Advertisement – Easy Flow on Tap: An Eco- and Wallet-Friendly Way to Buy Windshield Washer Fluid
By Gretchen Matthews
See a problem, find an innovative solution. That’s what Tom White did in the winter of 2019. Having just returned to Ontario after a four-year adventure in Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean Islands, as owner- operator of Sea Escape Glass Bottom Boat Tours, White visited his local gas station to fill his truck reservoir with windshield wiper fluid and had a poor experience. Rather than let the moment go, he decided to make things better for consumers. Today, White is the president of Arctic Blue Inc. and the inventor and creator of Easy Flow on Tap, the latest development in windshield wiper fluid delivery.
An Innovative Dispenser
Tom White recognized that traditional methods of dispensing wiper fluid create large amounts of plastic waste via empty jugs that aren’t always recycled. He visualized an easy-to-follow touch screen POS system attached to a large tank from which consumers could refill their vehicle’s reservoir or a travel jug. He built a plywood prototype in his basement, and in a few months’ time, began sourcing materials from within Canada and around the world to create the Easy Flow on Tap Cube. The cube’s built-in tire inflator service seemed a natural add-on in the development process.
“One of the principal challenges to move forward was the volume,” he says. “There were some competitors out there, but the volume and capacity of the units wasn’t sufficient for what I thought would be a viable business case.” His original design was equal to 50 jugs. Once “super-sized,” Easy Flow on Tap dispensers grew to their current capacity, holding 1,512 liters, reducing the equivalent of 416 plastic jugs, 104 cardboard cartons and two wooden skids, with every refill.
From the manufacturer to the landfill, a typical jug is handled 10 times. “With this pioneering or innovative method, [the fluid is] not handled at all,” he says. “The customer pulls up and dispenses the fluid directly into the vehicle reservoir or travel container on the handy refill station, and there’s no spillage, no plastic. It’s a really good, convenient product delivery system for everybody, and the only one that really loses is the guy that makes the plastic jug.”
Conscientious Growth
Easy Flow on Tap has grown quickly. In the last year, White has installed six dispensers in the greater Ontario area. Ultra Clear National supplies the washer fluid, Nayax device provides the POS system, and White’s team handles any maintenance concerns. White is considering a rewards system, cooperative marketing campaigns, and other incentives to attract consumers and retailers.
This summer, White’s Team will build 21 more dispensers at his 800 square foot R&D space in Bowmanville. Meanwhile, he’s busy collecting data from existing sites to make sure the cubes are performing optimally before producing dozens. He says, “It easier to tweak six machines than to tweak 60 or more.” He adds with a chuckle, “It’s perfect now, but it’s only perfect until the next change. You’re always looking for continuous improvement.”
As part of his growth initiative, White met with P.D. McLaren Limited, a national liquid handling solutions provider, to discuss further advancements and strategies. The teams have been working together on further design and assembly improvements over the past weeks. P.D. McLaren Limited has partnered with Arctic Blue to manufacture, distribute and support the Easy Flow on Tap dispensers. “It seems like a logical fit for our current product lines,” says Jason Quin, operations manager for Eastern Canada. “The simple design and execution of dispensing washer fluid was well planned. Tom has put a robust product together that is easy to use and better for the environment.” To learn more about P.D. McLaren Limited go to www.pdmclaren.com or reach out to sales@pdmclaren.com.
Benefitting Consumers and Retailers
It costs $4.95 Canadian to fill a vehicle’s reservoir or reusable jug with windshield wiper fluid from an Easy Flow on Tap Cube, compared to $6.99 for a jug from an Ontario Shell gas station. The Easy Flow on Tap service also includes five minutes of air for tire inflation. After installing a dispenser, retailers can expect increased revenue on windshield wiper fluid sales, the elimination of hassles associated with jug management including theft, and reclaimed sales floor space to repurpose for other items. White believes they will also experience increased customer satisfaction. He shared these testimonials:
This is a world changer! Not only is this fill-up machine convenient while on the road traveling with my family but to know I’m also helping the world evolve into a greener world by simple actions like not purchasing more plastic… makes me happy & proud! Thank you for the fast convenience and healthier planet! – Brittany W.
Convenient, efficient, and reducing plastic waste? Yes please! As I was filling up on gas, I saw this really neat looking machine and had to explore. I quickly realized that it was a washer fluid pump! All this time I have been spilling all over my hood because I have misplaced my funnel and was throwing away jug after jug… A complete inconvenience and seeing the empty light always made my eyes roll. With this machine you swipe your card, fill up your fluid tank and away you go! After driving away, I got to thinking. We are ending the year of 2022, and this is the first time I am seeing one of these around. How? I truly believe this should be mandatory for all gas stations so we can all do our part of eliminating plastic and bettering the world for our children and theirs! It all starts somewhere. Everybody needs to check these out, and to the owner of these machines, thank you. – Sincerely, one satisfied customer, Chantel W.
A Glowing Present and a Bright Future
The Easy Flow on Tap Cube includes an anti-vandalism enclosure, weatherproof design, and canopy lighting for customer convenience. It emits a welcoming blue glow and is nearly transparent so retailers and customers can see how much fluid remains. AI monitoring software predicts and schedules refills.
Innovation requires discovery, aspiration, evolution, scaling, and perspiration. In the last four years, Tom White has demonstrated these essential attributes to create a commendable, environmentally responsible product that is a boon for the vehicle transportation industry.
