BIG INTERVIEW
Special issue
Cleaning UP THINKING
As governments ramp up plans to reach net-zero in the coming decades, the world’s attention is on tackling the climate emergency. The business supplies industry overall may not currently be lauded for its environmental credentials, but there are a few standout companies that are leaders in the field of sustainability. One of them is European jan/san vendor Greenspeed
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etherlands-based professional jan/san manufacturer Greenspeed is passionate about responsible cleaning. It flows through every aspect of the business, from its production factory and the ingredients it sources and uses within its detergents and microfibre cloths, to packaging and distribution. Innovation is in Greenspeed’s DNA and the company is constantly improving the efficiency, user-friendliness and sustainability of its products, with everything tied to the circular economy. While its principles and vision offer a blueprint for sustainable manufacturing, it hasn’t always been plain sailing and an easy sell. In what could be considered a perfectly timed interview – just before the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), and with the ongoing pandemic inducing a fervent focus on health and hygiene – OPI’s Michelle Sturman spoke to Greenspeed Commercial Director Johan Tops.
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OPI: Greenspeed may not be a familiar name to many of our readers outside Europe, so let’s start with a brief description of the company. Johan Tops: Sure. Greenspeed’s sustainable detergents foundation lies with some diehard hippies sporting long beards and sandals who wanted to change the world for the better. They also happened to be scientists. It marked the beginnings of Ecover around 40 years ago on a small farm in Belgium where the idea was to make the very first phosphate-free washing powder. It was made in a concrete mixer – so originally low skill, low budget and slightly amateurish – but born out of a big dream and vision. In 1992, Ecover’s business had taken off and it built a big ecological factory – another world first, I believe. Then, in 2000, the company decided to
enter the professional market. The initial five years were quite difficult as, at that time, there wasn’t really a demand for ecological cleaning products in the B2B sector. I arrived at Ecover Professional in 2006 to help develop the B2B business. At about that time, Ecover signed its first large distribution partners. However, these were not in the OP industry, but came from the traditional jan/san arena. So, for us, and equally for Europe, it was the beginning of ecological cleaning products in the B2B market. A few years later, there were several early adopters in the office supplies industry. OPI: Let me guess. Lyreco was one of them? JT: (laughs) Yes. I think that was in 2009. OPI: Where does Greenspeed fit in? JT: Ecover decided to refocus on the consumer sector and, on 31 December 2015, divested its professional division to Greenspeed. It was a pretty good match because, at the time, Greenspeed had already been in the B2B market for 20 years with its microfibre products. Greenspeed had been looking for a sustainable detergents brand, and that’s what it acquired with Ecover Professional. It bought Ecover’s entire B2B division, except for the brand name.
