ASU, Equinox form partnership to promote eco-friendly laundry detergent

ALBANY, Ga. — Equinox Chemicals and Albany State University have announced a partnership in which both organizations will work together to promote an ecologically-friendly laundry product manufactured by Albany-based Adco Products, LLC (a division of Equinox Chemicals), called “Adco Eco”.

Equinox will work with ASU’s local Enactus Chapter, to bring the new product to market, with a test launch during ASU’s upcoming homecoming weekend.

“Albany State University Enactus (formerly SIFE – Students In Free Enterprise) is proud to be a part of the Adco Eco Project.” faculty advisor Sandra Washington said. “Part of our mission is to help build our community through various partnerships. Such a partnership will benefit our students, the ASU community at large, and all other stakeholders.”

Enactus Chapter President David Lawrence said the group was looking forward to gaining real-world experience while promoting an environmentally friendly product.

“We will market the product and plan to market it by using our resources,” Lawrence said. “We are tasked to find a new beginning and will first attempt to get the product into the University of Georgia System. Then we will try to get retailers on board with it.

“We are excited to launching this product at Albany State.”

Equinox CEO Mark Grimaldi is also excited about the new partnership.

“This is a neat time for us and Albany State,” Grimaldi said. “Having the opportunity to launch this product at such a respected institution of higher learning, and to mutually support the Global Soap Project further cements our company’s focus on quality, integrity and dependability.”

The Global Soap Project collects used soap from hotels, reprocesses it into new bars, and distributes the product to vulnerable populations around the world to save lives and improve global health. According to executive director Sam Stephens, 1,000 hotels participate in the effort and 23 countries worldwide are recipients of the recycled soap.

ASU President Everette Freeman thinks the new partnership will be of benefit to both organizations and to the community.

‘This partnership will get Albany State more involved in the business of growing businesses,” Freeman said. “We hope to create more jobs in Albany. Equinox and Mark Grimaldi have consistently brought jobs to Albany, but we want this growth to be located just on the banks of the Flint (River), but world-wide.”