful solutions.Brendan Coyne reports
We didn't start out to be green and cranky but realised there
were some problems not being solved by conventional
chemicals, or even dangerous chemicals," explains Bio-
Productions MD,Mike James."We looked at various problems and
adapted our technology to solve them. One of the first examples was
a 'safer' to use drain unclogger, an enzyme-based product which
worked as quickly as domestic strength caustic. It was called FLOWFREE
and went on the retail shelves with Rentokil nearly 20 years ago.
That's been our business model ever since."
The Green Heroes award was for its water saving urinal block,
which also solves smell and blockage issues by eating bacteria and
removing calcium build up.As with other Bio-Productions products, it
was developed as a solution to a common problem after James
visited a urinal containing 27 blocks.He reckons the reduced
flushing enabled by the Toss Block (the product is naturally
flushed down the urinal every time someone takes a pee) can
save around £100 per urinal per year.And that's not to
mention blockages, which he says is becoming a major issue
with waterless urinals.
"We've been approached for help by the two largest
manufacturers of waterless urinals in the USA.There are now legal
claims surfacing because the urinals are blocking, causing huge
problems. Because they have been designed into buildings
without any flushing water or pipe work, they have a big task on
their hands to solve the problem."
James says the Toss Block can help, but only if the pipe work isn't
totally blocked, so product can pass through pipe work and remove
the build-up.
Not just urinals
Alongside what James admits are some 'me too' products covering
the broader janitorial market, Bio-Productions'best selling line is
another 'greener'product a general purpose cleaning agent based
on orange oil."Dudley Messenger, our chemist, developed a product
called Citra Clean concentrate, which has been our biggest seller ever
since. It's a universal cleaner with a relatively low pH that cleans just
about everything you can think of." He says customers keep buying
the product because they keep finding new uses for it."And it cuts
the number of products needed in the janitorial cupboard, simplifies
training and saves them money the loyalty from customers for
those products is amazing."
Green or greenbacks?
James admits the firm's product line isn't entirely environmentally
friendly."But what is? So-called hybrid cars are powered by batteries
that take huge resources to create and a long time to break down."
However, he feels strongly that some clever marketeers are taking
advantage of a perceived swing towards 'greener'products.
"It's only natural that people jump on the bandwagon, but is it a
genuine environmental concern or just a way to make money? There
are a number of products being touted in this industry that aren't
particularly environmentally friendly and create one hell of a carbon
footprint."
The problem, he says, is that a buyer's job, unless they specialise in
one area, covers a vast range of products."The buyer is reliant on the
salesperson to provide correct information. If they are misled, what
can they do? But there is no point in putting to market a product that
doesn't do what it says, because people will only buy it once. And the
cowboys, like fly tippers, will move on."
In the meantime, James hopes the Green Heroes award will help
confirm Bio-Production's reputation as a progressive, solutions-driven
company. Has he had much recognition since the award? "Only when
I start wearing my underpants outside my trousers and donning a
cape will people realise I'm a green hero," he says.
He didn't, however, rule it out entirely... More articles from Bio-Productions Ltd: | 
