Rethinking Plastic: A New Approach to Ocean Pollution
What does it take to grow a company from $150 million to over a billion dollars without losing the culture, values, and loyalty that built it? On this episode of Industry Ignited, we sit down with Skip Giessing, President of the Rotating Equipment Division at DXP Enterprises, to uncover the strategies, philosophies, and experiences that fueled his remarkable career journey.
From his early days in the Navy to building his own company and now leading one of DXP’s largest divisions, Skip’s story is one of loyalty, entrepreneurial spirit, and long-term thinking.
The Science Behind Sustainable Materials
Dimoula’s innovation centers on microfibrillated cellulose (MFC)—a material derived entirely from wood and water. Unlike bioplastics, which require synthetic processing, MFC is natural, compostable, and grease-proof without chemical additives.
Through the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant, Dimoula and her team developed machinery that can mold MFC into everyday products—everything from food packaging to consumer goods. The result is packaging that performs like plastic but biodegrades like paper.
“We’re taking forest resources we want more of and turning them into materials that work for people and the planet,” she says.
From Family Heritage to Future Innovation
Sustainability runs in Dimoula’s family. Her mother, Claudia, is a pulp and paper chemical engineer and her co-founder. Together, they bring decades of technical knowledge to reimagine manufacturing for the modern era.
But this mission isn’t just personal—it’s transformative. “There’s no reason manufacturing has to mean pollution,” Dimoula insists. “We’re redesigning mills into eco-industrial sites—factories that clean as they grow.”
Testing for a Cleaner Tomorrow
To ensure her materials are safe for marine life, Dimoula collaborates with researchers at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Their “Ocean Compostable Fish Friendly” testing exposes materials to zebrafish embryos, monitoring how they respond as the materials break down.
The goal? To guarantee that P3rd.Earth’s products not only decompose naturally—but also do no harm to aquatic ecosystems.
Scaling Up: From Prototype to Global Impact
After completing SBIR Phase 1 and 2 grants, P3rd.Earth is now scaling production. The company is piloting its products with major brands and entering international sustainability competitions. “Partnerships are key,” Dimoula explains. “We’re not just building products; we’re building a new materials economy.”
Her long-term vision includes expanding beyond wood-based fiber to other renewable sources like seaweed—creating a future where everything we use can safely return to nature.
Advice for Future Innovators
Dimoula offers encouragement to aspiring scientists and entrepreneurs—especially women:
“You won’t have all the answers at the start. But failing just gives you data on how to succeed. If you see a problem, you might already be the perfect person to solve it.”
Her mindset is simple but powerful: persistence, curiosity, and the willingness to act.
Redefining Industry for Ecological Abundance
Dimoula’s philosophy captures the heart of her mission:
“We want to transform human impact into ecological abundance.”
By designing materials that mimic nature’s closed-loop systems, she’s proving that sustainability and industry can coexist—and thrive together.
Interested in being featured on the podcast? Reach out to podcast@industryignited.com
