OEN Member Spotlight – Duncan Meyers of Cycle 6 Technology
Cycle 6 Technology is an Oregon based start-up that manufactures compressed polystyrene (CPS) from waste Styrofoam® producing a dense and lightweight concrete aggregate. 
Q: What does your business do?
A: Cycle 6 Technology provides a unique product called compressed polystyrene-CPS from recycled Styrofoam®, which is used as a lightweight concrete aggregate. We provide a FREE drop off location to the public and a fee based service for pickup of any quantity of waste Styrofoam® from 5 cu/ft to 5,000 cu/ft up to 75 miles from our processing facility.
Q: What problem does it solve?
A: Cycle 6 Technology solves the problem of what to do with all the waste Styrofoam® packaging material that is constantly being thrown into landfills. For our customers, it solves their problem of finding a lightweight aggregate for their bagged premix and Ready-Mix concrete.
Q: How did you come up with this business idea?
A: Cycle 6 Technology's founder, Duncan Meyers, discovered this unique material while experimenting on waste Styrofoam® in the hopes of discovering a secondary use for the abundant amount thrown into landfills.
Q: What are your biggest challenges?
A: Cycle 6 Technology's biggest challenge is acceptance into the Construction Industry as an acceptable aggregate for lightweight concrete.
Q: What are your goals for the company?
A: Cycle 6 Technology's future goals are to open a facility in Q2 - 2012, begin processing waste Styrofoam® in Q3 – 2012, and to be selling its CPS to concrete manufacturers by the end of Q4 - 2012.
Q: Are you looking for funding?
A: Cycle 6 Technology is currently seeking $350,000 for their initial seed funding.
Q: What would funding enable you to do?
A: Cycle 6 Technology's seed funding would enable us to open a facility, purchase the process equipment, hire employees, and to begin processing waste Styrofoam® into CPS aggregate.
Q: Have you been an entrepreneur before?
A: Yes. Duncan Meyers owned a previous business called, Lifestyle Gardens, which built a hand made raised garden planter box that had a built-in water wick system. This company was moderately successful and taught Mr. Meyers about taking a design and turning it into a sellable product.
Q: What brought you to OEN? What do you hope to gain from membership?
A: Antonio Paez of the Gresham, Small Business Development Center, suggested that Cycle 6 Technology enter into OEN in the hopes of finding investors interested in our unique process.
Q: What has been the biggest surprise in your entrepreneurial experience to date?
A: My biggest surprise has been the overall excitement from other companies wanting to partner with Cycle 6 Technology after learning about our CPS material and its ability to be used by these other companies in their products.
Q: What has been the best entrepreneurial advice you’ve received?
A: The best entrepreneurial advice I have received, has been to take every opportunity I'm given as if it is my last - to share my passion for Cycle 6 Technology and its unique product to anyone I meet.