Andrea Flores
Angelica Garcia
Abigail Montemayor
Universidad de Monterrey
Blanca Camargo
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BioSolutions elaborates a bio-compound made from vegetable fibers, which is considered a bioplastic because it takes advantage of the fabric residue, specially the agave fiber. Then, BioSolutions creates a material that can be transformed into multiple products. BioSolutions is currently working with several fibers like agave, and some others that are in still development.
BioSolution's innovation consists of a bio-compound made out of agave’s scraps from agroindustries in Queretaro, Mexico. This compound is mixed with plastic in order to create plastic products that are less harmful to the environment.
This idea was originated when the founder of BioSolutions, Ana Laborde, entered a master’s degree in innovation in Tecnológico de Monterrey. After analyzing her options and realizing she had contacts with the tequila industry in Queretaro, she decided to move forward with the biodegradable capsules to be combined with plastic. Besides, this business was considered a big opportunity because the scraps of agave weren’t used at all, and they were too many scraps in the daily production of tequila. This way, the scraps are mixed with plastic to create original, innovative, and friendlier products for society and the environment. By using agave’s scraps mixed with plastic, the production will be broader, producing more product than the process without the scraps.
“There exists two types in the bio-plastic world: biodegradable products and the products made out of bio-compounds” (Eduardo Rivera, Commercial Director of BioSolutions).
In the creation of this innovation, Ana Laborde started by herself and her husband. Later on, they invited known people that were experienced in the area to join the business. Owners of Tequila companies were also involved in this innovation when they accepted the deal and cooperated in the giveaway of scraps.
This innovation was mainly developed with the purpose that new business or companies and young entrepreneurs can focus on the plastic and material industry, and to also consider the option of producing with agave scraps, so this way it can become a habit for all companies over time. This innovation helps the environment and also does something useful with the scraps that are being discarded. “Products made out of bio-compounds are different and original, they draw attention from people”. (Eduardo Rivera, Commercial Director of BioSolutions).
The products are plastic 'skins' made with fibers of agave and polypropylene. These 'skins' are like small beads that can be mixed with color dependent on the use. A machine then makes injections and molds the beads to give the form that the client requests.
The mixture of polypropylene with the agave fibers causes the material to expand and thus the use of polypropylene is less since the incorporation of the fiber expands and optimizes the plastic by 30%. The use of this polypropylene is very common in the caps of plastic soda containers and with the innovation from BioSolutions it can be optimized and reduce the use of polypropylene. The main characteristics a plastic must have in order to be candidate for the fabrication of the bio-compound is to be fibrous, like the cellulose of the agave.
The main idea was originated when Ana Laborde, the owner of BioSolutions, decided to study a master’s degree in innovation. She wanted to start a business related with social responsibility. After discovering the scraps of agave in many tequila companies, she saw a big opportunity to create an innovation related to bio-compounds.
“Products made out of bio-compounds behave as a normal plastic, but the difference is that they harm a lot less the environment, not only in the degeneration of it but in the process of the making”. (Eduardo Rivera, Commercial Director of BioSolutions)
Ana Laborde considered it very important to create new developments while always thinking about the future generations, technology, and helpful innovations. Products made with bio compounds are helpful to the environment and they also change the perspective of people so they can develop new habits of responsible consumption.
Bio-plastics offer the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions caused by the greenhouse effect, reduce the volume of waste materials and waste, but more importantly, they reduce the consumption of non-renewable fossil materials such as petroleum for the manufacture of plastic products. “BioSolutions really hope to give back to people, and to look out for the future generations and return society and the environment something good and innovative.” (Eduardo Rivera, Commercial Director of BioSolutions)
This innovation has short and long term effects, specially in the environment. The short term effects are that the creating process of the plastic products will not need fossil materials and petroleum to elaborate the plastic product, because now it can be made with a sustainable substance which are the agave’s scraps. In consequence, the atmosphere will not be contaminated with CO2, which can qualify as a long term effect on the environment.
The business benefits were mainly the many relationships with contacts and specialists in the field of bio-plastics, consultancy and business partnerships. BioSolutions now has projects with big enterprises in order to develop awareness with society about the advantages of bio-compounds. The business has grown a lot since it started and they are currently working on new developing ideas of materials and substances that can be used with the same results of agave’s fibers, which could be done thanks to the impact the business achieved.
BioSolutions is currently looking for companies such as Coca-Cola or Pepsico that would like to address this problem of the environment, and can make something very useful with these products so they can grow as a company and develop more products that would help the environment a lot.
As a social impact, this innovation crated an initiative in people that are now interested in the environment and will probably start to use bio-plastic products instead of 100% plastic products, and this way create a habit of it and completely discard plastic from their daily use.
As for the environmental benefits, when you use 100% plastic in products, they take a very long time to degenerate, also in the making process, they burn fuels and toxic chemicals that can create the emissions of CO2. When using the agave scraps, you can reduce those emissions and help the atmosphere.
Some of the most remarkable benefits in the environment are:
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Eduardo Enrique Rivera Garza, Mr.
BioSolutions develops, produces, and commercializes bio-plastic compounds based on natural fibers for different applications. It is the second company in Mexico producing bio-plastics and the first one that develops from an agro-industrial by-product. The main raw material of bio-plastics made by BioSolutions are fibers of agave are considered scrap of the tequila, these fibers are pulled in the fields and sometimes are burned causing environmental pollution.
BioSolutions make bio-plastic compounds with natural fibers that are added to the compounds between 40 and 60 percent, which contributes to the reduction in CO2, and the product is friendly with the environment. The business BioSolutions its recognized by its innovation.