Laputa Eco-Construction Material Co Ltd (HKSAR)

MaD Award 2011 Finalists

Laputa Eco-Construction Material Co Ltd (HKSAR)

Story of Laputa and it's founder:

Six years ago, I forecasted the waste problem in Hong Kong would become serious. Therefore, I participated in a research on the recycling wastes into building materials. After a 2-year research, I found that research alone would not be sufficient to promote the recycling concept in Hong Kong. Thus, I decided to start up the production of Eco Block in Hong Kong with my friend, Terrence.

In 2005, Terence and I established a factory at Fanling in order to transform the theory learnt to practice. At the beginning of the business, waste glass bottles were collected from pubs in areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui. Later, the focus was changed to drink producers in order to have stable source of the waste.

Later, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University was persuaded to use our products and hence the first order was placed. This was an important milestone to establish the company’s stable operation.

In 2006, the demand for the eco block was further increased. Thus, the production line was expanded and moved to Tuen Mun. At the same time, the construction and demolition (C&D) waste charging scheme was implemented. The policy provided me a chance to setup a C&D waste crushing plant next to my new factory and another stable and cheaper source of recycled material compared with natural sand and granite for block making.

Meanwhile, we believed that running recycling factories alone were not enough to improve the waste problem in Hong Kong. Therefore, we began to arrange site visits for the general public and organized talks and activities to schools and universities. Up to present, the number of visitors is over 10,000. The real aim of the activities was to educate the people with recycling sense, as well as to build up the positive image and promote our brand, in order to push government to use our products by the public voice.