Jack Maendel: EcoPoxy

The Woodpreneur Podcast

Today, we’re talking with Jack Maendel, the CEO of EcoPoxy. Epoxies were originally created by the military in the 50’s and 60’s by using petroleum from the oil industry. However, EcoPoxy has entirely different origins when it comes to the creation of their epoxies. As soybean farmers in Manitoba, Canada, they operate on the strong belief that anything made from petroleum can also be made from soybeans. Solid proof of this belief is in the 100% green, eco-friendly, and soybean-based EcoPoxy that they produce.

Jack initially came across the EcoPoxy brand while he was looking for an eco-friendly epoxy to use on flooring that he was installing. He was surprised to find a company that claimed their epoxies came from peanut and soybean oil. After using the product and seeing how well it worked, he became a retailer and distributor for the company. As his sales began to grow, he was able to buy out the company and make it his own.

During this time, he had been on the hunt for the original creator of this eco-friendly epoxy. However, after many dead ends and false leads, he decided to hire a chemist that could tell him the exact ratios of the oils. Meeting with the chemist after the samples had been taken, he was shocked to find out that the percentage of soybean oil in the epoxy was a startling 0.00%. Having been misinformed on the “recipe” was a potentially devasting blow to the business, as they had built their clientele solely on this fact.

Ready to close up shop and the business, Jack met with his consultant. However, instead of agreeing with him, his consultant suggested that he hire his own chemist who could actually make a soybean-based, eco-friendly epoxy. Jack did just that and shortly thereafter, the new (and improved) line of true EcoPoxies were born.

Research continues in search of the right equation to make epoxy made entirely from soybeans. In the meantime, EcoPoxy continues to use 100% sustainable and eco-friendly products in all of their EcoPoxies.

Show Highlights:

• The true start of EcoPoxy began when Jack Maendel discovered that the epoxy he had been selling was not made with soybeans as he had been originally told.
• He soon hired a chemist who was able to develop the first-ever soybean-based epoxy.
• All of EcoPoxy’s products are 100% green and sustainable.

Contact Info

@ecopoxy

www.exopoxy.com