When it comes to the term “eco friendly” everyone has their own definition of what, exactly, that means. It can range anywhere from simply being lower in volatile organic compounds (VOC) than in the past, to products that are fully biodegradable and/or water soluble. So, we thought we would go to the sources of eco-friendly products to see what is available and how they are each defining and presenting their products.
While traditionally, eco regulations for the automotive industry are thought of in terms of vehicle emissions, they apply to F&I products as well. All products sold in the United States have to meet a certain level of VOCs – the Clean Air Act, first implemented in 1970, set the bar for VOC compounds. According to EPA statistics that act has resulted in a reduction of emissions from six of the most common pollutants by 68% in the time since it was enacted – and that’s while vehicle miles traveled have increased 167% and the population has increased 52%. Vehicle emissions are certainly a big part of that, but F&I products have also contributed to those statistics.
To meet the EPA standards, there is not a requirement for any product, including those sold through the F&I office, to use a specific technology, process or chemical. The standard is based on emissions performance levels set by the EPA for each industry and product category. They can continue to update those standards for the future based on data they collect and examine on a regular basis – the regulations in place that require OEMs to meet specific vehicle emission requirements in future decades are created using the same processes used to set and monitor the VOC levels in F&I products. States, as well, are authorized under the same Clean Air Act to set their own standards that can, in cases such as California, be far stricter than in other parts of the country. For detailed technical information, broken out by industry and product segment, visit www.epa.gov, where the current standards are all available to download, as well as proposed updates and new rules the EPA is considering.
Today’s eco-friendly F&I products, however, are looking to go beyond simply meeting the minimum requirements set by the EPA standards. In fact, our respondents, whose answers are below, all listed being totally VOC-free as a top requirement for their eco product lines, rather than simply staying at or below federal levels. Other factors can include how the waste materials are disposed, or using water-based chemicals, instead of the traditional solvents.
But all of them noted that the traditional belief that “eco” means a trade off in performance is no longer the case. They all noted, across the board, that today’s eco products perform as well, or better, than their traditional counterparts. Better technologies have allowed manufacturers to create formulas that don’t require giving anything up in order to be environmentally friendly. In fact, many of the providers below noted that they advise F&I managers to sell on the performance of the products first – the eco-friendly benefits are, in many cases, a secondary benefit.
This is the biggest growth area for these products, the providers noted. There is a huge market for products that deliver on both the performance and eco-friendly promises, and getting past that older mindset is, they agreed, one of the opportunities they are exploring across the board.
Eco Product Roundup
EckBond Performance Coatings
EckBond Performance Coatings Tim Whittaker, President
Can you give me a bit of your company history?
Danny Raymondo has a long history in the automotive industry from his grandfather, who started Granitize products in 1953, to his Dad Tony Raymondo Jr. who founded Xzilon in 2004. Danny took his experience that he had from his grandfather and father and went on a mission to develop a product that not only is eco-friendly but also out performs traditional high VOC products.
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EcoProProducts
EcoProProducts Jerry Biller, President
Can you give me a bit of your company history?
EcoProProducts is a revolutionary protection company that is leveraging high performance, eco-friendly products that are substantiated through science and testing.
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PermaPlate
PermaPlate John Nisson, COO
Can you give me a bit of your company history?
Founded in 1978 by Willard (Bill) Nisson who saw a demand in the industry for someone who stood behind their products and the protection they offered. Finishing school at Utah State University and working part time at a local dealership, Bill did a project on the business concept in his senior marketing class. His professor saw immediate merit in the idea for the company and connect him with the dean of the University of Utah School of Business, Blaine Huntsman, who served as chairman of Huntsman Container Corp and had ties into Huntsman Chemical Co. Through this connection Bill received his initial capital investment and additional knowledge necessary to get the company off the ground.
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Xzilon
Xzilon Daniel Jones, Director of Sales
Can you give me a bit of your company history?
Xzilon is the benchmark for high performance appearance products, drawing from its affiliate company’s rich experience since the 1930s. Xzilon, originally used in the aviation industry, was introduced into the automotive arena in 2004. Xzilon Green was launched at the NADA convention this year in Orlando.
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