Ever wondered how much water a conventional car-wash uses? Well, the answer is about 120 litres. A water-conscious entrepreneur in Singapore is looking to bring that number down to zero by introducing waterless car washes.
After working in the aviation industry for 10 years, Firdaus Iqbal, the managing director of Griener Solutions, decided to make a switch to make a difference.
Griener Solutions first venture is a waterless car-wash service, Grienwash, which uses close to zero water and energy by cleaning vehicles with a range of products that have been certified 99 per cent biodegradable by the Environment Protection Agency in the US.
Mr Iqbal said: “I found that there are a whole array of products that are available, but no one (has given a waterless car wash) service. So as someone from the service background, I thought maybe that is what people want – I’m not so sure if people are keen about buying products and doing it themselves.”
A recent report by Australian research firm Ovum found that the majority of companies are not taking significant action to manage their operations more sustainably because they fail to see the business benefits they could achieve by doing so. Some industry players said what is needed is a change in mind set.
To date, around S$100,000 has been invested into setting up Grienwash in Singapore, and its founder said for sustainable businesses, funding is often an issue.
Mr Iqbal said: “Firstly I think it’s a process of acceptance. When you compare it to the West, Asians are a little slower about accepting the whole green issue – and education process as well. Other than that, issues directly involving the business… such as changing the profile of the job.”
So far, Grienwash has launched in one location in Singapore, but is looking to expand to another one or two locations by the end of the year – by expanding to other malls, and other bodies such as hospitals and educational institutions.
With more locations on the cards here in Singapore, eventually Grienwash is looking to spread its wings across the region. It has already had interest for franchise opportunities from parties in the Philippines, Malaysia and India.
Source: CNA
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Consulting, Investment and Management, focusing three main economic sectors: International PR; Healthcare & Wellness;and Tourism & Hospitality. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programs. Sign up with twitter to get news updates with @SaigonBusinessC. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment