Top 5 Plastic Recycling Companies To Watch September2022

Bhushan Bhad Managing Editor

A Revolution Against the Silent Crisis

heworldhasbeengoingthroughamajorbutsilent

Tcrisisthatiswitnessedandyetignoredbyeveryone incontemporarytimes;“agarbagecrisis.”We,as humans,haveforgottenthegiftofnaturethattheearthhas provideduswithandcanbeutilizedwithoutblinkingan eyeorthinkingabouttheunpreventableconsequences.

Thiscanrelatetoaglobalsurveythatsays,“Theworldwas estimatedtogenerate2.24billiontonnesofsolidwastein 2020.”

Suchnumbersraiseaquestionofconcernthatallofusneed toemphasize;aquestionthathasbeenunansweredforages; aquestionthatisverysimpleyethasbeensilentalongthe way

Whatarehumansdoingtopreventthis?

Theonlysuitableanswertothiscrisisisatermthathas beenforgotteninthecrumbledpagesofhighschool textbooks:“Recycling”.Thelessonthateveryonelearnsyet carriesonwiththeexploitationwithoutmakinguseofthe solesolutionprovided.

Butifnotgivenattention,thenumberswillkeepon increasingandthesolutionwillremaindeeplyburied.To dealwithspecificsituationswhileadheringtotheiteration, “Morerecycling,lessgarbage,”arebusinessesthatexpress theirconcernandseektomakeanimpactontheworld.

Thesebusinessesprovideaone-stopsolutionforcollecting wasteandusebiotechnologytoseparateusefulitemsand bringuptherecycledversionofthem.Recyclinggetsdown toonepersonperforminganactionandestablishesthefact thatitallcomesbacktoyouinreturn.Itbenefitsthe environment,thecommunity,andtheeconomytoo!

Inournewedition,“Top5PlasticRecyclingCompanies ToWatch,”wecameacrosssuchcompaniesthatcarefor theirsurroundings.

Withtheenthusiasmthatwouldcomeafterreadingabout thesecompanies,makesuretoreadthearticlesandindustry insightspenneddownbyourin-houseeditorialteam.

Haveanenlighteningread!

,

, Steering the wheel of sustainable development is plastic recycling companies and its technological innovative leadership is the future.

- Harshal Wahane

T E N T S

Editor-in-Chief Merry D’souza Anish MillerSenior Editor

Bhushan Bhad

Assisting Editors Trishika, Shreyasi Paul Belin

Art & Design Assistant

Managing Editor Sherin RodricksBusiness Development Manager

Visualiser David King Co designer Sonia Raizada Mrunalinee Deshmukh Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza

Art & Design Head

Kelly, DavidBusiness Development Executives

Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head

Sales Executives Mark, Alice Amar Sawant

Technical Consultants Prachi, Rajeshwari

Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege Assistant

Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni

SME SMO Executive Gemson

Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade Research Analyst Eric Smith

sales@insightssuccess.com

September, 2022

ecoware.co.nz

IceRiverSustainable Solutions

solutions.com

PreciousPlasticShanghai preciousplastic shanghai.com

TeknTrashInc tekntrash.com

Featuring

AlexMagaraggia (Co-founder)

JamesCalver (Co-founder)

JamieGott (CEO)

SandyGott (ExecutiveVice President)

Ecowareprovidessustainableplant-basedfoodandbeverage packagingsolutionsthatareaffordableandsuperiorinquality.

Foundedin1995,IceRiverSustainableSolutionsisaCanadian, family-ownedandoperatedcompanywithauniqueperspectiveon thecirculareconomy.

AdeleFoucart Co-founder

AlCosta

andCEO

WEIMA weima.com/en/

Mr.MadisonBurt CEO

PreciousPlasticShanghai'smissionistopreservethe environmentbycreatingawarenessaboutplasticwaste.

TeknTrashisanAIandanalyticscompanywhichobtainsdata fromtrash.

WEIMAAmericaInc.istheNorthAmericansubsidiaryof WEIMAMaschinenbauGmbHoutofIlsfeld,Germany.Itisa sizereductionmachinerymanufacturerspecializingin equippingitscustomerswithtoolstohelptheiroperationsbe sustainableandprofitable.

Top 5 Plasc Recycling Companies to Watch

heaveragerisingtemperaturesoftheearthwere firsttheorizedintheearly90s.Sincethen,scientists andresearchershavegatheredenoughevidenceto provethistheoryrightandhavealsodrawntheconnection ofhumanactivitiestothisglobaltemperaturerise.TheUN, alongwiththemajorityofthecountriesallovertheworld hasconductedseveralenvironmentalconferencessince 1972tocomeupwithstrategiesandmakepledgestoreduce theimpactofindustrialactivitiesontheenvironment.

Organizationsinvariouseconomicsectorsoftheworld haverecognizedthisclimateemergencyandaremaking deliberateandsincereeffortstoreducetheircarbon footprintandachieve'net-zerobythe2050'roadmap.

Foundedin1995,IceRiverSustainableSolutionsisa Canadian,family-ownedandoperatedcompanywitha uniqueperspectiveonthecirculareconomy. Being involvedineachstepofthevaluechainfromrecyclingto brandownershipallowsthemtounderstandtheimpactthat oneprocesshasonthenextanddrivesthemtoproduce environmentallyfriendlyproductsandpackaging.

Natureistheultimatecirculareconomy.Everythinghasa purpose,andnothinggoestowaste.Thiswastheinspiration forJamieGott,CEO,andSandyGott,ExecutiveVice Presidenttodevelopabottlemadeoutof100%recycled PET(rPET)backin2010andcontinuestodrivetheir businessdevelopment.

Facingallthechallengeswiththeutmostdeterminationthat camealongthewayoftheireco-friendlyventure,the executivesofIceRiverSustainableSolutionshaveproved theirgreenintentioneverystepoftheway.Fromfacilitating meaningfulpartnershipswithcompanieswhosevalues alignedwiththeirs,tobuildingandoperatingtheirown recyclingfacilityinaclosed-loop,thecompanystandsasa prominentexampletodayforthosewhowishtowalkonthe samesustainablepath.

PrideofIceRiverSustainableSolutions

Itisastonishingtoknowthattheyarethefirstbeverage companyinNorthAmericatooperatearecyclingfacilityin aclosedloop–fromcurbsidecollectiontorecycledbottle manufacturingtofresh,naturalspringwaterproductsand backagain.Beingarecycler,abrandowner,a manufacturer,andaconsumerofrecycledcontent,the organizationiscommittedtorecycling.

Theydesignandproduceinnovativesustainableproducts andpackagingthatcanberecycledrepeatedly.Itis importanttobuildathrivingcirculareconomywhereeach pieceofplasticremainspartofthevaluechainandoutof theenvironment.

Ontopofthat,theyhaverecycledover500millionpounds ofpost-consumercurbsidecollectedmaterial.Theyrecycle beveragecontainers,foodcontainers,thermoforms,and otherPETpackagingwhilealsofindingusesforother materialstheyreceiveinthebales.

ThegreenPETisnowusedintheirbrandIceRiverGreen BottleCo.Thepolyolefinflake(capmaterial)iscollected duringthePETrecyclingprocessandsenttotheirsister companyC.R.PlasticProductstobemadeintohighquality,recycledoutdoorfurniture.Alwaysrecyclewiththe caponsothatcapscanbeharvested!

In2018theIceRiverteamstartedBMPExtrusioninorder toaddrecycledcontenttotheirLDPEcollatedshrinkfilm. Theyareat20%PIR(post-industrialrecycled)contentwith agoalof30%bytheendofthisyearandcurrentlyrunning trialstoincorporatePCR(post-consumerrecycled)content.

IceRiverSustainableSolutions'InnovativeProducts andServices

Withadiverseportfolioofcompaniescommittedto sustainability,theirproductsaddvalueandcontinueto developthegrowingcirculareconomyinCanadawhile achievingreductionsinwaste,carbon,andenergyuse.

About the Leaders

IceRiverGreenBottleCoandMajorCanadian RetailersPrivateLabelBrands:

Theyproduce100%recycledwaterbottlesfortheirbrand andlargeretailersacrossCanada.

Accordingtoathird-partylife-cycleassessment,using 100%recycledPETinsteadofvirginPETbottlesresultsin a76%reductioninenergy,78%reductioninemissions,and 99%reductioninwaterconsumption.

Alongwiththeseextraordinarynumberstheyhaveprovided aconsistentendmarketforcollectedmaterialsinOntario andtheydon'tjusttakebottles.Theyhavealsodeveloped anendmarketforgreenPETandthermoformsinorderto maximizetherecoveryofplasticpackagingandsimplify sortationatmaterialrecoveryfacilities(MRFs).

Ÿ

BlueMountainPlasticsRecycling:

BlueMountainPlasticsRecycling(BMPR)isasister companytoIceRiverthatproducesPETflakesfrom curbsidematerials.Theyrecycleapproximately65million poundsperyearwithupto40%thermoformcontent.

Inordertoexpandtheirproductionandsupportother brandswhowanttoincorporaterecycledPET,they purchasedUrbanPolymersincreasingproductionby approximately50%.

Ÿ

BlueMountainPlasticsExtrusion:

BlueMountainPlasticsExtrusion(BMPE)isastate-of-theartfilmextrusionandprintingfacilitydevelopingeco-

friendlypackaging. Thisthingauge,high-strength engineeredfilmreducestheplasticrequiredtopackage heavyproductsandeliminatestheneedforcardboardtrays orpads.Becausetheyownandoperatetheirownfacility, theycantestanddevelopnewprocessesandtechnologies tohelpthemsupportclosed-looprecyclingintheLDPE (low-densitypolyethylene)filmindustry.

Theyareabletomaintain20%post-industrialrecycled content(PIR)consistentlywhileworkingtowardspostconsumerrecycledcontent(PCR).Astableend-market keepstheflexiblefilminthevaluechainandoutofthe environment.

Ÿ BlueMountainPlasticsPackaging:

ThenewestadditiontotheIceRiverSustainableSolutions familyofcompanies,BMPPackagingmanufacturersupto 100%recycledcontentsheetforclamshellsandtrays (thermoforming).

ThegoalofBlueMountainPlasticsPackagingisto transformsomeofthemoredifficulttorecyclePET,finding ahomeforpackagingthatcurrentlygoestolandfillsor wastetoenergyfacilities.

Ÿ C.R.PlasticProductsInc.:

C.R.PlasticProductsInc.utilizespolyolefinflake(cap materialfromcurbsidecollection)fromBMPRto manufacturehigh-qualityrecycledoutdoorfurniture.

Thecompanyrecentlyinstalledacleaningandpelletizing linesotheycanmanufacturetheirownrHDPEresinfrom curbsideorindustrialsources.

OvercomingAdversities

Whiletransitioningtorecycledcontentin2009,IceRiver SustainableSolutionsfoundinconsistenciesinthequality ofrPETtheycouldsourceontheopenmarket. Bystarting BMPRtheywereabletomanagethequalitythemselves andproducehighqualityrPETthatmetthestandards requiredtomanufacturealightweightwaterbottle.

Inordertofast-trackthetransitiontorecycledcontent,they hadtogettheircustomersonboard.Ittookonemajor retailertosupportthenewrecycledbottleandnowmost largeretailersacrossCanadaselltheirPrivateLabelbrand in100%recycledPET

Today,thecurrentchallengeinfrontofthecompanyis managingthemultitudeofgovernmentregulationsbeing placedonrecyclingprogramsandplasticsbyFederal, ProvincialandMunicipalgovernments. “We find that regulation between different levels of government is not harmonized and creates an added burden for small to medium size businesses trying to navigate the requirements.” says Crystal Howe, Director, Sustainability.

AdvisingtheBuddingEntrepreneurs

Referringtotheaforementionedobstacleandtheresulting learningreceived,CrystalHoweexpressesontheecological checksandbalancesandsays, “Government at all levels understand the need for a circular economy in plastics. We need to support existing and developing recycling infrastructure.”

ImpartingtheKeystoExcellence

TheentrepreneursbehindIRSS,JamieandSandyGotthave offeredsomevaluablesustainabilityadvice;“Behonest,be ableto100%backupyourclaims,anddon'ttakepartin greenwashing.” Consumersarebombardeddailywith environmentalclaimsandarebecomingmoreandmore educated.

“Knowyoursupplychain;supportlocalsourcing,ethical practices,andcollaborationthatmovesyourentireindustry forward,”saysJamieGott.

“Webelievewecanmakeadifference.Andwebelievewe caninspireotherstodothesame.”

OpinionsthatMatter

Theevolutionoftechnologyinrecyclinghelpedthemto improvesortation,energyefficiency,waterefficiency,and recoveryrates,amongotherthings.Theyfeelthattheearly adoptionofmoderntechnologyhelpssupportsacircular economyandimprovementsinwastemanagement.

TowardsaMoreSustainableandGreenerFuture

Withallthechangestheyhaveexperiencedoverthelast27 years,theteamgenuinelylooksforwardtowhatthefuture willbringandwhatthenextprojectwillbe.Many businessesshyawayfromsustainablepracticesduetothe perceivedincreaseincost;IRSSencourageseveryoneto reevaluatethosecostswithenvironmentalimpactinmind.

WhenJamieandSandysetouttodevelopthe100% recycledcontentbottle,theyweretolditwouldnotbe possible.So,tomotivatefutureentrepreneurs,Jamiesays, “Whensomeonetellsyouitcan'tbedone,don'tgiveup.”

Thereisaruleofnature,‘What comesfromtheearthgoes backtotheearth.’Mother earth—encompassingeverylivingand non-livingthing—functionsonthis principle.Shecreateslifeand consumesittoo.Butonethingthatthe earthcan’tconsumeisplastic–the humaninventionthatischangingthe biologicalbalanceoftheearth.

Fromaplasticcuptofoodpackaging, everythingisplastic,andunfortunately, mostofitisnon-degradable.Hence,it isessentialtoreducetheplasticusage forasustainablefuture.

Thisnecessityledtotheriseof eco-friendlyproductcompanieswhich

offeralternativesfortheplastic products.Oneoftheleadingnamesin thatlistisEcoware,whichprovides sustainableplant-basedfoodand beveragepackagingsolutionsthatare affordableandsuperiorinquality

TheSuccessStory

Adecadeago,AlexMagaraggiaand JamesCalvertwoyoung entrepreneurscommencedonajourney byfoundingEcoware–adynamicand innovativepackagingbrandthatis purposelead.

“Weareonamissiontochangethe waytheworldviewspackagingby removingvirginplasticsfromsupply

chainsandreducingwastetolandfill. Wehavedonethisbyusingtheworld’s mostinnovativeplant-basedraw materials,todesignanddevelop elegant,lowemissionpackagingthatis designedtobecomposted post-consumeruse.”

Beingfirsttomarket,some11-12years backwithadvancedrawmaterial technologythatchallengedthe well-establishedplasticindustrywas bynomeansasmalltaskforthe co-founders.

AlexandJames,withasmallteam aroundthem,spentyearsknockingon doorsexplainingtoprospectsthatthis wasindeedthefutureoftheindustry.

Theywerelaughedoutofboardrooms, toldto‘getreal’andmoreimportantly said‘NO’,forthefirstfiveorsoyears.

Itwasachallengingtaskforthe co-founders.TheyviewedNoasYES, sotheykeptturningupandrefining theirproductandbrand.Ittook approximatelyfiveyearsforthetideto turn,andthen,itwasonlyforward.

Ecowarewentfromonlycertified compostablehotcupsandlids,to havingacomprehensiverangeusinga handfulofdifferentcertifiedraw materials.

Ecowarenowhasover500SKU’sand providesanenvironmentalsolutionfor anytakeaway(foodandbeverage) environment.Itsrangeenablesthe clientstomaketheircustomersproud. “It’snotjustthepackagingthatthe clientschange,it’stheirfullbrand

storyandtheirmarketing strategy–afterall,sustainabilityis nowingrainedineverycorporate decisionmovingforward,”the co-foundersexpressed.

Thepastcoupleofyearshaveseen exponentialgrowthandashiftof attentiontowardsaglobal market–Ecowarebelievesthatits brandandproductofferingshouldand willberecognizedasatrueglobal leaderintheyearstocome.The company’sproductsarecurrently availablein12+countries.Ithassome excitingprojectsthatwillbedeployed in2022totargetglobalgrowth.

GoingGreenthroughTechnology

AlexandJameswerekeenonusingthe technologytoembracethewayin whichthebusinesscanbeapproached.

Havingamutualunderstanding,they thoughtinsteadofthinking,letshire anotherpersontoimplement technologyandsystems.Every companyintoday’sclimateshouldbe ataminimuminvestingof$1in technology,forevery$1theyinvestin people.“It’swhatwebelieveis requiredtoremaincompetitive,and moreimportantlybecomemore efficientatalowercost,”saidJames.

Greenindustryisyettobecompletely disruptedbyAI,butitcanplaya crucialroleinnearfuture.Theduois oftheopinionthatiftheycanteach theirstafftothinkthisway,theycan haveaverypowerfulofferingmoving intothenextdecadeasreal opportunitiesstarttopresent themselvesasthemarketmatures.

AlexMagaraggia Co-founder Ecoware

JamesCalver Co-founder Ecoware

FacingthePandemic

Thereisafamousquoteinbusiness world,“expecttheunexpected.”That said,theunexpectedcontinuesto developandthechallengesonewould neverdreamaboutcontinuetopress companiesglobally.Keepingthisin mind,problemscanalsobeviewedas opportunities–andthatisthewaythe duoviewproblemsatEcoware.

Whatistheopportunityofsolvingthis problem?Thereisnoonedenyingthe factthatglobalsupplychainisunder seriousandrealcostanddelivery pressure.Ecowarewasnoexceptionto this.Throughoutthepast18months, thecompanyhasbeenhitwithglobal seafreightsincreasingover500%, alongwithdelayandmissed connections.

Jamessaid,“Itisessentialasaleader duringtimeslikethis,youputyourself inyourcustomersshoes–whenyou do,yourealizethatcustomersareyour numberonepriority Wehavedone everythingwecan,sacrificingprofitsto putpeoplefirst.”Hebelievesthatwhen thepandemicwillcometoanend, Ecowarewillbesomewhatmorefuture proofed.

EnvisagingaGreenFuture

WhileEcowareservicesover4000+ domesticcustomersandhavereplaced approximately1.4billionunitswith lowemission,sustainablesolutionsin NZ,intheupcomingyears,the companyislookingattheglobefor expansion.“Wewillcontinuetogrow ourglobalterritoriesthatwecurrently operatebothorganicallyastheworld

cravessustainablesolutions,andalso withsomeinvestmentintothose countriesthatarealreadytakingoff,” explainedJames.

Havingdoneextensivemarketresearch withthethirdpartygovtassistance, teamEcowareisfocusedontheNorth AmericanandtheEuropeanmarketsas keygrowthareas.Intheworldthatis movingandchangingrapidly, innovationisthecatalysttogrowth.

Ecoware’sgrowthstrategywillbe continuousdevelopmentand deploymentofuniqueandspecialized compostablefoodpackagingbeing broughttomarket.“Thereisnosuch thingasfinished,orstandingstill,one mustkeepmovingandmovingbecause thebestisyettocome!”saysthe leadershipteam.

The Technological Insights on Plastic Recycling in a Circular Economy

maginevisitingabeachandnoticingtheplasticall

Iaroundyou.Doesn’tthatmakeyouthinkitisn’tthe samecaseateverybeach?Notjustonebeach,butall beachesaroundtheworld,couldhavethismuchplastic waste.Plasticthatstaysstagnantanddoesn’tgetused properly.

Is it worth a major concern we tend to ignore amidst our fast-paced lives?

Therateofglobalplastichasbeenincreasingatafastrate. Plasticwasteisaglobalproblem.However,thewasteis generatedlocally,sodealingwiththeproblemwillrequire granular,local-levelsolutions.Themajorityoftheplasticin wasteisintheformofacomplexplasticcompoundthat doesnotdissolveinwaterbutremainsafloat.Effective technologicaladvanceshavebeenmadetoconvertitinto reusableplastic.

Effectiverecyclingofplasticwasteencouragesthe transitionoftheindustrytoacirculareconomy.Italso contributestoloweringGreenHouseEmissions(GHG) resourceswithinthecirculareconomysystem.

Inaclose-knitassociationcirculareconomy,manychanges wouldbebroughtintothepicture.Acirculareconomyisan inspiringapproachtoaneweconomy.Itisauniquewayof consuming,using,andproducingproducts.Itaimstocreate asystemwithoutwastingresourcesflowingcontinuously betweenproducersandusers.Furthermore,ithasalow environmentalimpactandhigheconomicactivity.

Let’s dig into the technological advances in recycling plastic.

RobotSorting

Sortingtheplasticintocategoriesrequiresworkthatcould beconsideredmuddy,repetitive,aswellashazardous. Workersarelookingforrecyclablestosortpilesofwaste productslikeneedles,diapers,andmuchmore.These peopledogetpaid,butit’slow-deservedpay

Somecompanies,likeAMP,basedintheUSA’sColorado, haveinventedrobotsforthejobinsteadofworkers.The spider-shapedrobotdoestheworkusingcomputervisionto sorttherecyclableproductsbasedonrecognitionofsize, shape,texture,andmuchmore.

Themajorchallengeofthecirculareconomydwellsonthe ever-increasingamountofplasticrecycling,andtherobot comestotherescue.Giventhefactthatmachinesarefaster andmoreaccuratethanhumans,wearenotatrisk.Thereby leveraginghumanworkerstodomorerewardingtasks.

Decomposition

Thepolymersgothroughthebreakingdownofpolymers intosortedplasticsandmonomerstoproducenewplastics. Theprocessofdecompositioncouldbedonewith chemicalsorheat.Itcanalsobedoneusingsolventsto breakpolymersintomonomers.

Somedecompositiontechnologiesinvolveusingenzymes tobreakdownpolymersataspecifictemperaturethatisnot aslowasroomtemperature,whichleadstolowerenergy consumption.

Purification

Thepurificationofplasticrequiressolventstoseparate polymersfromcontaminantsandadditives.Purification couldbeusedwithmixedorsortedplastics,unlikeother typesofrecyclingtechnologies.

ChemicalRecycling

Plasticmajorlyconsistsoflonghydrocarbonchains,which arebrokendownintoshorterhydrocarbonfractionsor monomersusingchemical,thermal,andcatalyticprocesses.

Chemicalrecyclingcomesunderasetoftechnologiesthat changethechemicalcompositionofplasticwaste.It involvespyrolysis,gasification,hydrocracking,and depolymerization.

Theshorthydrocarbonsarethenreadytobeusedas feedbackfornewchemicalreactionstoproducerecycled plastic.Themethodisanexceptionaltechnologywith substantialpotential.

DissolutionRecycling

Asthenameimplies,dissolutionrecyclingisaprocessof purificationinwhichpolymerspresentinmissedplastic wasteareselectivelydissolvedinasolvent.Itallowsitto beseparatedfromthewasteandrecoveredinitspurest formwithoutchangingitschemicalnature.

OrganicRecycling(BioGasification)

Thecontrolledmicrobiologicaltreatmentofbiodegradable plasticwasteunderaerobicconditionsoranaerobic conditionsistermedorganicrecycling.Itimpliesspecific polymersthatareconvertedundertheactionsof microorganisms,convertingthemintocarbondioxide, methane,stableorganicresidues,andwater

SteppingintoGreenManufacturing

Recycledplasticwastematerialshavenumerousdownflow purposesforeverydaygoods.Taiwanhasexecuteditsfirst transitionfromanagriculturaleconomytoalabor-intensive economy Whileitssecondtransitionledtoahigh-tech industrialeconomy,itinvolvedthedevelopmentof foundationaldesignsandapplicationsforrecycledwaste materials.

In a nutshell,

Asmentionedabove,technologicaladvancementsare upscalingatawidepacetowardsustainability Theboostof sustainabilityonlyenhancesthegreenvalueoftheearth thatweliveon.Inculcatingthesemethodscould considerablyreducethesurpluswasteofplastic,alongwith reducingthecarbonfootprintsofplasticallovertheglobe.

- Shreyasi Shelke

Top 5 Plasc Recycling Companies to Watch

Whenacertaincompany’sscrapisproperly disposed,thechancesofthemendinguponthe blackmarketarelesstonone.Acompanycan alsobeconfidentthatitsliabilitywillbereduced,thatits competitorswillnotgainanadvantage,andthatthequality ofitsproductwillstaygood.Sometimes,itisdifficultto manageandtracethesupplychainofthepurchase,usage, andthedisposalofaproduct.Buttheroleofmodern technology,especiallythelikesofAI,canplayavitalrole inthesupplychain.

Usingcertifieddestructionservices,thedisposalprocedure canbetrackedandsecured.Thischainofcustodyensures thehighestlevelofprofessionalismbyincluding photographicandvideoevidenceofthedestruction.

Lookingatthis,TeknTrash,anAIanalyticscompany startedtoofferitsservicestodeliverthemissinglinkof productlifecycle.ItusesAItolocateproductsatdisposal timeandthusobtainrealtimeconsumerdata.

Inthefollowinginterview,AlCosta,theFounderand CEOofTeknTrash,shedslightonthejourneyofhis company,itsofferings,andthefutureaspectsofthe GreenTechsector

PleasebriefouraudienceaboutTeknTrash,itsUSPs, andhowexactlydoesithelpcompaniesmatchtheir salestotheireffectiveconsumption.

TeknTrashisanAIandanalyticscompanywhichobtains datafromtrash.Webelievethattodaywerecycle everythingexceptthemostimportantpart,whichisthe consumerdataaproductcontains.So,thewho,thewhen, andthewhereofadisposedproductareimportantmetrics whichneedtobeaccountedfor,andyetforsomereason theyarenot.

Weliveinadata-basedworldanddatahasbeennamedthe ‘newoil’whichmakesevenlesssense.Finally,whilewe buyourproductsfrommanysources,thereisonesingle placewheretheyalleventuallyendupat,whichisthe garbage.Thus,beingabletolocatethoseproductsthere meansknowingtheentireconsumptionofanindividual, andthatispowerful.

ShedsomelightonTeknTrash’sofferingsandhowthey impacttheindustryanditsclients?

Webelievetherecyclingmodelisafailedone,asitonly punishesifpeopledon'trecycle,butdoesnotrewardifthey do.Andbecauseitdependsonthesaleofmaterials,which payslittle,soitisunabletopaytoo.Theendresultisthat today11%ofmethaneintheatmospherealreadycomes fromtrash(andmethaneis88timesstrongerthanCO2 causingglobalwarming),only6%ofplasticisactually recycled,thelargesttrashdumpisactuallytheGreatPacific GarbagePatch,etc.

So,wethinkdataisthesolutiontothatproblembecauseit isvaluable.So,wecanrewardpeopleforrecycling.Tothat end,wecreatedstipra.com,whichiscurrentlytheonly servicethateffectivelyrewardspeopleforproperrecycling, whileprovidingvaluablepost-salesdata.Regularpeople registeratstipra.comandtakepicturesoftheirconsumer productsbeforethrowingtheminthetrash.

Companiesthenregisteratcorp.stipra.comandconsume thatdata,geolocatingwheretheirproductsendedup.So, thisallowsconsumerproductcompaniesknowtheir consumersbetter,encouragesproperrecycling,andcreates asourceofincomeforvulnerablepeople.

Al,pleasebriefusaboutyourjourneyintheindustry andhowyouhavecontributedtoTeknTrash’ssuccess.

IamabiologistwithanMAinComputerEngineering.My fatherwasadiplomatandI’velivedincountriessuchas Haiti,sopovertyalleviationissomethingdeeplyingrained inme.IfoundedTeknTrashwhilelivinginBarcelonaand laterIcametotheUKtopromoteit.

Beforethat,IcreatedcompaniesinUSA,UK,Brazil,and Spain,soldmyfirsttoonelistedinNasdaq,fundraisedin SiliconValley,losteverythinginanother,soit’sbeenafun ride.Andthus,Iamcalledtohelpstartupswithmarketing, fundraising,andstrategy

TeknTrashisledbyateamofscientistsandthus,wedonot enjoythegreenwashingthatunfortunatelyistakingplacein themarket.Tothatend,IbroughtinDrKavehMadani, whoservedastheDeputyHeadofIran’sDepartmentof EnvironmentandwasVicePresidentoftheUnitedNations EnvironmentalAssemblyBureau,tocreateabusiness modelwhicheffectivelyrewardscompaniesparticipatingin Stiprawithrealandaccountablecarboncredits.

Infact,sincegarbageproducesmethaneandthatissucha strongGHGgas,evenasinglebottleproducesenough carbontobeabletotranslateintocredits,sothatmeans companiescanobtaincarboncreditstheycansellinthe marketforusingstipra.Forexample,Teslamakesmore moneyfromsellingcarboncreditstoitscompetitorsthan actualcarsales,sothatisarealopportunityforcompanies.

Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononhow theadoptionofmoderntechnologieshasimpactedthe greentechspaceandwhatmorecouldbeexpectedin thefuture?

WhenitcomestoGreentech,Ialwaysmakeacomparison withtheBrazilianethanolmodel.Havinglivedinthat

AI Costa Founder and CEO TeknTrash

countryfor20years,Isawhowitcreatedabiofuelmodel thatisactuallysustainableandwidelyimplemented,asall fuelpumpscarryethanol,allpetrolcarries27.5%ethanol, ½ofthefleetisflex,etc.Andthatwascreatednotbythe needtobesustainableandtoreducecarbon,butsimply becausethecountrywouldnothavethefundstoimportoil duringthefuelcrisisof1973.

Thus,weneedtolookatthefinancialsustainabilityofa greensolution,asthatspeaksmuchlouderthantheESG component,andthereforeismoreabletobringwidespread usageandrealESGbenefits.

Infact,ifourleaderscouldseetheclearfinancialbenefitof ESG,theywouldtakeactions,buttheyareonlypresented withthepureenvironmentalbenefits,sotheyofcourse don’tcare.So,it’sapoormarketingschemeifyouaskme.

Consideringthecurrentpandemic,whatinitial challengesdidTeknTrashfaceandhowdidyoudrive TeknTrashtosustainoperationswhileensuringthe safetyofyouremployeesatthesametime?

Wemaybeoneofthefewcompanieswhichwere unaffectedfromthepandemic,asouroperationswere alreadyremote,andIplanthemtoeverbe.Inthis,Ialways makeacomparisonwithHarryPotter’sGringottsBank. ThisbankhasnoATMs,APP,onlinepresence,etc.It requiresitscustomerstogototheoneandonlyofficefor anycommonbankingoperationsuchaswithdrawing, depositing,gettingastatement,etc.

However,noonetodaywouldopenanaccountinabank whichrequiresitscustomerstogothere.Ontheotherhand, noonewouldtrustalotofmoneytoabankwhichhasno offices,whereonecangoandphysicallyspeakwitha managerwhenthingsgosour.That'swhybankscreated ATMs.Theseare‘offices’ofsortswherepeoplecando mostoftheireverydaybankingoperations,andifthey requiresomethingfancier,thentheycangotothemainone.

AtTeknTrash,weplantohaveasimilarmodel.Wewill havesmalloffices(ATMs)spreadacrosstheUKwhere employeescanwork,meet,anddousualeverydaywork. Theseofficeswillbeofthesizeofaroomwithspaceforup tofourpeopleandwillallowemployeestoworkataplace closetotheirhomes,whilestillphysicallyinteractingwith otheremployees.

Theywillhaveanappwhichallowthemtochoosethe closestofficetowherevertheyareatthemoment,openthe door,getalaptop,printer,etc.fromsomecloset,havea coffee,turnontheheating,etc.Forexample,iftheyneedto haveameetingwithmanypeople,theycanchoosealarger officeorjustgotothemainone.Thatway,theydon'tneed towastetheirlivesawaycommutingtoworkandtheycan stillfeelpartofanenterpriseinsteadoffeelinglikethey workinsolitudeofsometrappistmonastery.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothegreentechmarket?

ThesameIalwaysgivetoanyentrepreneurirrespectiveof area:thattherearetwowaysofsucceeding.Thefirstwayis byquality:whenyoudotherightthing,talktotheright people,closetherightdeals,etc.However,thatusually requirespreviousexpertise,collegeeducation,etc.,andthat isthemainreasonwhysomanypeopledonottrybeingan

entrepreneur.Tothose,thereisasecondway,whichisby quantity.

Basically,goingthere,doingthewrongthings,talkingto wrongpeople,closingthewrongdeals,etc.,andbydoing thatacquiringtheexpertise,knowledge,techniques,etc. thatthebestMBAwouldnotbeabletoprovide.Both methodsleadtosuccess,theonlydifferenceisthesecond takeslongerasitrequiresmanymoretries,butitisalso moresatisfyingduetolearningalongtheway.

HowdoyouenvisionscalingTeknTrash’soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?

Weareembarkingonamajorfundraisewhichwillallowus ultimatelytodevelopasmartbin.Thiswillallowpeopleto justthrowtheirgarbageinonesinglebag,dotherecycling, takepicturesofalltheproducts,andrewardinstipra.com thecorrespondingpoints.Thesebinswillinitiallybe deployedinshoppingcenters,aswebelievethatthepublic wouldprefertogotoashoppingcenterthatusessmartbins whichrewardpeoplefortheirdisposedproductsratherthan othersthathaveoldandboringgarbagecans.

Inthefuture,weenvisionthistobecomeamajorplayerin therecyclingindustry,aswecouldtakethecontentofthis binstotherecyclingcenters,chargeforthatservice,and theywouldbegladtopayastheproductswouldalready muchbetterrecycledthanthroughthem.So,theywouldbe abletosellmorepaper,plastic,metal,etc.

Demonstrating Excellence

TeknTrash is a finalist to the Red Herring Top 100 Europe compeon in 2021. It was selected by the WEF (World Economic Forum) as one of the three most impacul technologies, and Euronews chose TeknTrash as #1 Greentech company to watch in 2021.

“So far, we received three grants, so we are making good noise and geng recognion. Spra.com is already capturing data on top products such as Nescafé, Nivea, Pepsi, and even Ikea furniture! So, we are happy overall,” Al concludes.

- by Eun Rockwell

ustomerstodayexpecttobetreatedasindividuals

andnotaddressedwithstandard,prefabricated responses.Ideally,itisnowwidelyacceptedthat excellentcustomerservicecanbeakeydifferentiatorin buildingcustomerloyalty.Goingbythetrends,leading organizationsareredefiningtheirrelationshipswith customerstocreatemorepersonalexperiencesthrough focusingonthequalityofinteractions,initiativesthatbuild deeperengagement,andongoingmanagementofalasting relationship.

AccordingtoEconsultancyandAdobeglobalsurvey,65% oforganizationsconsiderenhancingtheirdataanalysisa criticalelementindeliveringabetterclientexperience. Interestingly,84percentofbusinessesthatundertakeefforts toenhancetheircustomerexperiencereportanincreasein income.

Intoday'sfast-changingbusinesslandscape,companies mustshareinformationaboutcustomerexpectationsearly intoproductdevelopmentcyclessothatproductsdon'thave nastysurprisesatlaunchtime.Customerswanta personalizedexperienceeverywheretheygo,andsocial mediaisinfluencingbusinessestochangetheirmarketing strategies.

WhatDoesaPersonalizedCustomerExperienceEven Mean?

Today,manycompaniesusesocialmediawebsitesto communicatewithcustomersandcreateapositiveimageof theorganization;however,notallorganizationsaredoingit well.Customersarenotonlyexpectingaresponsetotheir inquiryorcomplaintonsocialmedia,butthey'realso expectingapersonalizedexperience.

Apersonalizedcustomerexperiencemeansthatthe companyknowswhoyouareasacustomer,whatyoulike

anddon'tlike,andwhatyou'vepurchasedfromtheminthe past.Italsomeansthatthecompanyisawareofcurrent trendsandcanmakesuggestionsforproductsyoumaybe interestedin.Whenacompanyprovidesapersonalized customerexperience,itmakesthecustomerfeelspecialand appreciated.

WhyPersonalizingCustomerExperienceisImportant

Intoday'seconomy,it'smoreimportantthaneverfor companiestomakecustomersfeelvalued.Manyoftoday's customersareinformed,andtheyknowwhattheywant beforetheywalkintoastoreorlogontoanonlineretailer's website.Personalizingcustomerservicewiththecorrect informationattherighttimemakesgoodbusinesssense becauseresearchhasshownthatpersonalizedexperiences canincreaseconversionsbymorethan80percent.Italso buildstrustbetweenthecompanyandcustomers,which willresultinlifelongcustomerswhosharepositivereferrals aboutyourproductswiththeirfriendsandfamilymembers.

Itdoesn'tevenendthere.Youcanalsoincreasecustomer lifetimevalue(CLV)andreducechurnratesby personalizingcustomerservice.CLVisacalculationthat estimatesthelong-termprofitgeneratedfromacustomer relationship.Churnrateisthepercentageofcustomerswho discontinuetheirrelationshipwithacompanywithina givenperiodoftime.BothCLVandchurnrateare importantmetricstomeasurebecausetheyindicatehow successfulacompanyisatretainingcustomers.

HowtoDeliverPersonalizedCustomerService

Deliveringpersonalizedcustomerexperiencedoesn'thave tobeadauntingtask.Ideally,itshouldbeapartofyour organization'sculture,andtherearesomesimplethingsyou candotocreatethatpersonalizedexperienceforevery customer.Theveryfirstthingtodoisknowingyour customers

Thismeansgatheringinformationaboutthem,suchastheir preferences,whatdrivesthem,whatmakesthemhappy,and whatfrustratesthem.Youcangatherthisinformationina varietyofways,includingsurveys,interviews,focus groups,andsocialmedialistening.Todeliverpersonalized customerservice,hereareeightmorewaysyoucantry:

I. Buildarelationshipbasedonlisteningand understandingyourcustomers'problemsbefore gettingintosolutionsmode:Themoreknowledge youhaveaboutthechallengesyourcustomersface, theeasieritwillbeforyoutoproviderelevant answersatmultipletouch-pointsintime.Tobuilda relationshipwithcustomersbasedontrust,listenfirst withoutgivinganysolutions.Furthermore,respond totheissuesyouhearcustomerstalkthemostabout.

II. Alwaysbeawareofyourcustomers'changing needsandadjustaccordingly:Today,customer expectationsarehighintermsofvarietyand flexibility Withtheriseintechnologycomesan increasedinconvenienceforconsumers,so companiesmustcontinuallyevolvetheirproducts andservicestomeetcustomerneeds.Whenyour companyevolvesalongwiththemarket,your customerswillfeelliketheirrelationshipisevolving too.

III. Respondtoyourcustomersinatimelymanner:A personalizedcustomerexperiencerequiresthatyou beproactiveandreactiveatthesoonestpossible time;otherwise,yourisklosingtheirbusiness forever.Socialmediacanhelpfacilitatethisbyacting asatwo-waycommunicationplatformforcustomers andbrands.

IV. Connectwithyourcustomersthroughallchannels possible:Customersnowinteractwithcompanies throughavarietyofchannels,suchastraditional voicechannels(phone,chat),digitalchannels (website,socialmedia),self-servicechannels(FAQs, onlineforms),andindirectchannels(partners, dealers,etc.).Makesureyou'recoveringallyour basesbybeingwhereyourcustomersare.

V. Anticipatecustomerneedsandgreetthemwitha personalizedexperiencebeforetheyevenhaveto ask:Providingwhatyourcustomersarelookingfor beforetheyevenaskwillmaketheoverallpurchase experiencemuchmoresatisfying.Thiscanbedone throughcarefulanalysisofdata(customerhistory, demographics,andpreferences)tounderstandtheir buyingpatternsandtrends.

VI. Tailoryourmessagestoeachindividualcustomer: Customersdon'twanttofeellikethey'rejustoneof

manyfacelessindividualsthatyourcompanyis tryingtoreachoutto.Theywanttofeelspecial,so takethetimetopersonalizeeachmessage.In additiontotailoringmessagesforeachcustomer, makesurethatthemessageitselfisalsopersonalized –i.e.ifacustomerhasalreadymadeapurchasefrom you,don'tsendthema'welcome'message–itwill comeacrossasinsincereandfake.

VII. Providemultiplepathwaysofcommunicationwith yourcustomers.Tofacilitatepersonalized communication,makesurethatyouhavevarious channelsavailabletoconnectwithyourcustomers. Youcanusesocialmediaoranonlinemessaging systemtoprovidebothself-serviceassistanceand assistancefromaliveagentwhenevernecessary. Also,don'tforgetaboutthemoretraditional communicationroutesofphone,email,andlivechat.

VIII. Createaninteractivewebsitewhereuserscanhelp themselvesbeforegettingintouchwithcustomer servicewhentheyneedfurtherassistanceon somethingtheycannotanswer:Manycompanies arenowprovidingaself-serviceoptionontheir websitethatallowscustomerstohelpthemselves beforecontactingcustomerservice.Thishelps alleviatethepressureoncustomerservice representatives,whoareoftenbombardedwith inquiriesandcomplaints.Additionally,itallows customerstofindtheinformationtheyneedwithout havingtowaitforsomeonetogetbacktothem.

Bonus:Establishapresencewhereveryourcustomers are:Justbecauseyourcompanyisn'tsellingdirectlyon Facebookdoesn'tmeanthatyoushouldn'testablishapage; thisiswheremanyofyourcustomerswillbelookingfor updatesandproductinformation,whichwillultimately increasethelikelihoodofthemmakingapurchasefromyou inthefuture.

FinalWords

Deliveringpersonalizedcustomerservicecanbeadaunting task,butifyoufollowthetipsoutlinedabove,you'llbewell onyourwaytoprovidinganexceptionalexperiencefor yourcustomers.Remember,it'snotaboutwhatyouthinkis bestforthem–it'saboutlisteningandunderstandingwhat theywantandneed.Bytakingthisapproach,you'llbeable tocreatealastingrelationshipwithyourcustomersthatwill ultimatelybenefityourbusiness.

“Beingdifferent”

Plasticwaste Management

Asurveyhasresultedinanestimationof5trillionplastic bagsbeingusedeveryyear

hishasbeenaphrasethatmostpeopledesiredbut

Tdidnotmaketheefforttochase.Humanswantto bedifferent,butonlyinthingsthatmightbe,in someway,profitabletothem.Theyalwayshidetheirselfinterestedreasons,butnobodyreallythoughtof“makinga difference.”

Butthisscenariohasbeenthesituationonlyinthepast.

Thetransformationthattheworldhasbeenwalkingthrough hasbroughtawarenesstoeverythingineverybeing.People areawareoftheirresponsibilitiesinongoingtimesandput forwardtheircapableeffortstomaintainthebalance.

Amajorproblemthattheworldiscriticallydealingwithis themanagementofthewasteproduced.Thishasbeen increasingwitheverypassingday,buthumansarenow revoltingagainstthisproblemandarecomingupwith simpleyeteffectivesolutionsthateveryonecanuseintheir day-to-daychoresthathelptoreallymakeadifference!

What are these simple yet effective plastic waste management solutions?

Move ahead to explore!

UsingReusableBags

Groceryshoppingisanecessitythatisunavoidableinany circumstance,butitalsohappensthatthegroceryhaul comeswiththeadditionofplasticbagsthatundoubtedly endupinthedustbin.Thisisthecorrecttimetolookatthe otheralternatives.

Theuseofplasticbagshasseverelyimpactedtheenvironment,andthus,manycountrieshaveimposedbanson single-useplasticbagsandhavestartedimplementingmore focusedrecyclingprograms.

Switchingtoashoppingbagthatcanbereusedmultiple timesisagoodoption,suchasbagsmadefromhempand cotton,whichareconsideredtobethebestchoices.They canbeeasilyrecycled.

AvoidingPlasticDisposables

Theuseofplasticdisposableshasbeentheultimate conveniencetoolfordecades.Thesecanjustbethrownout andforgottenaboutratherthanbeingwashed.

Twenty-threemillionthreehundredthirty-threethousand eighthundredsixteenpoundsoftrashoffofwaterwaysand coastswerepickedupinthe2019InternationalCoastal CleanuporganizedbytheOceanConservancy.Itincluded around2.6millionpiecesofcups,plates,andplastic cutlery

Ratherthanpurchasingone-time-usedinnerware,theuseof plates,cups,straws,andsilverwarethatcanbecleanedand washedandusedoverandoveragainisabettermeasure. Thishelpskeepplasticoutofbeachesandlandfills.

MakingChangesinShoppingStyle

Whengoingtobuygroceries,itissometimesunavoidable tocomebackwithaplastic-freetrip.Plasticbagsmight

All You Need to Know!

maketheexperienceconvenientduringthetimeof shopping,butitcomeswithanextrapriceofextrawaste! Whilepurchasingproducts,looseitemsmustbeselected andpackedinreusablebags.Ifprovidedthechoicebetween abagofpre-choppedwashedgreensandalooseheadof lettuce,theplastic-freeoptionmustbechosen. Duringthepurchaseofpackagedfoods,thechoiceof whetherthefoodissoldinthepaper,aluminumpackaging, orglassmustbemade.Thesearehandierintermsof reusingandrecyclingincomparisonwithplastic.

UsingEco-friendlyProducts

Thereisalotofplasticlyingaroundonthebathroom counter,drawers,andevenintheshower.

Thesustainablelivingmovementshavebeencreating momentumforsomeyearsandhavecomewithawaveof morehygienicandeco-friendlyproducts.

Replaceplasticsoapcarriersandshampoobottleswithbars thataresoldwrappedinpaper Andduringthemenstrual cycle,thepadsortamponscanbereplacedwithareusable menstrualcup.Theselittlechangesnotonlysaveplastic wastebutalsosavemoney.

JustCarryingaBottle

Bottledwatercanbeusedforpeoplewhohavenochoice buttohaveaccesstosafewaterforreasonssuchas disastersorotherunavoidablecircumstances.Everydayuse ofthesebottleshasbecomeamajorenvironmentalrisk.

Somestudieshaveshownthatbottledwatermaynotbe goodforthebody.Bottledwaterfrom11differentbrands wasboughtfrom19differentlocationsin9countriesand tested.Theresearchersdiscoveredthatthesecontained microplastics.

Theeffectsofmicroplasticconsumptiononhumanhealth areunknown,buttheremaybegoodreasonstolimittheuse ofbottledwater

Eachday,around70milliondisposablewaterbottlesare usedandthrownaway Apartfromtheindustrialcost,these bottlesalsocosttheenvironment. Smallchangeslikecarryingawaterbottlecouldsavethe environmenttoo!

TheFinalWords

Humanshaveexploitednature,whichinturnhasledto issueslikeglobalwarming.Variousmeasureshavebeen takenbycountriestorepairthedamagedone.Plasticwaste hasbeenacriticalproblemasitcannotberecycled.The awarenessofthishasbeenspreading,andeffective measuresarebeingappliedeverywhere.

- Harshal Wahane

Inaworldofever-evolvingsocialbehavior,humanshave madeittotheleaderboardforbeingthemostintelligent speciesontheplanet.

Did this iteration instill pride and sprout a zeal of enthusiasm? Or did it drive you on the memory lane of astounding development that society made after acclimatizing itself to the social setting of the socioecological ecosystem?

Iftheabovequestionsdrivenbyitspreviousiterationhave boggledyoutorediscovertheintelligentdiscoveries humansmadeandincarceratedyourmindtothinkof astonishingcapabilitiesofhumaninnovation,thenitis importantthatyouflipthecoinandcheckthroughthe ramificationofsocio-economicdevelopment.

And,youwouldlandonaheapofglobalenvironmental crises!

Startingfromthedegradabilityofplastictotheblackhole intheozonelayer,thecontemporaryworldisencapsulated bybreathtakingdiscrepancies.

So,howdoyouenvisionthefutureofsuchacontemporary crisis,knowingtheproblem-solvingattitudethathumans aregiftedwith?

DidyoualsothinkofSustainableBusinesses?Ifyoudid, thenweareonthesamepage!

Andknowingthisone-tunedmindset,WeatInsights Successtakeimmenseprideinintroducingyoutoan innovativecompanythatistransformingtherecycling industrywhiletrailblazingsustainablebusinesspractices, exemplifyingtechnologyleadership.

Top 5 Plasc Recycling Companies to Watch

Knowntobeoneofthefinestplasticrecyclingcompanies, WEIMAMaschinenbauGmbHhassetitshighstandards formanufacturingandcustomerserviceforshredders, granulators,grinders,drainage,andbriquettepresses.With itsever-evolvingsustainabilitysolutions,thecompanyis drivingatransformationalchangethattrulymatters.

SpearheadingthistransformationinNorthAmericaisthe companyCEO-Mr.MadisonBurt.Heisastandout leaderwhofacilitatesrecyclingsolutions,providinga hassle-freeexperiencetoWEIMA’scustomers.

Let’sslideintohisexclusiveinterviewtolearnmoreabout thecompany’ssustainablesolutionsthatarecontributingto thispiousobjective.

Below are the interview highlights;

PleasebriefouraudienceaboutWEIMA,itsUSPs,and howitiscurrentlypositionedasoneofthemostreliable companiesintheshreddingmachinemanufacturing industry.

WEIMAAmerica,Inc.istheNorthAmericansubsidiaryof WEIMAMaschinenbauGmbHoutofIlsfeld,Germany We areasizereductionmachinerymanufacturerspecializingin equippingourcustomerswithtoolstohelptheiroperations besustainableandprofitable.WEIMAspecializesin manufacturingsingle-shaftshreddersandfour-shaft shreddersforvariousindustries,aswellasbriquettepresses anddrainagepresses.Theindustriesweserveincludebut arenotlimitedtowood,paper,plastic,metal, food/beverage,corrugate,packaging,textiles,andmore. WEIMAmachinesaremanufacturedandcustomizedbyour salesengineersforeachcustomertoensurethatweare deliveringtheidealsizereductionsolution.Onesizedoes NOTfitallatWEIMA.

Mr. Madison Burt CEO WEIMA

Pleasetellusmoreaboutyourcompany’scorevalues, vision,andmission.

WEIMAtakesaninnovativeapproachtomanufacturing andbelievesina“ .”TheR&Dworld without waste departmentrecognizesthatastheworldchanges,waste streamschange,andWEIMAmachinesareatthebeginning ofwastedisposalandrecyclingprocesses.Thisallowsthem tocontinuedevelopingthetechnologywithafocusonthe future.Withservicetechniciansworldwideandin-house partsdepartments,WEIMAknowsthatcustomerservice doesnotendwiththesaleofamachine.Instead,asale beginstherelationshipwiththecustomer,andmanyclients becomerepeatcustomersbecauseofthisaddedbenefit. WEIMAhasalsobeenafamilybusinessfromthevery start.Thecompanyhasgrownsignificantlyin40years,but ithasalwayskeptthatfamilyfeel.

Pleasebriefusaboutyourjourneyintheindustryand howyouhavemadethecompanyexcelinitscompetitive market.

IamagraduateoftheEngineeringprogramatMississippi StateUniversity.Iwentontopursueasalespositionfora hammermillcompany,whichledtomyinterestinsize reductiontechnology.Myexperiencetherebroughtmeto theWEIMAsalesdepartmentin2002.Ihavegrowninto theroleofVicePresidentofSales&MarketingatWEIMA, whereItookonthechallengeofleadingasalesteamthat wouldmassivelyexpandtheNorthAmericancustomer base.In2022,IwasnamedChiefExecutiveOfficerof WEIMAAmerica,Inc.

Pleasetellusaboutthevariousspecializedmachinery manufacturedandsoldbyWEIMAtodelivertheideal scrapsizereductionsolutiontoitsclients.

Industrial shredders:

WEIMAmanufacturesshreddersofallsizesand specifications.Mostofitscustomersaremanufacturerswith productionscrapthatneedstobereintegratedorsize reducedpriortodisposalorreuse.Thesizeandscopeofthe shredderaredeterminedbytheproductthatisbeing shredded,aswellasthecustomer’sgoalwiththematerial afterit’sbeenprocessed.Forexample,asolidwood furnituremanufacturermayshreditswoodenskeletonsor endcutsusingasmallershredder(WLK4-8)torecyclethe solidwoodorsendittobeusedasanimalbeddingor groundcover.Ontheotherhand,averylargeWEIMA shredder(PreCut)mightbeusedtopre-sharemunicipal

solidwasteatanMRFsothatitcanbesorted,washed,and recycled.Shreddersplayalargeroleintherecyclingof household,production,andmunicipalwaste.

Briquette presses:

WEIMAalsomanufacturesbriquettepresses,whichare usedtotakeloosematerialandcompressitintohockey puck-shapedbriquettes.Therearemanybenefitsof briquetting,includingdustcontrolinmessyenvironments (forexample,paperandwoodshredding/manufacturing processestendtocreatealotofdangerous,messydust)as wellasspacesavings.Inlocationswhereboilersareusedin theheatingprocessofbuildings,woodbriquettesare burnedtosupplementtheneedforenergy

Thebriquettingprocessuseshydraulicpressureandno binders,whichmeansthebriquettesburncleanlyifthe materialitselfwasnottreatedwithchemicalspriorto briquetting.Inthemetalsindustry,briquettingmetalchips andswarfisusefulduringtherecyclingprocessbecause densebriquetteshavelessburn-offduringsmeltingthan loosematerial.Thisincreasesthepricearecycleriswilling topayforbriquettesmadeofmetalbecauseitincreasesthe amountofmetalthatcanbereclaimed.

Drainage presses:

WEIMArecentlydebuteditsnewestlineofsizereduction machinery:drainagepresses.Thesemachinesspecializein simultaneouslydrainingcontentswhilecompressingthe surroundingpackaging.Theindustriesthatbenefitfromthis technologyspecificallyincludecanningandbeverage, cosmetics,automotive,foodpackaging,andmore.For example,thesecompactmachinescanbesetupnextto beveragecanninglines.Whenthefillingmachinerydetects out-of-speccans(under-filledorimproperlysealedcans),it canautomaticallyejectthemintothedrainagepress.The presswilldraintheliquidthat’salreadyinsidethecanintoa catchbasinordrainandthencompressthealuminuminto 200mmdiscs.Thisallhappensinoneeasystep,andthere aremanybenefitstothisprocess:aluminumreclaimsmore valuabletometalrecyclersinthiscompressedform,the canninglineeliminatesdefectiveproductsgoingtomarket, andthespaceinthewarehouseismaximized.Often, beveragecompaniespayanemployeetoopenandempty out-of-speccansmanually Thistechnologyfreesthose employeesuptodomorelucrative,beneficialtasks.This alsoworkswiththingslikeplasticshampoobottles,paper milkcartons,tetra-paks,andmore.

ExpandonhowWEIMA’smachinesarehelping businessesfurthertheirsustainabilityefforts.

Oftenbusinessesthinkthatsustainabilitywillcosta fortune.True,investingintheenvironmentcanbepricy,but WEIMAbelievesthatwithsomeforethoughtandcreativity, theprocesscanbeprofitableandenvironmentally beneficial.Findingwaystoreuseyourownscrap,ortouse reclaimedscrapintheinitialproductionprocess,ispartof cleverrecyclingpractices.WEIMAbelievesthataworld withoutwasteispossible.Thisprocessbeginswith manufacturersthinkingstrategicallyabouttheproductsthey produceandhowtheycanmaximizepre-existingwaste streamsinthoseprocesses.

Pleaseshareyouropiniononhowtheadoptionof technologyhasbenefitedyourindustryandhowyour companyisadaptingtothechange.

Sizereductionmachinerywasonceanovelconceptin manufacturingsectors,butwiththeadvancementof materialstreams,sizereductionmachineryhasanswered thosechanges.Evolvingalongsidenewwastestreamsisthe primarygoal,andWEIMAhasacceptedthechallengeto remainvigilantandneverstopinnovating.The developmentsofothertypesofmachineryhavegonehandin-handwithshreddingandcompressing.Wewanttoshow companiesthevalueofscraprecyclingandreintegration throughmachinery—wherethereisproductionmachinery, sotooshouldthereberecyclingmachinery.Inthisway,the industrymovesforwardtogether.

WEIMA takes an innovative approach to manufacturing and believes in a world without waste.

Inyouropinion,whatlimitationsdobusinessesfacein betterusingtheirwastematerials?Andhowisyour companyplanningtohelpsuchbusinessesdealwith thesechallenges?

Frequentlypeopleaskuswhattheycandowiththescrap materialafterithasbeenshreddedorcompressed.Thisis thelargestchallengeforcompanies—tothinkaboutwhat comesnext.

Weencouragebusinessestobeawareoftheothertypesof manufacturingandproductionthatarenearbyandto collaboratewiththoseoperations.Forexample,wood shreddingcanbenefittheagricultureindustryintheformof animalbeddingorgroundcover Anearbyagricultural processwouldbeidealbecauseofthedecreasedneedfor transportation/shipping.Manufacturersofcompositeplastic productshavebeenknowntousereclaimedplasticbottles andpackagingintheproductionofdecking,outdoorchairs, etc.It’simportanttothinkcreativelyand,ifpossible,to thinklocal.

WEIMAiscommittedtotellingthestoriesofthese customerswhohavedonejustthat,andwehopetoinspire businessestofollowinthosefootstepsandthenforgetheir ownpaths.

Whatwouldyouradvicebetothebudding entrepreneursandenthusiastsaspiringtoventureinto theshreddingindustry?

WEIMAencouragesprospectstofirstconsiderthewaste theyarealreadycreatingintheirmanufacturingprocess. Howisitshaped?Whatisitmadeof?Whatindustries couldusethisproduct,andwhere?Afterthesequestionsare answered,theWEIMAengineeringteamcanworktogether withaprospecttomeettheneedsofthatsecondaryprocess duringshredding.

Howsmalldoesthethroughputneedtobetobeusefulin thenextprocess?Isitpossibletoreintegrateyourown scrapintoyourownmanufacturingprocess?

ThesequestionsandmorecanhelptheWEIMAengineers customizeashreddingorcompressingsolutionthatis tailoredtotheprospect’sgoals.

HowdoyouenvisionscalingyourWEIMA’soperations andoutreachin2022andbeyond?

TheCOVID-19pandemic,amongotherthings,has producedmanysupplychainissuesworldwide.Thishas

mademanufacturersthinkmorecriticallyaboutwhat they’recreatingandhowthey’resourcingtheirraw materials.Creativityandflexibilityhavebecomevitaltoa company’ssurvivalinthismarket.WEIMA’sextensive knowledgepriortothepandemicallowedustohelp customersrespondtotheever-presentneedforraw materials.WEIMAispreparedtocontinuetheprocessof empoweringoperationstolooktothefuturein2022and beyond.

Pleasegiveusafewtestimonialsfromyourclientsanda listofawards/recognitionsthataccuratelyhighlight yourorganization’spositioninthemarket.

A complete list of customer stories can be found here. The following illustrates the forward-thinking nature of current customers: Shredders:

FiberonDeckingCo.iscreatingcompositedeckingfroma proprietaryblendofreclaimedplasticscrapandwoodfiber Thisprocessisbothenvironmentalandhighlyprofitable.

Drainagepresses:

FiddleheadBrewingCo.usesadrainagepressfrom WEIMAtoreclaimout-of-specproducts.Theydrainthe beerandcompressthealuminumcansforeffective recycling.

EmmiisadairyprocessorinSwitzerlandthatusesa WEIMAdrainagepresstodrainmilkcartonsoftheir contents,compressthepackaging,andreclaimdairy productsforhygienicReWork.

Briquettepresses:

ClassicGraphicsisapaperprintingcompanythat connectedaWEIMAbriquettepressintoitsairsystem usingarotaryairlock.Theairsystemcollectsdustcreated duringthecuttingprocess(anaturalby-product)and transportsitoutbacktobebriquetted—muchsaferand moreefficient.