Sam had a background in chemistry prior to starting his business. He was interested in the science of designing and creating complex products formed by the structure, composition, properties, and interactions of substances. He had worked on biodegradable products which were less harmful to the environment because they decomposed back into natural elements. His interest in environmentally friendly products would continue throughout his career. The development of green products and processes would be a key component of the SEMCO business model. In fact, SEMCO was offering environmentally safe products well before the “green” product movement went mainstream.
It is hard to believe that not so long ago climate change and sustainability were not significant concerns of consumers or producers. People were, for the most part, unaware of environmental hazards in their homes and communities.
A few forward-looking entrepreneurs like Sam began to create green products because it was the right thing to do. By the time consumers became aware of the environmental and health dangers posed by many common products on the market and current industry production processes, SEMCO and other visionary companies were well prepared to meet the demand for healthier and more environmentally sustainable products and services.
When Sam launched SEMCO, the United States was experiencing strong economic growth with ever increasing consumption. Waste was becoming a serious problem. In the 1990s, the population of the United States grew by 10% while municipal waste grew by 40%. Towards the end of the decade, the consumer mindset was changing. Consumers were demanding sustainable products and more and more companies were realizing the value of positioning their organizations as green. Companies were retooling their operations to give consumers more green choices. By the 2000s, sustainability had become mainstream, even trendy, and businesses were falling over themselves to portray themselves as greener than their competitors.
Today, sustainability is a core value of many small and large businesses. Consumers consider a product’s sustainable features when making a purchasing decision.
SEMCO’s environmentally friendly products and “remodel without removal” system enables consumers and contractors to implement renovation projects in a manner that creates less waste for landfills and less degradation to the environment.
Next: After Sam introduces cleaning products, customers ask for a sealer.
No comments:
Post a Comment