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Company News Please click on a news item below to read the complete news story. You may return to this menu at any time by clicking the "Top of Page" link following each news story.
City of Toronto Begins Largest Recycling and Refuse Cart Roll-Out Program in North American History
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Six thousand six hundred tons of refuse (trash, recyclables and yard trimmings) are currently being collected curbside on a daily basis in the nation's second largest city. As its population increases, and resources become more limited, the City of Los Angeles is working hard towards becoming a cleaner, greener "zero-waste" city. This means that the City's solid waste material currently disposed at landfills will be beneficially used to produce fuel and green renewable energy. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council recently established several key goals in response to the growing challenges posed by global climate change including:
City of Los Angeles Has Already Achieved 89% of its 2015 Goal The Bureau of Sanitation's years of progress towards a greener, recycling-focused solid resources management program is already diverting 62% of waste from landfills (89% of the 2015 goal). A big part of this success has been the City's automated collection program including the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program. The sheer scope of this program, the City's proactive approach to replacing containers, the sharing of a distribution facility, and the cutting edge approach to asset tracking, which will soon include Radio Frequency Identification Devices, are just a few reasons why the City of LA will continue to pave the way for municipalities across the country. The pathway to zero waste is lined with obstacles. This is the story of the role of the humble trash cart in the City of Los Angeles' victory of reducing inefficiencies within the process of solid waste collection. Dependable Solid Waste Containers Are Key to Protecting the Public Health As the second largest city in the nation collecting over 33,000 tons per week from approximately 750,000 residential units, the City of Los Angeles' Bureau of Sanitation is constantly seeking new, and more cost efficient, waste management practices to protect the public health and environment for this growing metropolis. One of these practices is the distribution of automated containers to residents so solid waste is managed and collected in a safe and uniform manner. "The Bureau of Sanitation is dedicated to providing excellent service to the residents of the City of Los Angeles, and the automated containers are an integral part of such an operation," according to Bureau of Sanitation Director Enrique Zaldivar. "By making sure that the residents have dependable containers to handle their refuse, recycling and yard trimmings, we ensure their efficient and safe collection and processing". The Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program was launched on July 15, 2002 by the City to:
"The City can take great pride in the Bureau of Sanitation's approach to going out and upgrading their fleet of containers in a proactive and systematic manner," shares Mike Schwalbach, Environmental Group Manager for Rehrig Pacific, a respected supplier to the waste handling industry. "It's rare for a city to maintain such a "pride of ownership" mindset regarding their roll-out carts. They put a lot of effort into ensuring their carts look aesthetically pleasing, function well, and operate safely for their residents and drivers." The Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program also provided the City an opportunity to address compatibility issues between the collection equipment and a variety of containers that had developed over the years. As a result, the City decided to standardize the automated collection containers being replaced by awarding only one contract through the Request for Qualifications and Request for Bid processes. "The procurement process consisted of a Request for Qualifications followed by a Request for Bid. An integral part of the procurement process was the extensive ten-year simulated lift test. This process ensured that the City of Los Angeles provide City residents the best quality containers at the best possible price" says Enrique Zaldivar, Bureau of Sanitation Director. Since the launch of the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program, Los Angeles-based Rehrig Pacific (fast approaching its 100th year in business) has supplied and distributed approximately 1.75 million automated containers citywide. The Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program is being thoughtfully rolled-out into the City's six collection wastesheds.
In the effort to improve worker safety and cost efficiency, the City's era of automated collection began in 1991 with the delivery of automated black containers, for refuse, and green containers, for yard trimmings. Based on resident "set-out" and container usage studies, the City distributed a standard allocation of one 65-gallon black and one 65-gallon green container to each residence. Beginning in 1997, the program was expanded to further encourage recycling by providing one 95-gallon blue container for recyclables. Since the inception of the automated container program, the City has utilized several container vendors including Roto, Reuter, Toter, Otto Industries, Plastopan, Zarn, Schaefer and Rehrig Pacific. As the initial round of containers approached the end of their 10-year service life, the City experienced a dramatic increase in customer service calls, requesting repairs or replacements, and the number of broken containers steadily increased. Since the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program was an entirely new concept for the City, it presented an entirely new set of challenges to overcome. The program started by developing a thorough understanding of the management and staffing requirements to determine the practical implications on their daily roles and responsibilities.
The immediate benefits the City realized from the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program were reduced resident complaints and improved collection efficiency. Over the program's five years, the number of calls has gone down an extraordinary 31.8%, resulting in significant savings in time, transit and labor costs for City residents. This improvement is especially significant given that initial expectations of the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program were to address a rise in complaints, while the result has actually been a dramatic reduction in the number of calls. Improvements to the container design, such as reinforced areas to handle the rigors of collection, and integration with the City's automated equipment has resulted in a superior performing container that directly benefits the City through the reduction in time and labor associated with the daily tasks of receiving resident's calls, generating work orders and driving to residences to handle complaints. "Rehrig Pacific has been very proactive in its desire to continue to present the best container available to the City of Los Angeles," says Jonathan Zari, Project Manager for the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program. Beginning in 1997, bar code labels were affixed to each container and in 2001 these were improved to include more information including the manufacture date. Today, drivers and distributors from the North Hollywood staging area use handheld Personal Data Assistants to scan bar codes affixed to each container that assign individual addresses, serial numbers and usage information. This in-depth information allows managers to immediately and accurately identify containers in need of repair or replacement based on their service history and identify these by the residential address. The time and labor savings of this aspect alone has been significant. Systematic Cart Replacement is Primary Factor in City's Improved Collection Efficiency The City's North Hollywood staging area is critical to the proactive replacement of carts citywide. Rehrig Pacific operates this site and works alongside City staff to implement the Automated Container Systematic Replacement Program. The City's approach to finding a collaborative partner capable of both locating and managing an effective distribution facility, as well as, manufacturing the best quality containers, at the best price, is unique in the industry. Most municipalities consider roll-outs as a "one-shot" effort and not a continuous program with a supplier as part of a long-term partnership. The City's improved collection efficiency is primarily due to the fact that the containers on the street are in much better condition than they would be if they had not been systematically replaced. The City of Los Angeles' commitment to protection of workers and residents, and its commitment to zero waste, serves as a model for the nation, and indeed the world, in changing the meaning of the word "garbage" for today's environmentally aware residents. In the not so distant past, recyclables used to be what we kept out of the garbage. Now, garbage is what we have leftover after we reuse, recycle, and compost! Rehrig Pacific Expands All-Plastic Commercial Container Production to Midwest and Southeast Regions LOS ANGELES, CA -- April 18, 2007 - Rehrig Pacific Company announced today that production of its line of NuWave™ all-plastic Commercial Containers has been expanded into the Midwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. This move complements NuWave's current production in Orange County, CA and will significantly reduce transport costs for customers in the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. Rehrig has been offering two, three, and four-yard containers since 2005 and recently introduced a six-cubic-yard NuWave™ container into its product line. The one-piece polyethylene dumpsters are the first application to emerge from NOVA Chemicals' Rotomolder Network, a group of rotational molders located throughout North America. The containers are manufactured using NOVA Chemicals' SURPASS® resins, which are made with Advanced SCLAIRTECH™ technology and deliver superior processing advantages and strength in rotomolded applications. "There are numerous benefits to Rehrig's partnerships with NuWave and NOVA Chemicals," said Mike Schwallbach, General Manager of Rehrig Pacific's Environmental business unit. "The Environmental group has added another new container that fits nicely into our existing product offerings," he continued. "As a part-owner of NuWave, we will have full access to the manufacturing operations and quality control. Our technical partnership with NOVA Chemicals will aid in the further development of new rotationally molded products, creating future growth opportunities and options to enter new markets." Rehrig's NuWave™ rotationally molded containers were first to feature integrally molded-in pockets and hinges that deliver an all-plastic container solution for the waste collection industry. Compared to steel dumpsters, plastic dumpsters are quieter, virtually maintenance free, and more than strong enough to handle the needs of today's waste haulers. Durable and rust proof, polyethylene dumpsters are highly resistant to corrosion and abuse. Advanced SCLAIRTECH™ is a trademark of NOVA Chemicals. SURPASS® is a registered trademark of NOVA Chemicals Corporation in Canada and of NOVA Chemicals (International) S.A. elsewhere. Rehrig Pacific's Bottle Armor™ Solves "Leaker" Problem for HOD Business LOS ANGELES, CA -- March 17, 2007 - Rehrig Pacific introduces Bottle Armor - a simple and reliable innovation solving water bottler's "leaker" problem. Revolutionizing the home and office delivery (HOD) business, Bottle Armor provides water bottle transit safety that can translate into millions of dollars in savings for bottlers each year. Historically, large format water bottles were individually packaged in wooden crates and manually loaded onto trucks for delivery. Today's high-speed filling lines demand robotic loading of multi-bottle racks to achieve required through-put speeds to meet growing customer demand. While times have changed, the challenge of bottles degrading while in transit has not. Even as metal racks are being replaced by somewhat more forgiving plastic racks, bottlers still face the all too common problem of "micro holes" which occur when bottles are allowed to bounce up and down in the racks. These "micro holes" create the environment responsible for "leakers," which ultimately result in wet carpets, damaged flooring, and unhappy customers, not to mention the lost product and equipment damage. Bottle Armor's primary value is its ability to hold and cushion the bottles in place during transit, eliminating the primary environment that causes bottle failure. Bottle Armor utilizes compressed air and inflatable rubber bladders to block and brace 3 and 5-gallon water bottles, simply and reliably. According to Andrew Wiseman, Director of New Product Development, "Bottle Armor is uniquely positioned to increase bottler's earnings by drastically reducing their bottle mortality, while increasing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction and retention. Rack and truck maintenance costs are greatly reduced as a result of securing the bottles. Most importantly, Bottle Armor also contributes to creating a safer working environment for employees, especially the route drivers." Will Rehrig, President, commented that "Rehrig's Food & Beverage business group will be prepared to start supplying the industry in time for their upcoming buying season. Bottle Armor represents a significant international opportunity as well. Currently, Rehrig is reviewing the water markets in Asia, Latin America and Europe for direct sales and licensees." Please contact Rehrig Pacific for compelling test data to help you evaluate if this technology is right for you. Remember, "Bottles that don't bounce... don't break!" Environmental Industry Insights from Rehrig Pacific LOS ANGELES, CA -- January 25, 2007 - Measuring customer loyalty is a key tool used to gauge overall customer satisfaction and a pivotal metric in quantifying customer equity - the value to the company of its customer base. As most know, the financial impact of bad word of mouth can be devastating as reflected in this commonly heard statement, "If I got bad service, I'd probably be like everyone else and complain to everybody, it's human nature." In the effort to provide its customers with world-class customer service, Rehrig Pacific's Environmental Group retained an independent third-party strategic marketing firm, Richmond, Virginia-based Beckett Advisors, to understand customer satisfaction with, and perceptions of, Rehrig's Environmental products and services. Mike Schwalbach, National Environmental Manager, is pleased to share that the Customer Survey indicates Rehrig's Environmental products/service Customer Loyalty Ranking is 8.6 - very close to world-class levels of a 9-10 ranking. In the words of one customer from the City of Tyler, Texas, "I can't think of anything that needs to be improved. I'd much rather use Rehrig than others because their product is better and their service is very good." Rehrig Pacific vs. The Competition To gain insight on how to better manage customer's expectations, the survey drilled down further to determine if Rehrig Pacific's Environmental products/services value proposition was in line with what customers wanted and to identify how its products ranked versus the competition. Following are the Customer Survey results of Rehrig Pacific's performance rankings on key competitive metrics compared with the measured Industry Standard (5 being the best; 1 being the worst):
Rehrig Pacific has been helping companies handle and transport a diverse range of products for more than 90 years. The Los Angeles-based company is an international company with licensees worldwide offering an ever-expanding product line that includes returnable plastic crates, carts, and pallets designed for handling, storing and transporting products in the agriculture, bakery, beverage, dairy, environmental and materials handling marketplaces. Seven Pallet Purchase Terms You Need To Know To Capitalize On Your Plastic Pallet Purchases LOS ANGELES, CA -- January 19, 2007 - According to one veteran DC Manager, "when you're responsible for answering to so many people involved in the plastic pallet purchase decision, there's no worse feeling than receiving your major pallet delivery that was ordered incorrectly due to a seemingly minor miscommunication about what we needed." Considering the human resource dynamics that are shaping the Material Handling industry today with 25-30% annual employee turnover, employees increasingly wearing several hats, and managers becoming responsible for an ever-widening variety of functions from transportation to equipment to HR, the value of clear and effective communication has never been so important - or so costly. Depending on the size of the company, the plastic pallet purchase process can encompass several departments and, depending on the number of hats they're wearing, may also include several employees, of various skill sets and product knowledge, along the way. Other groups or operations may try to assign specialists responsible for specific elements of the buying process or the entire purchase decision may begin and end with you. The first step in capitalizing on your plastic pallet purchase vocabulary is to be clear about the terms you're using to describe your needs. To effectively strengthen the buying power of skilled veterans, and empower new employees just joining the industry, we consulted Rehrig Pacific's team of Material Handling Sales Specialists to identify the Top Seven Pallet Purchase Terms You Need To Know to maximize your next plastic pallet purchase - and minimize your chance of paying for an incorrect order due to a misunderstanding of your needs during the buying process. Top Seven Pallet Purchase Terms You Need To Know
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