High performance car cleaning products and a consistently eco-friendly orientation – would not appear to fit together at all. But the German company SONAX – one of the leading manufacturers of car care products world wide - are showing that it can be done.

Modern consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental soundness of the cleaning and care products they use to keep their cars looking good and maintaining their value. SONAX was one of the first firms in the industry to introduce products onto the market which, aside from their optimum cleaning results, were environmentally pro-active as well.

SONAX has long reconciled the aims of economic success and environmental protection. And in this, they have always been one jump ahead of developments in society. It was not until the 1980’s, and the formation of the Green movements in Germany and Europe, that the industry started to react to the health and environmental issues and to conservation of the environment, which these movements bought into the public consciousness.

The SONAX company, which had its origins in the quarrying and refining of silica, had already recognised in the 1960’s that the preservation of natural resources was indispensable to the long term viability of the firm. An example of this is revealed by Manfred Hoffmann jr. the proprietor of the firm now in the 4^th generation: “Although there were hardly any legal regulations at that time, we ensured, for example, that the pits created by mineral extraction were restored into their original condition and were transformed into valuable biotopes. The value that we have always placed upon human and natural resources has been a mark of this company, and one of which we are proud.”

To demonstrate that there is more to this philosophy than mere platitudes, is the next move envisaged by the company management: By the end of 2005 the SONAX Company will have attained EN ISO 14001 certification. By conforming with this European standard the German car care company will signal their voluntary adherence to these guidelines for environmental management which are applicable worldwide.

The ISO 9001-certification from the internationally recognised German Inspection Organisation TÜV confirms that with their progressive manufacturing processes, SONAX operate consistent Quality Management. In regular inspections, development, manufacturing procedures, and even transportation modes are scrutinised by the TÜV Organisation through exhaustive tests.

The consumer profits by all this, as a consistently high quality level is thus assured – and the end consumer can rely on using good quality, and environmentally friendly products.

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