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Miniwiz

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MINIWIZ CO., LTD.
Founded2005
Headquarters
Taipei
,
Taiwan
Key people
Arthur Huang
ServicesUpcycling Material Technology solutions
Number of employees
40
Websiteminiwiz.com

Miniwiz (or MINIWIZ CO, LTD., Chinese: 小智研發股份有限公司)

Founded and headquartered in Taiwan with offices in Milan, Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai, MINIWIZ captures the value of single-use plastic, metal, glass, by transforming industrial and household wastes into building materials, building modules, specialty fabrics, designer furniture and interior fixtures. After 15 years of research and development, MINIWIZ is offering its value proposition to the market and accelerating its customer base.

Customers

MINIWIZ’s selected customers include Dominique Crenn (Salesforce Tower), Nike, Phillip Morris, McDonald's, Jackie Chan, LVMH, Prada, Zegna and soon[when?], Prince Albert Foundation in Monaco.[citation needed]

History

Miniwiz was created in March 2005 by architect and structural engineer Arthur Huang and Jarvis Liu, an architect engineer. The company was registered and located in Taipei, Taiwan. In 2007, Miniwiz developed the Hymini, a portable wind, solar and handcrank power generator made from recycled ABS. Soon Miniwiz became active first as a green building material consultant, then as a building material manufacturer.

Employees

Miniwiz employs 40 engineers and administration staff. A team of chemical, mechanical, structural and industrial engineers is leading the company's R&D activities, other employees work in areas of architecture, industrial design and engineering.

Executive Management Team

The company's leadership team comprises:

Products

Products

File:Polliber.jpg
Polliber

Miniwiz develops and sells materials 100% recycled from waste, but also re-engineers them into various applications. It recycles trash - including electronic, food, agricultural, packaging and automotive waste - into products like cellphone cases, sunglasses, interior applications, and construction materials.[1]

Materials

Miniwiz claims that most of post-consumer, agricultural and industrial waste can be recycled into materials that, if enhanced, can be reused to substitute any virgin material. Avoiding the usage of toxic and environment polluting chemical agents, Miniwiz reworks the composition of its recycled materials. Miniwiz developed a set of materials 100% made from trash that combines polymers with Nano-Silica extracted from organic elements of agriculture waste as well as other non-toxic chemical and mechanical reinforcements. Polymers developed by Miniwiz all enter in the category of thermoplastics, ensuring a reduced carbon footprint during the phase of transformation into products and possible re-recycling after usage.

Building modules

Miniwiz develops modular elements for construction and interior architecture purposes. Made of Miniwiz materials, modules are engineered around the general ideas of:

  • Interlocking functions, to avoid the need of any chemical bonding agents
  • Easy mounting and disassembling
  • Minimum amount of material used, 100% recycled and re-recyclable.
  • Cost Saving
Polli-Brick
Polli-Brick module

Building modules developed by Miniwiz include:

  • Polli-Brick, a building module made from 100% recycled PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), that is translucent, naturally insulated, and durable. Polli-Brick won The Earth Awards and placed Miniwiz as a finalist in The Wall Street Journal’s Asian Innovation Awards.
  • Eco-Morph, a modular shelving system with a wooden finish, made from three green materials, recycled aluminum, PC from recycled post-consumer CDs and DVDs and FSC certified Mahogany or Teak.
  • Polli-Ber wall system, contrary to conventional bricks, Polli-Ber bricks does not require any mortar, the bricks connect to one-another by means of either a connecting pin, or by clicking the bricks together with their sides.[2]
  • Ricefold, can be folded into a 3D ceiling panel and installed in standard ceiling T-bars. Consisting of recycled PC (Polycarbonate) from water containers and compact discs mixed with SiO2 extracted from agro-waste rice husk (used as a bonding agent and performance enhancer).

End-user products

Miniwiz designed various pieces of furniture and consumer goods, made of recycled materials. Some of them include Hymini, a wind, solar and hand-crank charger that can be fixed on a bike or one’s arm to recharge electronic items’ batteries using natural sources of power;[3] Review, sunglasses made from recycled post-consumer CDs and DVDs;[4] as well as shelving systems and wine cases made from recycled materials.

Major Projects

EcoARK

File:Ecoark.jpg
EcoARK Rendering

EcoARK was the main exhibition hall for the Taipei International Flora Exposition. Commissioned by Far Eastern Group, the nine-story tall pavilion is made of 1.5 million[5] Polli-Bricks, which saved 300 tons of plastic from ending up in landfills.[6] The transparent nature of the Polli-Bricks allows the pavilion to be naturally lit, whilst the air pockets in the help insulate the structure. Like a giant LEGO building, the use of Polli-Bricks allows the structure to be disassembled and assembled elsewhere. Polli-Brick's low weight and strong bond of the units make EcoARK both earthquake- and hurricane-resistant. It is featured in an hour-long special by National Geographic Channel’s Megastructures:EcoARK.[7]

Recycling Plant

Miniwiz worked with SDTI, one of Taiwan's leader in electronic waste recycling, to rethink the recycling process with a more sustainable approach and limit potential health issues and environmental impacts. Miniwiz designed and built SDTI's new factory using the IT waste produced by existing SDTI recycling plants. It is featured in National Geographic special "Megastructures: Urban Mine".

NikeLab

Constructed from blocks of a recycled polymer composite made by combining Nike Grind, a premium grade raw material derived from recycled athletic shoes and materials left over from the manufacture of Nike product, with non-toxic, odorless eco-polyurethane. NikeLab stores can be found in six cities around the world: New York, London, Paris, Milan, Shanghai and Hong Kong.[8][9]

EcoFighter

In May 2015 Miniwiz announced the Ecofighter project, which would transform a "Veri EZ” Experimental Aircraft by replacing its original elements with flexible but resistant recycled materials. This included a material called SRPX - self reinforced polymer matrix. After the Ecofighter has undergone the re-engineering process it was planned to take flight later in 2016, documenting environmental damage and environmental progress across the globe.[10]

Anything Butts

In April 2016 Miniwiz and Philip Morris International (PMI) launched a collaboration during Milan Design Week. A new material made with recycled filters of iQos heatsticks was applied to architect Cesare Leonard's 1960s furniture designs. The collaboration was presented in Palazzo Clerici courtyard among an installation of iQos tetrapods, an air-purifying, illuminated, self structured retail fixture system, designed to tell the story of iQos. Tetrapods are made with 100% post consumer recycled materials and air purifying amorphous bamboo charcoal and can be entirely re-recycled. A board of Plyfix foam was made with recycled iQos filters or regular cigarette filters.[11]

Gardening the Trash

In April 2017 MINIWIZ collaborates with Bonotto, historic and leading brand for creative textiles, to present Gardening the Trash at Fuorisalone 2017, artistic direction by Cristiano Seganfreddo[12]. In May 2017, it also has an exhibit in New York through May 23 (NYCxDesign)[13]

The goal of Gardening the Trash is to lead the luxury fashion industry into the circular economy where nothing is wasted and everything is possible. Not just a boon for the environment but a journey into unprecedented material properties that offer the MORE competitive advantage and a MORE luxurious experience for the customer. Using human intellect to learn from nature how to manage its materials in an endless flow of creation and recreation, old textiles become a new resource and old resources can be preserved, all to be enjoyed.

Sky-Wing Bike Pavillion

In November 2018 Suvarnabhumi Airport’s Sky Lane is officially reopened with a new name – “Happy and Healthy” Bike Lane as bestowed by His Majesty the King of Thailand. MINIWIZ used recycled water bottles (rPET) to build an inflatable Sky-Wing to provide an area of relaxation and shade for the cyclists.

Compared to traditional architectural systems, the brand new inflatable system provide an advantage in transportation and simplicity. This new technology drastically reduces the time required for assembly as the entire aeration and construction process only took one day to complete.[14]

miniTRASHPRESSO Launched

TRASHPRESSO is the world’s first mobile plastic wastes recycling plant. It was designed to tackle waste by creating a mobile, semi-automated, and self-powered, industrial grade recycling platform. MINIWIZ has actively been improving TRASHPRESSO to become more compact and intelligent. The latest version launched in June 2019,[15] it is more mobile and energy efficient. Once stationed, it container opens much like a satellite unpacking in orbit. Trash is collected locally, then washed, shredded, melted, and molded through a semi-automated process. The output of the recycling process is up-cycled architectural tiles, coasters, bowls and others[16].

TX Huaihai | Youth Energy Center

In December 2019 Located on Shanghai’s iconic Huaihai Road, TX Huaihai | Youth Energy Center[17] opened, Shuhei Aoyama, who specializes in open-space architecture, and sustainable architect and designer Authur Huang from Miniwiz designed the complex. The team created a mindful space that provides a blank canvas for the brands and artists to showcase their work and products in a museum-like innovative environment.[18]

Awards

  • Earth Award, Winner (Industrial Product), Financial Times, London, United Kingdom (2010)[19]
  • IDEA GOLD Award, Chicago, USA (2013)[20]
  • IDEAT VISION Award 理想家远见大奖, Winner (TRASHPRESSO 移动式回收系统), Shanghai, China (2019)[21][22]

References

  1. ^ Nunns, Cain (2013-11-29). "Short on Space, Taiwan Embraces a Boom in Recycling". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  2. ^ "BDNY 2015". from the source. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  3. ^ "HYMINI Tiny Portable Wind-powered Gadget Charger". inhabitat.com. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  4. ^ "Sunglasses Made from Recycled CDs and DVDs". Core77. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  5. ^ Brit Liggett (April 14, 2010). "EcoARK Pavilion made from 1.5 Million Plastic Bottles". Inhabit. Inhabitat.com. Retrieved 2 Sep 2012.
  6. ^ Paul Mozur (6 July 2011). "Miniwiz Builds Its Green Presence, Brick by Brick". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  7. ^ "MEGASTRUCTURES: ECOARK". National Geographic. NGC Europe Limited. Retrieved 2 Sep 2012.
  8. ^ "Bringing product design principles to retail with NikeLab". the Guardian. 2014-08-21. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  9. ^ "Nike Presents NikeLab". NIKE, Inc. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  10. ^ "This Taiwanese startup aims to make trash sexy". e27. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  11. ^ "Da Philip Morris Italia e Miniwiz ecco progetto 'Anything Butts'". Adnkronos. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  12. ^ "Gardening the trash, l'idea green di Bonotto". The Way Magazine (in Italian). 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2017-04-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Meyers, Tracey; Meyers, Tracey (2017-05-19). "Fashion Turns 'Waste Into Worth' Through Technology and Design Partnership". WWD. Retrieved 2017-05-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "ร. 10 ทรงเปิดสนาม เจริญสุขมงคลจิต". BBC News บีบีซีไทย (in Thai). 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2018-11-24.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ miniTRASHPRESSO by MINIWIZ 2019, retrieved 2020-06-18
  16. ^ hermes (2019-06-16). "Mini Trashpresso turns waste into beautiful products". The Straits Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "TX Huaihai | Youth Energy Center is set to launch in Shanghai". Wonderland. 2019-12-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Retail: A shopping experience on a whole new level". sportswear-international.com. Retrieved 2020-01-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "The Earth Awards Announces Six Finalists To Redesign Tomorrow". RealWire (blog). 2010-08-18. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
  20. ^ "Nike Flyknit Collective - Feather Pavilion". Industrial Designers Society of America - IDSA. 2013-06-21. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
  21. ^ "你的一票，投给你的"未来理想家"！_中国". www.sohu.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2019-02-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "快讯 | 特赞创始人范凌获2019 IDEAT FUTURE AWARD理想家未来大奖 - 雪花新闻". www.xuehua.us. Retrieved 2019-03-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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