Jakub, can you introduce Castimo to us? What do you do and how do you operate within the group?
We can say that we are a partner of OKIN FACILITY. OKIN offers comprehensive facility management services to its clients and now we are here to complement these services and support OKIN FACILITY in the area of sustainability. Castimo currently offers hygiene materials and products that support the circular economy, which contributes significantly to the ESG goals in the field of ecology and sustainable business. Currently, the products are those of the Italian company Lucart, which recycles beverage cartons, called Tetrapacks, that would otherwise end up in landfill without further use. The world has learned to sort, now it's time to make the most of it. Our owner Michal Jelínek is also very interested in this issue and in mid-May, together with other members of the management, we will visit Lucart in Italy to see their production with our own eyes.
How did the name Castimo come about and how does it differ from conventional hygiene retailers?
Simply said, the name is inspired by the latin word for cleanliness. Castimo's main mission is not just to offer the products themselves, but to be a comprehensive project with a story at the end of which is a satisfied customer who is confident that they have received a top product with an ecological focus. This is why we also offer our customers, for example, certification in non-financial ESG reporting as an added value. Another interesting feature of the Tetrapack recycling process is that it does not only produce cellulose, but also aluminium and polyethylene. Lucart is able to recover and process these components as well. For example, towel dispensers and toilet paper dispensers are made from the plastics obtained from the recycling of beverage cartons. In the future, we want to focus not only on a comprehensive supply of ecological hygiene material at comparable prices to standard products on the market, but also on a private label of professional cleaning chemicals, where, for example, one product can replace up to three others.
What makes the paper obtained by recycling Tetrapacks so special?
The paper used to make beverage cartons is not chemically treated with various glues and bleaches. In fact, the production of beverage cartons, in which food is stored for consumption, is subject to enormous quality and hygiene requirements to minimise the use of harmful chemicals. This is why this paper also has a natural colour, unlike bleached products. Moreover, it is not only environmentally friendly, but even dermatologically tested.
I suppose starting a new business nowadays is challenging due to competition
The company itself is new, yes, but on the other hand we are not reinventing the wheel. We are building on the experience of our partner company from Slovakia and learning from them. At the same time, we have the support of a stable company like OKIN and we work with experienced colleagues from OKIN Facility. Moreover, there is still a lack of these products on the Czech market, there is a demand for them and we are taking advantage of this opportunity. We also have the advantage of being able to offer products not only to new customers, but also to existing customers from the OKIN Facility client portfolio.
Sustainable development, ESG, circular economy.... Are these new concepts for you, Jakub, that you only encountered in Castimo?
I would differentiate between personal and professional. In terms of my personal life, the drive towards responsibility and a positive relationship with nature is probably in my genes. I was driven to it from birth by my parents and I am also a hunter, so the relationship with nature is an integral part of my life. My previous work experience was in the construction industry, where the topic of ecology was not exactly on the agenda. When the offer came from OKIN to collaborate on such an ecologically oriented project, it all fell into place nicely and made sense to me. Or rather, it still does. At the same time, I see Castimo as a personal challenge to move on professionally and create something from scratch with a completely new team.
It offers to me to ask my next question. Can you introduce us your team?
Absolutely, and I'd love to. My current team consists of four colleagues in sales roles and one colleague in customer support. We are a very diverse but cohesive bunch in terms of personality. In any case, we stick together and have a very similar mindset. We have worked together on everything from the beginning and know how to pull together. Starting out at Castimo was something completely new for my colleagues as well. So we have all been training, advising and, most importantly, contributing to Castimo's overall profile since we started. Together, we set up new processes and you could say that we have had Castimo in our blood from the beginning. In the future, we are planning further staff expansions like drivers, warehouse workers or others.
If we meet, let´s say, in a year, what would you like to show off?
Growth and a visible contribution to getting companies to focus more on sustainability. We'll also definitely be more experienced and the Castimo brand will be a major player in the cleaning chemicals space with its own comprehensive client service.
Thank you for talking to us, Jakub, and good luck.
-MDO-
