Ecover

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Ecover
Type Private
Founded 1980
Headquarters Malle, Belgium
Key people Jørgen Philip-Sørensen
Industry Consumer Products
Products Natural Cleaning Products
Website www.ecover.com


Ecover is a Belgium based company manufacturing and internationally trading domestic ecological cleaning products, of which it is the world's largest supplier.[1]

Ecover cleaning products are based on plant and mineral ingredients. Ecover states that its products are made to both clean effectively and have "the absolute minimum effect on the environment".[2]

The company was founded in 1980 and since 1999 has been solely owned by Jørgen Philip-Sørensen CBE (who is the former chairman, and 14% shareholder of, the Group 4 security firm [3]). The Ecover Group also include the Wellments brand under which personal care products are sold.

Contents

[edit] Mission and vision statement

Ecover's mission and vision statement states

We regard the environment as an inseparable part of the economy. Negative impacts on the environment are reduced by means such as stimulating and conducting research on new technologies and raw materials.[4]

[edit] Awards

In 1993 UNEP awarded the “Global 500 Roll of Honour” to Ecover, for "outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment". In 1999 Ecover received the “Environmental Stewardship” Award from the Council on Economic Priorities for it’s "ecologically sound manufacturing process and its overall commitment to producing environmentally safe products".[5]

[edit] Products

Ecover sells the following product ranges under the following brands:

  • Ecover: domestic detergents, cleansing agents, and personal care products.
  • Eco Lino: domestic detergents and cleansing agents.
  • Held: domestic detergents and cleansing agents.
  • Techno Green: professional detergents and cleansing agents.
  • Ecover Professional: professional cleansing agents.
  • Wellments: personal care products[6]

A number of Ecover products (Washing Up Liquid (both varieties), Fabric Conditioner, Laundry Liquid, and Multi-Surface Cleaner) are available from a container refill service, or in 5 litre containers which can be used for refills at home. By re-using the bottles customers are enabled to reduce the overall environmental impact of distributing the product. Ecover refill facilities are still fairly rare in the UK and currently limited to independent health food stores and small local cooperative schemes.[7][8]

[edit] Factories

Ecover built the world’s first "ecological factory" in Malle (Belgium), which opened in 1992.[9][10] The factory is made entirely from recycled and recyclable materials. The factory recycles waste water which is returned for use in the factory using a windmill pump. The grass-covered roof has insulating properties which saves energy and supports a wildlife garden. The roof was included by the architects as a functional piece of the designs. The factory also included grass banks and reed beds around the factory to help it merge into the countryside.[11].

Ecover took over a factory in Steffisburg (Switzerland) with the acquisition of the Held AG in 2003[12] and built another one in Hesdin-l'Abbé (France) in 2006.[13]

[edit] Sponsorship

Ecover sponsors yachtsman Mike Golding.[14] Golding is currently skippering the Ecover Sailing Team in the 2009 iShares cup, a selection of races all over Europe, sailing catamarans in fast, competitive races against world-leaders in this sport. The races will take place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria. [15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Ecover loses green backing over 'animal tests' on a 0.2mm flea". Daily Mail. 11 August 2007. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-474749/Ecover-loses-green-backing-animal-tests-0-2mm-flea.html. Retrieved 2008-10-18. 
  2. ^ Ecover United Kingdom - Welcome to Ecover
  3. ^ "The World's Billionaires #1062 Jorgen Philip-Sorensen". Forbes. 2008-03-05. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Jorgen-Philip-Sorensen_PUGR.html. Retrieved 2008-12-05. 
  4. ^ Ecover United Kingdom - Mission UK
  5. ^ http://www.global500.org/ViewLaureate.asp?ID=208
  6. ^ Ecover United Kingdom - The Ecover Group UK
  7. ^ Ecover United Kingdom - Refill
  8. ^ Ecover United Kingdom - Reiniging
  9. ^ http://www.global500.org/ViewLaureate.asp?ID=208
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ [2]
  12. ^ "Zusammenschluss von Held und Ecover" (in German). Held AG. 2003-04-17. http://www.bionetz.ch/scripts/news/article.php?article_file=1051689097.txt. Retrieved 2008-10-18. 
  13. ^ "Ecover builds an ecological factory in France.". Goliath. 2006-02-03. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-5188714_ITM. Retrieved 2008-10-18. 
  14. ^ "Golding to retire from Velux 5 Oceans race". Sail-World. 4 December 2006. http://www.sail-world.com/UK/index.cfm?SEID=0&Nid=29306&SRCID=0&ntid=0&tickeruid=0&tickerCID=0. Retrieved 2008-10-18. 
  15. ^ "Ecover Extreme 40 Sailing Team". Ecover Sailing Team. July 30, 2009. http://www.ecoversailingteam.com/. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecover"
Languages