We make pavement bricks using plastic waste | Gjenge Makers Journey

Summary

Founders Connect Africa introduces Jenga, a startup turning plastic waste into durable pavers for construction. The team, comprising four engineers, has developed a production line that recycles waste into building materials, offering a sustainable solution to pollution. Despite initial challenges, they've gained market acceptance and are now looking to scale up and diversify their product line. They also discuss the broader waste management industry's potential and the importance of a circular economy.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Founders Connect Africa is a team of changemakers focused on sustainable solutions for plastic waste pollution.
• 🏗️ The team, consisting of mechanical and industrial engineers, produces alternative building products like pavers from waste plastic.
• 🔧 They have been in operation for two years and have spent four years on research and development before launching their product.
• 🛠️ The machinery used in production was custom-built by the team after they couldn't find existing machines that met their needs.
• 📈 Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have seen a positive reception and increasing orders for their products.
• 🏢 They are now fully certified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, which was a hurdle they had to overcome to bring their product to market.
• 🚀 The team's next steps include targeting larger projects and diversifying their product line beyond the current rectangular pavers.
• 💪 Their products are durable, capable of holding three times the weight of concrete, and are also customizable in color and design.
• ♻️ The business model aligns with the growing push for production responsibility and a circular economy in waste management.
• 💰 The founders emphasize the importance of a strong 'why' and persistence, having faced numerous rejections before securing investment.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Founders Connect Africa?

Founders Connect Africa focuses on creating sustainable solutions for plastic waste pollution by producing alternative building products from waste plastic.

Who are the team members of Jenga, as mentioned in the script?

The team members of Jenga include David, a mechanical engineer, Kim, an industrial engineer, Cheng, also a mechanical engineer and an expert in machinery processes, and the speaker who describes themselves as 'tagging along'.

What inspired the team to start Jenga?

The team was inspired to start Jenga with the dream of finding a practical and sustainable solution to plastic waste pollution by using it to address the need for affordable building materials.

What products does Jenga produce?

Jenga produces pavers, which are used for sidewalks, food courts, and driveways, made from waste plastic.

How long has Jenga been in operation?

Jenga has been in operation for two years, with the product officially launched in the market in the second year, and the research and development phase spanning approximately four years.

What challenges did Jenga face in the beginning?

Initial challenges included being a small team with limited resources, the need for certification by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, and the lack of established waste management structures.

What are Jenga's plans for the future?

Jenga plans to target bigger projects, work with government and large construction corporations, and diversify their product range beyond the current rectangular pavers.

How does Jenga differentiate its products from competitors?

Jenga's products are three times stronger than concrete, customizable in color and design, lighter than concrete for easier transportation, and are part of a circular economy as they can be recycled.

What advice does the team have for young people interested in waste management solutions?

The team advises young people to be true to their 'why', which is the reason behind their motivation, and to persevere through challenges and rejections.

How did Jenga secure investment for their business?

Jenga secured investment by demonstrating a working prototype and engaging in numerous discussions with potential investors, showing persistence and a strong team capable of executing their vision.

What is the production process like for Jenga's pavers?

The production process involves mixing sand with crushed plastic, adding color pigment, heating and extruding the mixture, pressing it into molds using a hydraulic press, and finally cooling the pavers before they are removed and further cooled.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Founding Jenga: Turning Trash into Treasure

The video introduces the founders of Jenga, a company in Africa that transforms plastic waste into durable building materials like pavers for sidewalks and driveways. The team, consisting of a group of engineers, started with a dream to find a sustainable solution to plastic pollution by addressing the basic need for housing. They have been operational for two years, with the first year dedicated to research and development. The company's production line includes machinery that they custom-built to meet their specific needs, showcasing their innovative spirit. Despite the challenges of being a small team, they have received an overwhelmingly positive response in the market, even during economic downturns.

05:02

🔨 Production and Certification Challenges

This paragraph delves into the production process of Jenga's building products, highlighting the company's capacity to produce up to 1200 pavers per day. The pavers come in different sizes to accommodate various weight-bearing requirements, such as footpaths and areas for heavy vehicles. Jenga faced challenges in certification by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, which is essential for market entry. The team's persistence led to full certification, a significant milestone. They also discuss their plans to diversify their product range and target larger projects, including government contracts, to increase their impact and awareness of their sustainable building solutions.

10:03

🌱 Environmental Impact and Industry Insights

The founder shares his inspiration for entering the waste management industry, emphasizing the need to move beyond complaints and take action. He discusses the environmental benefits of Jenga's products, which are three times stronger than concrete and customizable to customer preferences. The bricks are also lighter, reducing transportation costs. The paragraph explores the broader waste management industry in Kenya, which lacks a structured system but offers vast opportunities for innovation and growth. The government's push for producer responsibility is seen as a catalyst for more sustainable practices, encouraging the creation of a circular economy.

15:06

💼 Financing and Expansion Strategies

The video script describes the financial journey of Jenga, from initial savings and family support to securing investment for scaling up operations. The team's determination to prove their concept led them to numerous meetings, resulting in 52 rejections before finding an investor. The founder emphasizes the importance of a strong team and a clear 'why' for driving persistence through challenges. He advises young entrepreneurs to stay true to their purpose and be prepared for the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey. The paragraph concludes with a brief overview of Jenga's production process, from mixing sand and plastic to the use of an extruder and hydraulic press for molding and cooling the final products.

Keywords

💡Plastic Waste Pollution

Plastic waste pollution refers to the accumulation of plastic products in the environment, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems. In the video, the founders of Jenga are motivated to find sustainable solutions to this problem, aiming to transform plastic waste into useful building materials. This concept is central to their mission, as they seek to address the issue of plastic pollution by repurposing waste into pavers, showcasing a practical approach to environmental conservation.

💡Sustainable Solution

A sustainable solution is a method or process that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video emphasizes the founders' goal to create sustainable solutions to plastic waste by developing products that are both environmentally friendly and serve a practical purpose in construction. This aligns with the broader theme of sustainability, where they aim to reduce waste and promote the use of recycled materials in building and construction.

💡Alternative Building Products

Alternative building products are materials used in construction that are different from traditional ones, often offering benefits such as being more environmentally friendly or cost-effective. In the context of the video, Jenga produces pavers made from waste plastic, which serve as an alternative to conventional materials like concrete. These pavers are highlighted as a way to reduce plastic pollution and provide a durable construction material, thus contributing to sustainable construction practices.

💡Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that involves the design, analysis, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It plays a crucial role in the video as the founders, who are mechanical engineers, design and fabricate the machinery needed to produce their plastic-based building products. Their expertise in mechanical engineering is evident in the creation of the custom machinery used in the production line, which is central to the operational success of Jenga.

💡Industrial Engineering

Industrial engineering is concerned with optimizing complex processes, systems, or organizations by developing, improving, and implementing integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment, and energy. In the video, the industrial engineer on the team is responsible for the production line's efficiency, ensuring that the manufacturing process of the pavers is streamlined and effective. This role is vital for the scalability and economic viability of Jenga's operations.

💡Research and Development (R&D)

Research and development (R&D) refers to the process of creating new products or improving existing ones through scientific research and testing. The video mentions that Jenga spent several years in R&D before launching their product, indicating the importance of thorough testing and innovation in the development of their plastic-based pavers. This phase was crucial for ensuring the quality, durability, and market viability of their products.

💡Certification

Certification in the context of the video refers to the official approval by a recognized authority, such as the Kenya Bureau of Standards, that a product, service, or system meets specific requirements. Jenga's products had to be certified before they could be marketed, which is a critical step in gaining consumer trust and regulatory compliance. This process validates the quality and safety of their building materials, ensuring they meet industry standards.

💡Customization

Customization is the process of making or modifying a product to meet specific customer needs. In the video, Jenga's ability to customize the color and design of their pavers is highlighted as a key differentiator from competitors. This flexibility allows them to meet the diverse aesthetic preferences of their clients, enhancing the appeal of their products in the market and showcasing their commitment to customer satisfaction.

💡Waste Management

Waste management involves the collection, transportation, disposal, or recycling of waste materials. The video discusses the broader issue of waste management in Kenya, emphasizing the lack of a structured system and the potential for improvement. Jenga's business model contributes to waste management by repurposing plastic waste into construction materials, thus offering a solution to the problem of plastic pollution and promoting a circular economy.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of resources by recycling and reusing them. The video touches on the concept of a circular economy as a holistic approach to waste management. Jenga's business model exemplifies this by taking waste plastic and transforming it into valuable building materials, thereby closing the loop and reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste.

Highlights

Founders Connect Africa introduces a team of changemakers focused on sustainable solutions for plastic waste pollution.

The team, consisting of mechanical and industrial engineers, discusses their innovative approach to creating alternative building products from waste plastic.

Jenga, their company, was founded with a vision to address plastic waste pollution by producing affordable building materials.

The production line currently focuses on pavers made from waste plastic, used for sidewalks, food courts, and driveways.

Despite being in operation for two years, the team has spent four years on research and development to perfect their machinery and product.

The team designed and fabricated their own machines to meet the specific requirements of their production process.

Despite the economic challenges posed by the pandemic, Jenga has seen a positive reception and increasing orders for their products.

Jenga's products are certified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, a crucial step for market entry.

The team's next goal is to target larger projects and collaborate with government and major construction corporations.

Jenga plans to diversify their product line beyond the current rectangular pavers to include other shapes and building products.

The pavers produced are three times stronger than concrete and can be customized in color and design to meet customer preferences.

Jenga's pavers are also lighter than concrete, making them more cost-effective to transport.

The team emphasizes the importance of waste management solutions and the opportunities for innovation in creating a circular economy.

The founder shares his personal journey and inspiration, highlighting the impact of seeing others tackle similar challenges.

Fundraising for the business involved a combination of personal savings, family support, and eventually securing an investor.

The team's persistence is highlighted by their efforts to secure investment, attending 52 meetings before finding success.

Advice for young entrepreneurs is shared, emphasizing the importance of having a clear 'why' to stay motivated through challenges.

The production process is detailed, from mixing sand and plastic to the use of an extruder and hydraulic press for shaping and cooling the pavers.

Transcripts

one month's trash is another month's

treasure did you know

that a bottle top could make road

pavements

this is founders connect africa

hi how are you hi how are you thank you

so much for meeting us

yes this is uh we are the change makers

changemakers the really proud ones very

proud changemakers

yeah so we as i said

this is the team so that's david

genius mechanical engineer that's kim

he's the industrial engineer in terms of

the production line

and that's cheng he's also a mechanical

engineer

and a really a heavy expert as far as

the machinery process

is concerned yes and i just tag along

i just stuck along that's what i do

thank you so much for having us here at

this yankee

known to a lot of machines here um

just tell us how did younger start so

jenga started with a dream of four

people

me and a team of three very brilliant

engineers

and the idea was how do we find the most

sustainable solution

to plastic waste pollution and giving a

solution that is practical

the best way we saw that we could do a

practical solution was to directly

impact the basic needs

and in this case housing is one of the

basic needs so that is

literally the dream we had how do we use

one problem plasticquest pollution

to solve another problem of building or

alternative

affordable building products so what do

you produce here

so here in general makers we produce

alternative building products

our current production line is pavers

which are

which are used for sidewalks food parts

and driveways

that are made from waste plastic or

otherwise plastic is a component

how long have you been in this business

so in terms of operation

we have been in two years two years in

operation

this year in fact we launched our

product officially in the market

but in terms of research and development

this will be our like fourth year

yes because before we even bring the

product in the market we have a lot a

series of

research and developments just from

machines all the way to the product

itself

tell me why did you get those machines

they look very heavy

yes yes um so this is a

pure pure beautiful work of art by our

team the jenga team

the team of four brilliant engineers of

course we had

help because as you can see this thing

is almost 2-3

times i think yeah so you need a

machinery and a few more hands

to set it up but they they from

everything from the design

to the execution to the fabrication we

did it as a team

that's because we we searched we really

scout the internet to find the machines

that could

give us what we wanted and unfortunately

we didn't get

exactly what we wanted we got something

close but not exactly what you wanted

so we decided you know what if the

mountain cannot if muhammad does not go

to the mountain

let's bring the mountain to mohammed wow

so you literally guilt

your own machines from this yes wow so

um

you have been in business for say two to

three years

um how has it been do you have a lot of

customers

how do you did you start looking for

your own customers for this

yes so as early as stated this was our

official first year of

launch in the market and we're really

really fortunate and really happy

that the reception this perception has

been amazing

even despite the covered situation

especially the impact that it has had in

the economy

in terms of the recep reception in the

market we are really getting increasing

in orders in fact we need to start

working on our capacity

we need to start trumping it up or

rather thinking of ramping it up

what has been your challenges so

as i stated earlier first of all being a

relatively small team

we have to really get like everyone

doing everything like all hands on deck

so if we can like

get more skilled youth story targeting

youths

that doesn't mean if you don't have the

skill you cannot do it we can always

upskill you that's the first thing the

second thing is

we before we were not certified by the

kenya bureau of standards so and for you

to bring a product in the market

you have to be certified so but right

now as you speak

we are really fully certified from the

kenya bureau of standards

what is next for you um so for

for next thing our next step is uh we're

targeting bigger projects

um hopefully going for the likes of the

government

and other big construction corporations

to

in to you for for them to be able to be

aware and also for them to try and use

the product that is alternative

in the space and also to diversify our

product

right now we just have one papers the

rectangular ones but also now

looking to diversify not to just in the

shapes but also in other building

products generally

so this is an example of of what you do

this is uh

about 40 mm fever so there are different

standards in the peppers the difference

is the thickness

so depending on where you're going to

put it it determines the size

so like this one the small one is

essentially for compounds foot bridge

food parts and where there's like not

that heavy heavy

um wheat and then there's a bigger one

which is the

medium duty that one is somewhere where

you have like vehicles

um not relatively heavy machinery but

just generally vehicles lorries and

stuff

then you have a bigger one where you

have like trailers and the likes that

can sustain the weight

and yes how many do you do this in a in

a day

so right now we are running a 500 brick

a shift per day currently we're just

running one shift

but we have the capacity of running two

shifts so essentially to be anything

between 1 000 to 1200.

every day every day wow interesting

um so what differentiates you from other

people

okay from the competition yeah okay so

just starting with the product itself

from the test we've run in partnership

with the kenya bureau of standards

this brick holds three times the weight

of concrete

so for example like the same the exact

same size of concrete will carry

anything between 40 to 50

newton per millimeter weight that's the

compression strap

this one carries 140 so it's almost

three times

the the impact that's the first one the

other one is we have the capacity of

making as many color variations as the

customer wants

our biggest asset is we have the ability

to customize

based on the customer's input so right

now we have

like the last site we did we had

a series of normal the gray the gray

color and then a series of patterns

with different colors and we were able

to execute it

some of the materials but it was it was

because of the material we're about to

use it's that's

easily achievable the other thing is as

you can feel this brick is

it feels heavy but it's relatively

lighter or if you compare with the

concrete

it's almost half the weight so therefore

you're able to transport more

for left for less cost yeah so

essentially if you are to transport

maybe 100 of these you would need more

for

more like a bigger truck for concrete as

compared to this one

yeah and the last one

unbreakable unbreakable good stuff let's

talk about the industry at large

waste management solutions

what are the um issues surrounding

the industry that you'd like probably a

lot of regulation or

you see opportunities for people who

would definitely want to enter into this

business

yeah um for the worst management system

we are yet to be like fully uh having

structuralized for the lack of a better

word there is no structure so you

quite don't know it's not there it's not

that it's not there it's just not

well established but with that said and

then there are

numerous opportunities because right now

as you speak

the government has the push to put what

you call a

production responsibility a producer

responsibility

that is well for every company that

produces any product in the market you

have to figure out or you have to think

what is the reuse and the recycle

element of the product after consumption

by the consumer

so that is one that provides that opens

up a huge space

where many can come on board and and

come and come and see

what can be put into the into that space

because

right now as we speak we really need to

start thinking about that

yes i know culturally as kenyans and

africans environment is the last thing

we ever think of

and and that i don't i don't blame them

because people have

more more urgent issues for example you

not think of environment when you're

hungry

but now from just a holistic point of

view

we need to start thinking of how do we

create a cyclic economy

and this is the one way because once you

finish once the producer packages your

soft drink

in that container you finish using it

you take it back to the recycler the

recycler recycles it and what you cannot

process again we take that and we bring

it to the paving block

and that and this the beauty about this

brick also is you can we're going to

process it again

so numerous opportunities lie there one

was waste is another

one's opportunity did you really enjoy

um environment when you were young or

how did you

love to be in this business so the idea

first of all i got inspired by other

people doing

a similar things in different places

that was really impactful

another thing is i get the feeling

we can do more just other than just

complain

for the lack of a better word and this

was just me

showing that yes other than me sitting

down and complaining why don't i do

something so when i tell you hey you

should sort your bottles

and once you finish drinking your sodas

you can just put them aside in

agunia that that

it will it will make you like you you

listen to me because i can show you how

to do yeah

to do that okay uh one of the last

questions how much should you invest in

this business

let's just say it's uh it's quite it's

quite some

it's quite some amount let's just say so

do you

have you saved up or what have you so

it's a combination of both so that the

prototype

the prototype of course we i use the the

savings

and a lot of from family and and friends

but to set up such a an entity you will

need some heavy investment

and of course we got assistance from

that you got an investor

yeah how did you do that how did you get

it i'm so

as i said we we are a team of four

really brilliant people

so i i told my team members uh that's a

oching

david and kim so we told them if we can

figure out

how to do just one brick we can know how

to make a thousand

so we had to know how to make just the

first one and so

once we got the first one then we went

around talking to different people

saying we can do this we just need

machine to replicate this maybe 500

times or a thousand times a day

so with that the conversation was a bit

easy because we had something

you were showing a product yes you had

it was not it was not the best

but it proved that concept yes okay how

many people did you talk to

ah wow wow

oh yeah um on top of my head

there are those who they don't they just

don't even give you time like

you just come in and they just say no

those ones are

enough but the ones who gave me even

just the door to open just to

here and then they they give me the

privilege of saying no what are they

i i the other way around was almost 52.

those ones are the ones i actually sat

down and i got to know so i successfully

got 52 news

yes over a period of almost eight months

wow

every day what drove you every single

day to go for this

um first of all um

like for example

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the the the the team really and i'll

under really emphasize on the team

because the team is

human is every human beings are

everything so i have a really strong

capable team

and they can really do wonders like they

can do magic

they just need an opportunity so that

was a fuel i was like

okay i know we can do that we can do a

lot we can do wonders we just need

someone we just need one person to say

yes just one person

and then the rest will fall in line so

that was the fuel

okay what would be your advice to young

people who are

probably thinking about um getting into

this kind of space

or people who are planning to create and

they give up on

the last the last minute they don't have

that zeal

to go for 52 meetings and being told no

um so the the the the zeal or

the fluctuates the times you have like

you're like yes i will do it

there are days you're like my friend

today i i just give up

i give up but like you have to have

something that

the why the i know a lot of people say

why and it sounds a bit cliche

but you have to be true to your why like

you have to say okay

you go why did i do this you answered

then why did i do that and then you go

to the really cool why

as to why you're doing that because

every time you go and you get all those

notes you can always fall back to your

why

thank you thanks so much and uh

caribou yes i can go around now

sawwasawa

so the first process so these are the

basics uh

in terms of what we need so this is sand

so the sun we mix it together

with the plastic so this is a crushed

plastic

oh you can crush the plastic yes so

because essentially

for the plastic and the sand to mix they

have to be almost at the same

size so you here you mix the sun the

plastic

and the color pigment yes so like for

example the production right now we're

doing a red color pigment

so the next stage is after they have

mixed homogeneously

you put them in you feed it in

in this machine and this is called an

extruder

extruder yes extruder so what

essentially it does it takes the plastic

and mixes it with sand at very high

temperatures okay

so it can go anything between almost

there right now we have 367

degrees centigrade so if a human being

was to enter here

that will disintegrate faster than you

can say disintegrate

so yeah you can feed it

so you feed it there

so it's mixing them while heating them

together so

this is what this is what comes out

yes

so the next stage of the process is here

so this is called a hydraulic press

so as it's as the name suggests it

presses things

so this is called a mold and depending

on the size you see right now we're

making a rectangular one here

once again this all this we we did it

the sauce

and then as you notice the temperature

is very high so we have to bring it down

so this is a cooling system the next

thing is pressing so this one is almost

about 100 to 200 metric tons

so once it fully fully presses it

you let it cool for like a few minutes

it can be seconds it can be minutes

depending on

how how much you want to produce yeah

that way

but essentially that's it so

like once it stops

so the next stage essentially once they

cool

is gonna come out with uh

for open gender yeah so

maybe just enough for you to remove okay

no no but hijab image just enough for

you too

the next step

is

[Music]

it will continue cooling as you continue

and then

the next stage shut our cooling session

when

[Music]

[Music]

you