The Future Is Green: Andrew Meyer Of AeroFlexx On Their Top Strategies for a Cleaner Planet

An Interview With Wanda Malhotra

Environmental Education: Communicating on the international level is essential for environmental education now and in the future. We are addressing global legislation for environmental causes with eco-friendly packaging solutions. By sharing advancements in packaging and the latest transformative technologies, we can create an open dialogue to exchange ideas and inform future actions in communities.

As we face an unprecedented environmental crisis, the need for sustainable solutions has never been more urgent. This series seeks to spotlight the innovative minds and passionate advocates who are leading the charge in environmental conservation and sustainable practices. We aim to explore the most effective strategies, breakthrough technologies, and transformative policies that are shaping a more sustainable future for our planet. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Andrew Meyer.

Andrew Meyer is the Chairman and CEO of AeroFlexx, a full-service liquid packaging company that provides sustainable solutions to the marketplace. With extensive experience in entrepreneurial environments, previously as the CEO of Cobalt Technologies and CCO of Synata Bio, he’s led organizations through significant merger and acquisition transactions. He earned an MBA and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toledo and holds a dual-major B.S. in Environmental Management and Mathematics from the University of Findlay with a minor in Chemistry. Today, he’s leading with sustainable solutions that result in significant savings to the bottom line.

Thank you so much for joining us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?

Having spent over 15 years in four different venture-backed startups, I currently serve as Serial CEO for Innventure, LLC, and Chairman and CEO of AeroFlexx, an Innventure Company. In my twenty-five years of diverse corporate development experience, I have served a broad set of functions, spanning from Board Member, CEO, CCO, President, and SVP of Business Development. Before joining AeroFlexx and Innventure, my career spanned both venture startup and large multinational oil companies.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

The most interesting story from my career comes from my first job out of graduate school. We were starting up a first of its kind chemical plant with technology the world had never seen before. What I didn’t realize at the time was that experience actually drove my entrepreneurial spirit in such a way that it didn’t take me long to find my desired career path in venture-backed startup companies.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Embracing Unwavering Persistence — Never giving up, even when things seem completely against you and unsurmountable.

Taking a Measured Approach — Not over or under reacting to everything coming at you. Taking a very balanced approach without falling victim to paralysis by over-analysis.

Building Purpose-Driven Teams — As my team hears me say many times, you don’t build a house with 20 electricians. You need a team of diverse and highly qualified talent to build a masterpiece that exceeds expectations. Each team member, working together with a common purpose, delivering results in the most autonomous way possible.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that might help people?

AeroFlexx is advancing eco-friendly packaging with an innovation that combines the best features of flexible and rigid bottles into one — the AeroFlexx Pak. This package addresses the essential needs surrounding sustainability for liquid packaging. Scaling globally, we’re changing the landscape of how to achieve sustainability and commercializing to build and supply solutions that are good for brands, consumers, and the planet.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview. What pivotal moment led you to dedicate your career to sustainability, and how has that shaped your approach to environmental challenges?

As AeroFlexx’s CEO, I see on a daily basis the challenge that plastic packaging has on today’s society. That is why my vision and commitment with my team is to a circular economy that we proactively engage to help create an ecosystem whereby no AeroFlexx Pak ends up in the environment. In the end, I believe we have an unwavering obligation to society and future generations to do our part without compromise.

Could you describe a groundbreaking project or initiative you’ve been involved in that significantly contributed to sustainability?

Source reduction, which is one of the most immediate and impactful approaches for reducing a product’s impact on the environment, is an essential strategy in AeroFlexx’s development. The package has up to 85% less virgin plastic compared to traditional rigid bottles. Now commercializing, we’re able to impact outcomes that facilitate sustainability on a global scale.

How do you navigate the balance between economic growth and environmental preservation in your sustainability strategies?

Balancing growth and environmental preservation is fundamental for any business with a commitment to generating a positive impact in the world. Ensuring economic progress aligns with environmental stewardship shapes the well-being of a business and maintains that business’ mission. A clear, purpose-driven, ecologically-responsible path for product packaging and distribution is the basis of our approach — delivering significant brand value and accelerating sustainability commitments. This mission will help us continue contributing to industry initiatives into the future.

What emerging technologies or innovations do you believe hold the most promise for advancing sustainability and why?

Packaging technologies, such as innovative liquid packaging solutions, hold immense promise for advancing sustainability. By incorporating the best features of flexible and rigid packaging, we engineered AeroFlexx to be an all-in-one packaging solution. The package has an airframe technology that integrates tailored rigidity into the flexible form and seals itself without closures. With a focus on team collaboration, we are constantly developing the package to address broad market needs for various shapes and sizes without compromising the functionality of the integrative valve, airframe structure, and durability.

Balancing functionality with sustainability, the packaging’s structure is built on plastic reduction. The package has up to 70% less plastic at the source and incorporates up to 50% recycled content. Translating to the level of sustainability, with just 2.5B units of market adoption, the package would save 599.4 million kilowatt-hours of energy and 65.3 million gallons of gas. In addition, CO2 emissions would be reduced by 256.8 million pounds, and landfills would be spared from 980.8 million pounds of waste to lower the waste-to-landfill potential.

Based on your research or experience, can you please share your “5 Top Strategies for a Cleaner Planet”?

1. Source Reduction: At the very center of our packaging innovation is source reduction. As it’s adopted as a primary package, we’ll see the benefit of packaging with less plastic than traditional bottles. By implementing source reduction, we can impact many variables — curbing plastic production at the source and shrinking the packaging footprint.
2. Reduction in Carbon Emissions (CO2E): We’re addressing the packaging industry’s sustainability needs with strategies focusing on the environment. Our packaging has an airframe technology that uses air instead of plastic for its shape and structure, with a soft and lightweight construction. Right off the production line, it’s e-commerce friendly and equipped for omnichannel distribution. To manufacture a conventional plastic bottle, multiple production processes may have to occur — production of the cap, the label, and the bottle may happen on separate assembly lines, increasing the complexity of the supply chain. By reducing the number of parts produced separately, the supply chain is streamlined, impacting manufacturing costs and the environmental footprint.
3. Focusing on the Packaging Experience: Sustainable packaging features are elevating the packaging experience and ensuring eco-friendly and user-friendly qualities can coexist in the packaging world. Consumer experience is a priority for our unique packaging — simply tear off the top tab and squeeze easily with one hand for controlled dispensing as the self-sealing valve gives it the benefit of leak resistance. Both the airframe and self-sealing valve prevent leaks, meaning less mess and less waste.
4. Recyclability: Circular recycling practices and principles can maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste. Resources are recycled, reused, and repurposed by implementing closed-loop systems. This can be done by lowering a product’s plastic content and by enabling full, curbside recyclability.
5. Environmental Education: Communicating on the international level is essential for environmental education now and in the future. We are addressing global legislation for environmental causes with eco-friendly packaging solutions. By sharing advancements in packaging and the latest transformative technologies, we can create an open dialogue to exchange ideas and inform future actions in communities.

What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?

Feel free to check out our LinkedIn. If you would like to explore our website, it is linked here.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.

Thank you for this opportunity!

About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .