JS Capital Management, the private investment firm led by Jonathan Soros, and Schusterman Family Investments, both based in New York, have acquired a minority stake in Closed Loop Partners, according to a news release issued by the New York-based circular economy investment firm. JS Capital’s most recent investment expands its existing partnership with Closed Loop Partners, having become a limited partner across that organization’s funds and an active co-investor in 2018.

Closed Loop Partners’ asset management division is comprised of venture capital, project finance, growth equity and private equity. To date, the firm says it has invested in more than 40 companies across sectors, including consumer products and packaging, fashion, food and agriculture and technology. Investors in Closed Loop Partners’ funds include the world’s largest retailers, consumer goods and technology companies, financial institutions, family offices and foundations.

Additionally, Closed Loop Partners’ innovation center, the Center for the Circular Economy, works across brands, countries and industries to create the systems change necessary for the advancement of the circular economy through research, analysis and collaboration, according to the organization.

 Jonathan Soros says, "Ron Gonen and Closed Loop Partners have been pioneers as investors and thought leaders in the circular economy. Their networks and expertise are unparalleled in the field.”

Gonen, who founded Closed Loop Partners and serves as its CEO, says, “With an exceptional investment track record and deep commitment to a sustainable future, JS Capital and Schusterman Family Investments make ideal partners for the next chapter of our growth.”  

A circular economy offers a viable business framework to reduce costs, increase efficiency and protect the environment we share, benefiting people, the planet and business. At a time when climate change and sustainability are no longer top of mind for only waste-conscious consumers, but for investors, brands and governments across the globe, business as usual must change to avoid the economic, social and environmental risks of climate inaction.

Trelleborg Wheel Systems, Italy, has announced the expansion of its Brawler HPS (High Performance Solid) Telehandler Tire range to include the Comfort line, which the company says offers tires engineered to reduce vibration and improve the driving experience of telehandlers and compact wheel loaders in waste and recycling applications.

According to Trelleborg, the new line of solid tires maximizes ride comfort, while delivering the best possible performance in demanding environments.

“Waste and recycling applications are extremely demanding on tires, which are at risk of being damaged or punctured during operations. Standard solid tires give increased safety and require zero maintenance, but this often comes at the expense of operator comfort,” says Alessio Bucci, product marketing senior manager at Trelleborg. “Now, with the introduction of Trelleborg’s COMFORT line for telehandlers and compact wheel loaders, drivers will experience a softer ride thanks to increased shock absorption and reduced vibration.”

Featuring a wide footprint, Trelleborg’s Comfort line tires are designed to provide better traction compared to standard solid tires. The company says the wide, flat tread design affords excellent stability and extended operating hours, while a deep lug tread design gives three times more wear than a pneumatic tire.

“At Trelleborg, we believe that driver comfort is essential to productivity. After receiving a very positive market response to our Brawler 25-inch HPS Soft Ride line, we decided to extend the concept to our smaller 24-inch range of HPS tires for telehandlers and compact wheel loaders,” Bucci says.

The Comfort line includes tire sizes 43x15-24; 47x17-24; 13.00-24; and 14.00-24.

For more information about the Trelleborg Comfort line, visit here.

Keurig Dr Pepper, Plano, Texas, announced Dec. 8 that it has achieved one of its longstanding sustainability commitments in making all the K-Cup pods the company produces recyclable.  

The effort involved converting more than 100 manufacturing lines to produce the pods, now made from polypropylene (PP), or No. 5, plastic. In addition, new packaging for the recyclable K-Cup pods features a green recyclable flag as well as a How2Recycle label that clearly communicates recycling instructions to consumers.

Keurig Dr Pepper produces approximately 80 percent of the coffee pods sold at retail for use in Keurig brewers and, earlier this year, began shipping the new recyclable pods to retailers. The now are largely distributed on retail shelves.   

"It's an exciting day for Keurig Dr Pepper and our partners as we complete this multiyear journey that required intensive product development, significant capital investment and expansive industry engagement," Monique Oxender, chief sustainability officer at Keurig Dr Pepper, says.

To ensure pods could be successfully recovered at material recovery facilities (MRFs), Keurig Dr Pepper pioneered testing using RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology in 2016 to track tens of thousands of K-Cup pods in various MRFs across North America. Those tests demonstrated that K-Cup pods were able to successfully pass through the stream with other recyclables to be further sorted with containers, a finding which was further validated by the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Washington.

In addition to converting 100 percent of K-Cup pods to the new recyclable format, Keurig Dr Pepper says it has intensified its efforts to ensure that MRFs across the U.S. have the capability to recycle PP. Earlier this year, with a $10 million commitment, the company became a founding member and the largest funder of The Recycling Partnership's Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, a collaborative of 18 organizations dedicated to increasing the quantity and quality of polypropylene recycling in the U.S. 

"Designing recyclable coffee pods is just one important step in our journey to make the Keurig brewing system more sustainable. Our work continues to minimize our overall plastic footprint while we play a leadership role in cross-industry collaborations for critical recycling infrastructure improvements across the United States and Canada in support of a circular economy," Oxender says.

Keurig Dr Pepper is also a principal member of the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF’s) ReSource: Plastic activation hub, which seeks to quantify corporate impact and track company actions to reduce plastic waste.

"We developed ReSource: Plastic to help companies turn their plastic waste commitments into action, and that's exactly what Keurig Dr Pepper has done with today's announcement," Erin Simon, head of Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund, says. "Access to recyclable content is essential if we're going to build a larger plastic waste management system. Investing in polypropylene is a positive step toward building a system where materials can be successfully recovered."

Keurig Dr Pepper’s research and development teams are working on new sustainability innovations for Keurig brewers and pods. In  Canada and the U.S., the Keurig K-Mini and K-Mini Plus coffee makers are made with at least 20 percent and 30 percent postconsumer resin (PCR), respectively, and the new K-Supreme Plus brewer also contains at least 30 percent PCR content. The company plans to increase those percentages in those brewers in 2021 while expanding the use of PCR to more brewer models.

Wastequip, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based manufacturer of waste equipment, has acquired Carlsbad, California-based waste services company ContainerPros.

According to a news release from Wastequip, this acquisition will enhance its existing cart assembly and delivery service offering provided by Wastequip’s Toter brand. Wastequip says ContainerPros has a “well-respected team” with more than 20 years of experience in providing cart assembly, delivery and maintenance services for waste haulers and municipalities. The company adds that this acquisition will expand Wastequip’s services to include the repair and refurbishment of steel containers as part of its offerings.

“The acquisition of ContainerPros, a company that has built a decades-long reputation for outstanding service, complements our service strategy that began with the opening of our first Wastequip WRX location,” says Wastequip CEO Marty Bryant.

Earlier this year, Wastequip announced the launch of Wastequip WRX facilities, which expand the company’s field service capabilities for truck-mounted equipment. Wastequip says its WRX facilities provide parts, service and installation for most types of waste handline equipment, with additional locations planned in the coming months.

“Just like our WRX facilities, cart and container service work will be led by Wastequip employees,” Bryant adds. “This means that haulers and municipalities can rest assured that they will receive the same level of quality and professionalism with our service offering that they currently enjoy when purchasing any of our industry-leading equipment brands.”

Following the close of this deal, ContainerPros founding partners Mark Merhab and Gary Lima will remain with the company. Wastequip says their expertise in servicing carts and containers, along with Wastequip’s new assembly and delivery software, allows for more efficient, accurate delivery, as well as ongoing cart management and maintenance.

“The partnership allows us to greatly enhance current assembly and delivery capabilities while expanding cart maintenance and other service offerings,” Merhab says.