Virutex Ilko: industrial efficiency and circular economy applied to the housewares industry

In a context where industrial sustainability demands ever greater technical rigour, traceability and verifiable results, Virutex Ilko is establishing itself as a regional benchmark in building the circular economy into the production processes of the housewares industry. Its model shows that operational efficiency, innovation in materials and environmental responsibility can be brought together under a single corporate strategy.

That commitment was recognised on 9 December: at our Zero Waste Recognition Gala, the organisation was distinguished as a Platinum Affiliate of the Zero Waste Management System, after holding for three consecutive years its certification awarded by Icontec — a recognition of results and of a strategy sustained over time and aligned with international standards.

With more than 77 years behind it, Virutex Ilko is a multi-Latin company of Chilean origin, a leader in Latin America in the production and sale of kitchenware (the Ilko brand) and cleaning solutions for home and professional use (the TASK brand). Its regional presence and production capacity have allowed it to build an industrial operation that brings sustainability criteria in from design through to manufacturing.

From its plant in the Cauca Free Trade Zone in Colombia, certified in the Gold category of the Zero Waste Management System since 2022, the company has strengthened a production model based on material recovery, waste reduction at source and the incorporation of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastics into the development of new products, making the circular economy a strategic pillar of its international operation.

Zero Waste management: from operational control to organisational culture

Adopting the Zero Waste Management System has meant, for Virutex Ilko, a process of structural transformation that goes beyond regulatory compliance. It has involved redesigning processes, optimising material flows, strengthening separation at source and building technical partnerships with specialist waste managers, under a continuous improvement approach.

As a result of that work, the organisation has reached technical indicators of high environmental performance:

• 81.9% real recycling
• 81.2% general recycling
• Sustained improvement in the segregation and recovery of materials

These results show management based on data, traceability and operational control, where waste stops being an environmental liability and becomes an input that creates value within the production chain.