Envipco Holding N.V. (Envipco) has pioneered the market with its reverse vending technology for the past forty years. Today, the company utilises that same technology to drive forward its vision of creating a cleaner world. Director of Special Programs Terje Hanserud, Chief Strategy & Investor Relations Officer Mikael Clement and VP of Business Development Europe Fons Buurman explained more, during an in-depth interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Following the introduction of one-way deposit legislation in selected US states in the ‘70s, retailers were left with the task of manually sorting deposit bottles and cans, ready for return. Keen to find an easyto-use solution, Founder of Virginia based Environmental Systems Corporation (now Dutch Envipco Holding) Bruce DeWoolfson set to work.
“Mr DeWoolfson patented a system to register deposit containers by barcode in what is known as a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM),” explained Director of Special Programs Terje Hanserud. “This innovation marked the beginning of Envipco and laid the foundation for all future Deposit Return Systems for one-way containers.”
The company has been a major player in the 10 US Bottle Bill states ever since,
now producing RVMs from its four facilities situated in Romania, Germany, Greece and the US. Combined, these locations have the capacity to produce 30,000 RVMs and 3,000 speciality products annually.
In 2015, following the development of its Quantum bulk-feed RVM, Envipco sought to explore the European market further –successfully building a strong foothold in Sweden, Greece, Slovakia, Malta, Romania, Hungary and Ireland. Since then, the company has upheld this presence, and, in Q1 of this year, declared an impressive LTM revenue of €104.6 million, resulting in a mighty year-on-year increase of 85%.
Sticking with the theme of success, the company broke boundaries once again this year, by installing a Quantum system in The Netherlands – the first of its kind in the country. The bulk-feed machine became operational in March of this year and has been running 24/7 ever since.
“The Quantum installation at the Bungas gas station in the Netherlands, was a huge success,” said Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations Director Mikael Clement. “So far, it has driven high return rates and consumers travel up to 70 kilometres to use this convenient machine. This result is generating significant interest for further deployments across the Netherlands, in response to an ever-increasing need to meet recycling targets.”
Modern recycling
At the heart of Envipco is a desire to accelerate recycling. The Quantum is the perfect solution to help progress this goal. Capable of processing 120 objects per minute and holding up to 20,000 cans and 7,000 bottles, this machine is a mammoth of a recycling centre, packed into a convenient and ready-to-install shell. The system itself comes fully integrated, so all the operator needs to do is connect it up before its ready to start gobbling up the nation’s containers.
“Quantum is our best-selling product, and it is the only true bulk-feed RVM technology on the market today, driving consumer traffic to retailers while freeing up sales space in stores, and yielding attractive economics for our customers,” said VP of Business Development Europe Fons Buurman.
“The Quantum offers consumers a unique recycling experience,” added Mr Hanserud.
“Thanks to its patented parallel processing technology, it is faster and more convenient than any other RVM. Initially developed for local community recycling parks, the outdoor version of the Quantum also provides supermarkets with the perfect opportunity to manage recycling in their parking lots –freeing up valuable sales areas.”
The Quantum also helps reduce the costs of Deposit Return Systems, removing the need for a more expensive manual handling system. This is especially beneficial for small business owners.
The full portfolio
All of Envipco’s machines can also be acquired with supporting services, including maintenance, pickup, processing and deposit clearing.
“By providing a comprehensive service, we established a closed-loop recycling
system at least 20 years before the concept became widely recognised,” explained Mr Hanserud.
That innovative flair remains present within Envipco, today. Also on offer from Envipco are five other models of RVMs. The smallest of which, Envipco Flex is the perfect solution for any location. With low initial costs and a compact design, this machine delivers the best container densification on the market.
For those looking for a solution that sorts a wider range of materials, Envipco Flex Tri,
Optima, Ultra and Modula are all capable of handling glass bottles, utilising three different sorting solutions (Soft-Drop, BreakerBar and Crush) to ensure space, capacity and recyclability are optimised.
Although the concept of its machines is inherently sustainable, Envipco has been keen to replicate this green ethos internally as well.
More recently, the company also implemented upgrades to the environmental standards surrounding its manufacturing processes and optimised the power consumption of its RVMs.
“Envipco actively interacts with its key customers and works closely to establish optimal RVM configurations for new clients,” said Mr Buurman. “We also capture ‘Voice of the Customer’ feedback, integrating it into our New Product Development processes.”
Customer feedback is incredibly important to Envipco, especially as the market continues to evolve. According to Mr Hanserud, in recent times, there has been a notable preference for bulk-feed RVMs.
“Traditionally, retailers would opt for a minimal single-feed solution when a system is first introduced,” continued Mr Buurman. “However, over time, consumers have come to expect more convenient recycling through bulk-feed. In some markets, we are also seeing a rapid shift toward bulk-feed RVMs to better serve small businesses and HoReCa customers who use the Quantum in recycling depots.”
Forward-thinking innovation
As it continues through the remainder of 2024, Envipco is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of the marketplace and finding new solutions that help improve its customers’ sustainability and develop a more circular economy.
“As we look to the future, we have implemented a clear strategy to secure a 30 per cent market share in greenfield DRS markets,” commented Mr Clement, in conclusion. “With the EU parliament signing the PPWR – effectively introducing DRS in all EU countries – and the announcement of a fully interoperable DRS across the UK, the market for Envipco’s core technology could triple in the next five to ten years.
“As for technological development: Envipco has historically proven itself as an innovative industry player and strives to reaffirm this position moving forward.” n
