In a context in which industrial sustainability demands ever greater technical rigor, traceability and verifiable results, Virutex Ilko is consolidating its position as a regional benchmark in the integration of the circular economy into the production processes of the household industry. Its model demonstrates that it is possible to articulate operational efficiency, innovation in materials and environmental responsibility under the same corporate strategy.
This commitment was recognized last December 9, during our Zero Waste Recognition Gala, the organization was distinguished as a Platinum Affiliate of the Zero Waste Management System, after maintaining for three consecutive years its certification granted by Icontec, highlighting its achievements and strategy, sustained over time and aligned with international standards.
An industrial model with a circular vision
With more than 77 years of experience, Virutex Ilko is a Chilean multi-Latin company, leader in Latin America in the production and marketing of kitchenware (Ilko brand) and cleaning solutions for the home and professional use (TASK brand). Its regional presence and production capacity have enabled it to consolidate an industrial operation that incorporates sustainability criteria from design to manufacturing.
From its plant located 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 the use of materials, the reduction of waste from the source and the incorporation of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastics in the development of new products, integrating the circular economy as a strategic axis of its international operation.
Zero Waste Management: from operational control to organizational culture
The adoption of the Zero Waste Management System has represented for Virutex Ilko a structural transformation process that goes beyond regulatory compliance. It has involved the redesign of processes, the optimization of material flows, the strengthening of segregation at source and the consolidation of technical alliances with specialized managers, under a continuous improvement approach.
As a result of this management, the organization has achieved technical indicators of high environmental performance:
- 81.9 % of actual recycling
- 81.2 % for general recycling
- Sustained improvement in segregation and material utilization
These results demonstrate a management based on data, traceability and operational control, where waste is no longer an environmental liability but an input that generates value within the production chain.
Strategic leadership and consistent decision making
This recognition is also a reflection of the corporate leadership of Juan Martín Monsalve Levy, Corporate General Manager, and the technical and strategic work of his team, especially Angie Montenegro, Natalia Salazar and Katherine Melan, who have led the implementation and consolidation of the Zero Waste Management System with a structured, cross-cutting and results-oriented vision.
During the Awards Gala, Sandra Pinzón, CEO of Global Zero Waste, highlighted that maintaining a Zero Waste certification over time is not a product of chance, but a reflection of a solid organizational culture, coherent decisions and a leadership that understands that sustainability is not an isolated project, but a way of operating..
A commitment that projects the future of the industry
Recognition as a Platinum Affiliate does not represent a point of arrival, but the consolidation of a long-term vision in which industrial sustainability, circular economy and operational efficiency are integrated as pillars of competitiveness. From Colombia, Virutex Ilko demonstrates that the household industry can play an active role in the transition towards more responsible production models, generating economic, social and environmental value, and contributing to regional development.
Diego Romero, Technical Director of Global Zero Waste, emphasizes that: “Virutex Ilko is a company that has bet on the continuous improvement of industrial processes and above all on research, making these two elements a structural part of the backbone of the Zero Waste Management System, and of its strategy of sustainability of materials and solid waste, managing to consolidate objectives and goals in the 9R. As a result of these, the maintenance of the gold category of the certification and the Platinum Recognition of GZW is evidenced”.”
Thus, sustainability ceases to be a differentiator and becomes an operational standard, capable of transforming the industry and responding with concrete and measurable solutions to today's environmental challenges.
