Date: May 1, 2008
Source: Wastequip, Inc.
Wastequip Launches Green and Lean Initiatives
Wastequip, Inc. announced today a companywide reorganization that aims to create a "greener," more efficient company and to provide customers with streamlined services that help contain costs and improve customer support. The companywide plan is based on Wastequip's vision to become an environmental leader in the waste industry.
"To maintain our leadership position in the waste industry, we believe we must totally embrace environmental leadership and efficiencies across all aspects of our operations." said Bob Rasmussen, President and CEO. "Our focus going forward will be to improve customer service and reduce costs through practices involving reduced energy consumption, CO2 emissions and increased recycling. These improvements will be driven by our focus on LEAN Six Sigma manufacturing and management processes."
Wastequip has already benefited from these green initiatives through substantial savings in energy use, resulting from new energy-efficient lighting and HVAC controls installed at its Winamac, IN facility. These installations have saved more than $250,000 in energy costs and 600 tons of CO2 reductions. As a result, the Indiana governor's office presented Wastequip Indiana with the state's Energy Management Systems, Environmental Stewardship Award for its efforts. Implementing these actions across the country will help Wastequip substantially reduce energy use, cut emissions and increase recycling practices.
The company's Toter Division, which is the leading manufacturer of plastic residential carts, also is working to reduce its impact on environmental waste through recycling old plastic carts. Working with the city of Oxnard, CA, the company is recycling 35,000 retired carts and using the material to make 70,000 new carts. The sustainable, closed-loop system will be recovering and reusing 1.2 million pounds of plastics.
Another part of Wastequip's on-going efforts is to accelerate its LEAN Six Sigma programs, which have already resulted in significant improvements in operational efficiencies and quality control. For example, plant managers are being trained in LEAN practices and are in the process of working toward Green Belts in LEAN. Efficiency improvements have resulted in significant production capacity gains at key manufacturing locations, resulting in the need for fewer plant sites. Therefore, the company will close several of its older and least efficient facilities, which will result in further reductions in energy use, CO2 emissions and costs. The Wastequip workforce affected by the closings will be offered relocation opportunities and/or assistance in finding employment in their local communities.
The reorganization includes restructuring Wastequip's Steel Group into a newly formed Container Division for its container products and a Technical Products Division for its hoists and compactors. This will provide a leaner, more centralized structure that is more responsive to customers while maximizing productivity. Wastequip expects the reorganization strategy will further improve customer service and reduce costs through, for example, a savings of more than a million miles of truck freight by more strategically routing equipment.
Wastequip is headquartered in Cleveland, OH, with locations throughout North America. Since its founding in 1989, Wastequip, Nationally known for personal service, is the largest manufacturer, designer and marketer of equipment used to collect, process, and transport solid and liquid waste. The company's products include a variety of metal containers used for the collection of waste materials, balers and compactors, intermodals and roll-off containers, transfer trailers, roll-off hoists, tarpers, and vehicle mounted vacuum units as well as a full line of plastic residential carts and other plastic waste and recycling containers. For information on other Wastequip locations, visit www.wastequip.com or call 877-468-9278.
For more information, contact:
Jerry Samson
(651) 480-4860
jsamson@wastequip.com.
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