Name of business: BioGreen Products
Address: 9050 W. Warm Springs, Suite 2103
Phone: 485-5874
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.biogreenproducts.net
Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Owned by: Dave Denton
In business since: 2008
Describe your business.
We sell conventional and biodegradable/recyclable products, such as disposable cutlery, straws, stir sticks and napkins. We also offer custom biodegradable plastics. I have added basic bar supplies to the line up, made either from recycled paper or virgin material from sustainable commercial forests. One area I hope to become more involved in is producing custom cups for the pools in town, as well as souvenir items.
On the conventional product side, through our office in Shanghai, we are doing custom “bling” items. These are really fun projects and a challenge to our creative side. I used to have a custom gift business in Hong Kong, where I learned about biodegradable plastics. So I have been fortunate to have good friends and contacts in China (and now Mexico and Costa Rica) who can produce a variety of items.
We are also looking forward to being able to introduce in fall certified biodegradable/recyclable dry-cleaner garment covers — the type clothes are covered in at the dry cleaners. Las Vegas will be one of the first locations in the United States to have these available. We are also introducing certified biodegradable doggie bags on a roll.
Who are your customers?
Hotels, bars and restaurants. Also, amusement venues such as water parks, and companies planning special events.
What makes your business unique?
We can provide a variety of standard items in conventional or biodegradable form, as well as work with customers to produce truly unique items any tourist would want.
Having an office in Shanghai allows us to quickly develop new products and get it to customers.
How did you come up with your business model?
I have been in the plastics business for quite a while and became interested in producing functional but biodegradable items that can be recycled. I wanted to continue in the gift side of production but develop an import/supply business.
You make cups in unique shapes?
We do custom items for hotels and bars. Some may be a print on a standard-shaped cup; others may involve a totally new shape that ends up being a souvenir cup or beer yard. We also do glow-in-the-dark cups.
How much landfill space do your cups save?
Despite the interest in recycling, it is not an industry widespread enough to make a significant reduction in landfill volume. There aren’t always recycling bins available, so unfortunately the majority of these items end up in standard garbage dumps. Our products can be recycled or discarded into a standard landfill, where biodegradation can consume the items.
There is no way to measure the space saved, but by being able to utilize recycled plastics to create new items, we can reduce the need for virgin material.
How do your prices compare to conventional items?
There is a 2-percent extra cost for biodegradable versus conventional plastic due to the cost of the modified resins used. For other products, such as biodegradable garbage bags for hotels, the difference can be prohibitive, which is unfortunate but a product of the economy.
To buy biodegradable items and then discard them into conventional plastic trash bags hasn’t accomplished anything to help the environment.
What is your business philosophy?
I can provide a viable alternative to conventional food service items at a reasonable price.
Since existing hotels have limited options to improve their “green status,” we hope to show that by utilizing more biodegradable items, operators can still make a significant commitment to the environment.
What’s the most important part of your job?
Keeping current on the ever-changing supply side of biodegradable plastics and learning about new innovations and improvements that can hopefully turn into viable products. Also staying in contact with suppliers and factories.
And, as with any sales-oriented business, trying to learn from every “no” so we can improve for next time.
What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?
Being a new entity and trying to get the attention of buyers. Even though our pricing is competitive, we have to continue to let buyers know that BioGreen Products is here and how it can be of service.
What is the best part about doing business in Las Vegas?
The energy that permeates this town. And the fun of making custom items that tourists will take home as souvenirs.
What obstacles has your business overcome?
Probably the biggest, which we still deal with daily, is learning who buys what and getting the opportunity to meet with them and explain what we can supply.
How can Nevada improve its business climate?
It would be great if small but growing local businesses could participate in some type of trade show to let buyers here know what can be supplied locally.
What have you learned from the recession?
If you lack flexibility in terms of what you offer, you will have a tough time. I have had to do a lot of adjusting.