Volvo CE partners with Waste Management to achieve zero waste to landfill
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) announced its Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, campus has achieved zero landfill status. The North American campus is only the second Volvo CE location worldwide to earn this designation.
The company says that all waste generated is either recycled, composted or converted to electricity. This includes material from day-to-day manufacturing and assembly operations, office activities, preventive and reactive maintenance of equipment and facility systems.
Volvo CE’s Shippensburg campus consists of seven standalone buildings on 192 acres, with a total area of 838,342 feet under roof. The site employs over 800 people.
The journey to zero landfill was a multiyear, multistep process in partnership with Houston-based Waste Management, the site’s waste service provider.
“The Volvo Core Values team has worked closely and earnestly with departments across the Shippensburg site to become a zero-landfill facility," Rich Halter, safety and environmental manager at Volvo CE, says. “Not only are we keeping wastes from entering landfills, but we have also significantly reduced our costs for waste handling.”
The site has progressed its diversion efforts over the last decade. In 2012, office and shop floor areas began single-stream recycling. By the end of 2018, all waste was fully diverted from landfills.
Volvo’s team works closely with Waste Management on devising new methods to reduce waste and cost. Waste fractions can be tracked and generated for review at any time, and all new manufacturing projects undergo a waste evaluation by a Volvo cross-functional team to ensure they meet zero-landfill requirements.
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) released a report March 16 stating that at least 53 solid waste industry workers died on the job in 2019 in the United States and Canada. The most common cause of death was being struck by one’s own waste vehicle, followed by single vehicle accidents involving only a waste vehicle. Over 40 percent of worker fatalities were a result of one of these two causes.
Solid waste and recycling collection professions continue to have the highest occurrence of fatalities in the industry, representing about 68 percent of worker deaths. Fatalities at landfills increased slightly from eight in 2018 to 11 in 2019 and fatalities at material recovery facilities (MRFs) increased from three to four.
“The number of solid waste-related fatalities continued at unusually high levels in 2019,” SWANA Executive Director and CEO David Biderman says. “Although there was a small decline from 2018, and that slight improvement has continued into 2020, we remain concerned about the solid waste industry’s overall safety performance. We urge all employers and employees to take advantage of the growing number and variety of SWANA safety resources.”
SWANA collects data on solid waste-related fatalities from a wide number of industry and media sources in order to produce an annual picture of the state of safety. In addition to the workers killed on the job in 2019, at least 80 members of the public were killed in an incident involving industry workers. Almost all of these were the result of a collision with a solid waste collection vehicle. Two-thirds of the victims were a driver or passenger at the time and about 16 percent were pedestrians. Incidents involving motorcyclists represented 9 percent of fatalities in 2019 and bicyclists represented 7.5 percent of fatalities.
Forty-four of all fatalities recorded by SWANA in 2019 occurred in the United States and nine were in Canada. This represents an increase from 2018 and 2017 when four and six fatalities, respectively, were recorded in Canada.
January was the deadliest month in 2019, with 22 total fatalities. It was also the month with the most fatalities in 2018 with 19. January was also by far the deadliest month for members of the public with 15 fatalities, the only month to experience double-digit fatalities for that group. In 2019, June had the most worker fatalities with eight, followed by July with seven.
Texas had 13 fatalities for the year, making it the state with the most solid waste-related deaths in 2019. This was followed by California with 11, New York with nine and Pennsylvania with eight. The 10 states and provinces with the most fatal incidents in 2019 represented 57 percent of all fatalities in the United States and Canada as a whole. Counting only worker fatalities, New York had the most with eight deaths in 2019, followed by California and Texas with seven.
“Employers must look inward for causes and corrective actions,” Suzanne Sturgeon, SWANA Safety Committee chair and health & safety program manager for Long Beach-based SCS Field Services. “Changing the culture of workers is essential to this effort. Training frequently in small and digestible doses is paramount to make this shift.”
In order to provide training resources to those most in need, SWANA and other industry leaders hold hauler safety outreach events at landfills, transfer stations, MRFs, WTE facilities and other locations. SWANA urges everyone in the solid waste industry to take the SWANA Safety Pledge to show their commitment to safety.
For more information on SWANA’s safety program, visit swana.org/safety.
Rotochopper, St. Martin, Minnesota, hosted Rotochopper University, an exclusive training event for owners and operators the last two weeks of February.
The two-day class included a manufacturing facility tour, equipment operation best practice training, a hands-on demonstration and networking opportunities. This year the education focused on how to properly feed a grinder, how to perform preventative maintenance and how to troubleshoot.
The hands-on demonstrations showed attendees how to install the main rotor bearings, as well as how to adjust the sheave and tension the drive belt on a Rotochopper grinder.
“The class was well organized, the instructors are very knowledgeable, plus they kept things moving with the mix of classroom and hands-on training,” says an attendee from Ontario, Canada.
Rotochopper offered two session options, with over 50 students from 35 companies across the U.S. and Canada attending.
“Rotochopper University was very beneficial,” says an attendee from Appleton, Wisconsin. “I was able to gain knowledge on every part of my machine. It felt very personal, and not like generic coverage. This was a very good course and I would recommend it to anyone with a Rotochopper machine.”
Deutz Corp. adds Power Centers in Florida, New Jersey and New York markets
Deutz Corp., Norcross, Georgia, is opening Deutz Power Centers to serve the Florida, New Jersey and New York City markets.
The company says it plans to launch two Deutz Power Center locations in Florida in the Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale metropolitan areas. Two new branch managers have been hired, with facility locations to be determined over the coming weeks, the company says. Until those new locations are up and fully operational, Deutz says it will support customers in Florida with mobile service technicians and its existing dealer network.
“We’ve already begun assembling a solid team for the locations in North and South Florida,” says Nick Vermet, general manager of Deutz Power Centers.
Deutz Power Centers are fully stocked with Deutz genuine parts and provide regularly scheduled and emergency service of the company’s engines, either at the Power Center or at customers’ sites. Manufacturers in Power Center territories can receive custom, value-added production and assembly services. Deutz also will take over sales and service responsibilities in New Jersey and New York City. More information on these changes will be forthcoming, the company says.
“Our Power Center model has proven to be very effective at providing customers with totally dedicated Deutz service and parts support,” says Robert Mann, president and CEO of Deutz Corp. “We’ve proven it in the Midwest and the Carolinas, so we look forward to providing customers across Florida, New Jersey and New York City with the top-notch sales and service that our Power Centers offer.”
Atlas Copco announces new VP of marketing
Atlas Copco Power Technique (AC), Rock Hill, South Carolina, has introduced Corbett Jones as vice president of marketing. In this position, Jones will drive marketing strategy, implementation and demand generation for AC in the U.S. and Canada, with a focus on the digitalization of the customer journey. Additionally, he will look to improve digital processes for working with dealers and national rental partners.
“I am excited to join a strong global brand with a proven track record of winning in the market through innovative products and services,” says Jones. “As a new member of the team, I want to help drive efficient and profitable growth through our channel partners.”
In addition to overseeing AC, Jones will be responsible for marketing support of the Chicago Pneumatic Power Technique and APT brands.
With 20 years of marketing and digital experience, Jones comes to AC from Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions, where he served as global director of digital marketing. Prior to that, he was the vice president and director of marketing at 3D Systems Corporation.
Vecoplan announces personnel changes
Vecoplan LLC, Archdale, North Carolina, has hired a new marketing department head and has named a new director of its parts and service operation. The company also has named its employee of the year for 2020.
Kirsti Nelson has joined the company as director of marketing and communications with the goal of leading the department to new and increased market concentration. She brings more than 15 years’ experience in industrial manufacturing industries, including paper, furniture, recycling and waste. Nelson has served in marketing and sales roles for American businesses and German-owned companies with U.S. operations and earned an MBA in marketing and operations from Vanderbilt University. She also holds a public relations professional certificate from the University of Virginia.
Additionally, Vecoplan’s aftermarket department has new leadership with the promotion of Mike Wilhoit to parts and service director. Wilhoit has worked for the company for 17 years, serving in the production and engineering departments. He also served as vice president of operations.
“Mike’s energy, loyalty and commitment to Vecoplan’s success is a vital asset to our company,” says COO Len Beusse. “The promotion is warranted due to his institutional knowledge of our customers and the market. He knows where we need to focus our efforts to remain the leader.”
Also within the parts and service department, Phillip Thompson has been named Vecoplan’s 2020 Employee of the Year. Thompson has been with Vecoplan for more than 12 years, having begun his tenure in 2006 doing quality control and delivery for mobile shredding trucks. Thompson then moved to the parts and service department.
As part of the honor, Vecoplan has given Thompson an all-expenses-paid trip.
Wilhoit, who is Thompson’s manager, says, “Phillip has demonstrated unmatched dedication to his role at Vecoplan. He continues to be one of our best performing parts salespersons. We are honored to grant him this well-deserved award.”
Vecoplan LLC is a subsidiary of Vecoplan AG in Germany. The company manufactures industrial and mobile shredders for different materials, selling into the plastics, wood, biomass, paper, recycling and waste, and waste-to-energy markets.
Machinex celebrates 50 years
Machinex is celebrating its 50th anniversary manufacturing equipment in 2020 by looking to the future with its mission statement, “Design solutions for a sustainable tomorrow.”
Founded in 1970 in Plessisville, Quebec, Machinex initially offered machining services, parts and equipment manufacturing for industrial and agricultural clients. In 1985, Machinex entered the recycling sector by delivering its first sorting facility, which was in Victoriaville, Quebec. Over the years, the company has evolved to focus entirely on serving the recycling industry, constructing its first material recovery facility (MRF) for curbside recycling in Canada and creating several companies and divisions.
These various companies are gathered under the Machinex Group umbrella, which Pierre Paré has owned since 1996. He joined the company in 1983 as a sales engineer and became a co-shareholder in 1989.
Over the years, Machinex says it has developed equipment that allows its customers to improve the performance of their operations through automated sorting. The company says it adapts to market changes, offering state-of-the-art equipment. Today, Machinex continues working to deliver high-performance, turnkey MRFs, the company says.
The company says it is currently completing construction of a new technology hub for its research and development department and manufacturing equipment such as optical sorters and sorting robots.
“Half a century in business is a great source of pride but also a major accomplishment when we think of all we had to navigate through to be here,” says Paré, who is CEO of Machinex Group. “Only 10 years ago, we were barely 200 employees, and today, we are nearly 500. Machinex has greatly contributed to the development of the recycling industry and sorting technologies over time. We can affirm that we are an international reference in the environment and waste management industry for our expertise in high-performance sorting solutions. This happened due to the hard work of a great team,” he adds.
Wastequip acquires Consolidated Fabricators Corp.
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Wastequip, a leading North American manufacturer of waste handling equipment, has announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Consolidated Fabricators Corp. (ConFab), a waste container manufacturer based in Van Nuys, California.
Founded in 1974, ConFab operates manufacturing, steel processing and equipment repair facilities in central and southern California with additional California locations in Sun Valley, Fontana, Galt and Otay Mesa, as well as a manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico.
Under the terms of the agreement, ConFab will continue to operate as its own entity with the existing leadership team remaining in place and reporting directly to Wastequip Chief Executive Officer Marty Bryant, according to a Wastequip news release.
The acquisition of ConFab adds a West Coast container manufacturer to Wastequip’s portfolio of brands. A family-owned business started by Al Melideo and now under the leadership of son Mike Melideo, ConFab has established itself as a leading provider of custom waste containers and related equipment specifically designed to suit the unique needs of the California market.
Existing Wastequip customers will benefit from access to a suite of products suited to their geographic market, along with additional production facilities to meet demand quickly.
This acquisition, along with Wastequip’s acquisition of Amrep in early 2019, rounds out Wastequip’s ability to offer complete nationwide product coverage for waste containers and related equipment, the company says.
“ConFab has been one of our top acquisition targets for some time because of the synergies it brings, including the ability to process steel, expand our parts fabrication and add container repair services,” Bryant says. “We are impressed by the business that Mike Melideo has built over the years in terms of vertical integration, intimate market knowledge, consistent product quality and outstanding customer support.”
Mike Melideo, CEO at ConFab, adds, “Becoming part of the Wastequip family aligns the company we’ve proudly built over the past four decades. This alignment allows us to take advantage of the strength of the Wastequip brand and leverage additional operational efficiencies to continue serving our customer base.”
Product Spotlight
Departments - Product Spotlight
New and updated products and technology for the waste industry.
Epax Systems, Panorama City, California, has introduced its Ropax mobile compactors, which are ideal for use at facilities with multiple dumpsters in a single location or spread across multiple locations on a property. Features of the compactors include:
a rolling drum with metal teeth to crush, tear, rip and compress waste in large open-top containers and dumpsters
a narrow design for increased maneuverability, allowing it to operate in congested or confined spaces
fully enclosed cab with climate control
forward and reverse travel controlled by a joystick
3TEK Global, Grand Prairie, Texas, has introduced the Bravo 6280 scrap shredder, the latest from the company’s lineup of mobile and stationary hammer mills and downstream sorting systems. Features of the shredder include:
can process up to 3,000 tons per month
driven by a 1,125-horsepower CAT32 diesel engine
produces 15-20 output tons per hour in ferrous output capacity
240-pound hammers on a 315,000-pound single chassis
Heil, Chattanooga, Tennessee, has announced the launch of the Command-SST, an automated side loader (ASL) designed to enhance safety, operational comfort and productivity. Features of the ASL include:
new monitor-based guidelines that assist in positioning the arm in the middle of the container
arm geometry that allows for above and below grade can grabs, as well as the ability to pick up a cart that has tipped over, helping the operator to stay in the cab for added safety
reduced arm lubrication points that are ground accessible
a can-shake feature that helps to dislodge wet waste that can get stuck in the cart
The Washington-based Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has canceled its ISRI2020 convention, which had been scheduled for late April at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
In a March 19 email to members, ISRI President Robin Wiener writes, “In light of increasing government restrictions on large gatherings and recommendations from global health organizations, ISRI has made the difficult decision to cancel ISRI2020.” She adds, “Rescheduling, or even relocating, this flagship event proved simply impossible, which means that ISRI will be looking ahead to ISRI2021 in San Diego as the next large-scale annual convention and exhibition for our industry.”
Wiener indicates ISRI intends to schedule virtual options for staying connected to its membership base.
“ISRI is already working on providing additional programming to help members deal with the economic and health and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic,” writes Wiener.
WasteExpo reschedules conference
WasteExpo has been rescheduled to August 10-13 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Originally scheduled for May 4-7, the WasteExpo team made the decision as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“The health and safety of our WasteExpo community is our top priority,” says Marc Acampora, WasteExpo’s show director, and Mark Hickey, vice president. “The WasteExpo team is working through a comprehensive effort focusing on a managed postponement program to respond to the needs of the industry, the exhibitors, the attendees and all the other staff that work the shows during this challenging time.”
According to WasteExpo organizers, leadership spoke to many of the conference’s partners, exhibitors and attendees, with the overwhelming consensus being that moving the show was most prudent. Attendees can expect their registration to the rescheduled event to automatically transfer.
“This decision was made after consulting with SWANA’s officers, the SWANA Georgia chapter leadership, board members, exhibitors, attendees and others,” the association said in a statement. “They and staff unanimously agree that postponing SWANApalooza is the responsible and prudent decision, and is consistent with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other public health agencies’ recommendations.
For updates on rescheduled conference dates, visit swanapalooza.org.
North America’s largest waste haulers stretch from coast to coast, generating tens of billions of dollars in revenue and employing hundreds of thousands of employees. View More
