Pioneering Sustainable Practices

With the growing emphasis on environmental consciousness, companies are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and striving to decrease their carbon footprint.

Walex, a key supplier in the RV and marine industries, is one such trailblazer. The 37-year-old company produces deodorizers, treatments and portable sanitation products and stands at the forefront of RV industry sustainability efforts.

Walex was established by the late Bob Williams and his son, Bill Williams, as a small, family-run operation supplying the commercial sanitation industry. Over time, the Wilmington, North Carolina, company expanded its reach and product offerings to the RV, marine, janitorial, train, plane and bus markets. Today, the company employs over 70 people, distributes to over 50 countries and is a prominent player in many industries.

Product reach aside, Walex’s commitment to sustainability is also palpable. Putting environmental responsibility first is at the core of everything Walex does.

“It’s very important to us to help with the environment and do our part,” says Tony Butler, sales manager for the Walex RV, marine and transportation division.

To promote greater sustainability, the company has launched recycle-ready packaging on multiple products, aiming for universal implementation across all product lines. The equipment at its manufacturing plant will soon operate solely on solar power, contributing to a greener environment.

“We will continue to add new sustainability measures in the future,” Butler adds. “It is important for us to be good stewards of the environment. We are a consumable product. Packaging for the products we produce could end up in a landfill. Our goal is to, at the very least, give our customers an opportunity to recycle if they wish to do so.”

The company’s efforts are getting noticed. Its environmental focus, quality products and customer service helped it win the 2023 RV Industry Association Supplier of the Year award.

The company also beat out 323 entries for the 2023 Silver Achievement Award from the Flexible Packaging Association for its Walex Commando Black Holding Tank Cleaner recyclable pouch.

Environmentally Friendly Packaging

DaRon Jacobs, plant manager of manufacturing at Walex, says the company’s mantra is “Do the right thing.” This mantra translates into keeping Walex’s commitment to sustainability, with introducing recyclable packaging.

The company launched its first “recycle-ready” packaging in 2019, specifically for Bio-Active septic tank treatment products for home septic systems. The packaging, consisting of a special pouch, is recyclable at plastic bag recycling facilities, like the ones found at grocery stores.

Walex has since extended its recycle-ready packaging to six products sold in Canada – the Porta-Pak Fresh, Porta-Pak Lavender, Bio-Pak Alpine Fresh, Bio-Pak Tropical Breeze, Elemonate and Commando. The company will introduce more products – Porta-Pak Clean Linen and Bio-Pak Ocean Mist – in the next two months.

“We started with Canada because it’s a much smaller market and a good way for us to test how the products hold up in real-life situations,” Butler says. “They’ve done extremely well and have been very well received by distributors, dealerships and consumers.”

The company also offers two recycle-ready products in the United States — Bio-Active Septic Tank Treatment and Commando.

Recyclable packaging development has been challenging, due to the complicated nature of the product chemistries, Jacobs notes. He explains that the company’s two chemists had to acquire resource materials and test products in use in the laboratory.

According to Jacobs, Walex evaluates products and packaging performance with comprehensive accelerated oven testing. “We monitor weight variations, packaging appearance and fragrance strength to better understand how contents interact with the pouch material at high temperatures as well as when exposed for prolonged periods in less extreme conditions,” he says. “This rigorous testing enables Walex to supply products that meet customers’ needs in the long term.”

The resulting package is better than a rigid high-density polyethylene (HDPE) canister, Butler says. Production of a store drop-off recyclable zipper pouch uses up to 7% less plastic, consumes around 65% less water, produces 79% less carbon dioxide emissions, uses about 78% less fossil fuel during transportation and contributes to approximately 74% less landfill waste.

Another challenge of recyclable packaging is making sure customers recycle, Butler adds. The company marked the front of the package with the How2Recycle seal to encourage correct disposal. How2Recycle aims to simplify recycling by standardizing instructions and labels.

“The front of the package is an area typically reserved exclusively for branding, while promotional content, instructions and labels are usually displayed on the back,” Butler says. “Putting this information on the front significantly enhances recycling awareness among consumers.”

Walex’s packaging is marked as store drop-off, informing consumers to recycle it at local plastic bag recycling bins found at most retail stores. Consumers just need to ensure the package is clean and dry before putting it in the bin.

According to Butler, materials recycled in this way are made into various products, including Trex composite boards for decks and park benches. Eventually, all Walex products will use recycle-ready packaging.

“[Before that happens,] we want to test it in the real-world environment a little longer,” Butler adds. “There are always fresh developments and products coming out, and we are always looking to improve our products. So, we are taking our time. But our long-term goal is to have most of our products in recycle-ready packaging – at least in the consumer market.”

Solar Power: Saving Money & the Environment

Walex’s commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop at packaging. The company is actively pursuing solar power as a renewable energy source, Butler says.

“Solar is very expensive,” Butler explains. “We had discussed it for many years but have never bitten the bullet. However, the Department of Agriculture has Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants available for renewable energy, and we were able to take advantage of a REAP grant to cover 40% of the costs.”

Jacobs explains the grant program improves energy efficiency through renewable energy investments among agricultural producers and rural small businesses. This funding helps businesses reduce energy costs, create additional revenue streams and enhance the resilience of their operations.

With the grant in hand, Walex partnered with Cape Fear Solar Systems, a full-service installer of solar panels and solar projects, to install a 300-kilowatt solar power system on the roof of its 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

“They are installing 659 solar panels on the roof, which will cover approximately 70% of the roof,” Jacobs says. “The 300-kilowatt system will cover almost 70% of our power usage and 100% of the power needs of our production equipment.”

Walex’s solar project, started in 2021, is nearing completion and will significantly decrease its reliance onconventional energy sources. Butler underscores this project is a testament to Walex’s commitment to sustainability.

Walex will use the electricity savings to lease Crown battery-powered forklifts, replacing its propane-powered fleet. “We are dumping the money we save with solar power into forklifts to eliminate our carbon footprint there,” Jacobs says. “The ROI for the solar investment is roughly three years.”

The Future

Walex plans to continue reducing its carbon footprint with further sustainability efforts, Jacobs says.

The company may add more green solutions to the current facility and the planned 20,000-square-foot facility being constructed on 3 acres of land near the current facility, he says.

“This expansion highlights [Walex]’s commitment to renewable energy but also its continuous growth and development as a leading player in the RV and marine industry,” Butler adds.

Recommendations for Sustainability 

For other companies looking to embrace sustainability, Butler and Jacobs stress the importance of thorough research and finding the right partners.

“We had more interviews with energy partners than we did for our packaging efforts,” Jacobs says. “We were very fortunate to find an excellent partner in Cape Fear Solar Systems.”

On the packaging side, they emphasize the importance of understanding consumers’ environmental concerns and preferences. By offering eco-conscious products and packaging, companies can cater to the growing demand for sustainable solutions, Butler concludes.

“Consumers in the outdoor industry are more likely to be concerned about the environment. They care about keeping the environment clean and picking up their trash,” he says. “The newer generation of RVers are even more environmentally conscious. They are well educated on the types and ways of recycling. Focusing on the needs of that demographic of consumers is important.”

Walex’s eco-consciousness journey serves as an inspiring example for companies looking to prioritize sustainability. With environmentally friendly packaging and a transition to solar power, Walex has set new standards for responsible business practices in the RV and marine industry. The company is reducing its environmental impact while shaping a brighter and greener future for all.