3rd Prize BIOPOLYMER Award 2021

Genisys GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)

Innovation: Biodegradable ground nailsTM for robotic lawnmower boundary wires

Genisys GmbH & Co. KG, based in Hahnbach, Upper Palatinate, is a dealer for robotic lawn mowers and accessories. Their product range also includes plastic pegs for the boundary wires of these automated lawn care systems. Company boss Richard Götz wasn't willing to simply accept the fact that a large portion of the approximately ten-centimeter-long pegs will likely remain in the ground forever, even though the mounts are no longer needed after just a few weeks – and so he successfully searched for a biodegradable plastic.

Jury statement

Before a robotic lawnmower can whir through a garden, an average of 500 cable holders must be buried in the ground. These secure boundary wires that prevent the automated lawnmower from escaping its assigned habitat. The company Genisys alone sells six million of these ground pegs per year, which gives an idea of the scale of the global market. This is precisely why company owner Richard Götz was worried that some of these holders remain in the ground forever and decompose into microplastics, even though they are essentially obsolete after a few weeks, when the cable has grown firmly into the lawn.

The head of the family business began a targeted research into biodegradable plastics that could replace the ecotoxically questionable ABS plastic. This search would take more than five years. The jury honored Richard Götz's 3rd prize for his persistence, despite the daily challenges of his core business as a retailer, in pursuing his goal even despite numerous setbacks, and for his commitment to substantial investments, ultimately finding a convincing solution with FKUR.

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