"For me, running this biodiesel trucking company is like coming home..."
For owner Charles Whitwam, Blue Sky Shipping represents a return to his Midwestern roots and heartland values. Growing up in Michigan, Whitman's family grew all their own fruits and vegetables, composted, and were resource-conscious. Each day's problems were challenges to solve through innovation, creativity, and a little elbow grease.
Whitwam's now in the business of operating a regional shipping and delivery company whose trucks are powered 100% by biodiesel, also made by his company.
It all began with collecting used vegetable oil from restaurants. Then Charles and his colleagues built a biofuel processor, tinkering around until they learned how to reliably make their own biodiesel .
But they wanted to do something more - so they started a trucking company. Based in Northern California, Whitwam's company is the only dedicated US shipping firm that uses 100% biodiesel for all its trucks. As the leader in sustainable shipping, Blue Sky is on track to grow 150% this year. Its customers love the company's pioneering, values-based approach to economic growth coupled with environmental sustainability.
"I'm the kind of guy who likes to invent his own ways of getting things done. I believe you just have to start somewhere, and you'll progress if you keep your goals in sight and your values real," says Charles.
Apart from the financial rewards of owning a growing business whose predominant raw material cost is about 25% of market rates, Whitwam gets tremendous satisfaction out of knowing that his trucks reduce emissions on a comparative basis by about 16 pounds per gallon of fuel used. "The environmental impact is huge - and the financial part just makes sense. It's easy, gratifying, and rewarding for us, and also for the planet and the community and for our country - and now, customers are coming to us because they want a shipping alternative that's environmentally friendly and service-oriented."
Plus, as Charles Whitwam points out, "It's just cool to drive a delivery truck that smells like French fries -- especially when it reduces emissions and creates local jobs, too."
