Nickel Institute Announces Retirement of Peter Cutler

Cutler has worked in the nickel industry for 20 years.

December 13, 2012
Recycling Today Staff

Nonferrous Personnel

The Nickel Institute has announced that Peter Cutler, its director of promotion and market development, is retiring after 20 years of service to the nickel industry.

Kevin Bradley, president of the Nickel Institute, says, “The nickel industry owes a great debt to Peter who worked tirelessly for two decades to raise awareness of nickel and its benefits in applications like stainless steel. Under Peter’s skilful stewardship, the nickel industry focused strongly on supporting and promoting the appropriate use of nickel in products and materials. On behalf of his colleagues and the members of the Nickel Institute, I would like to wish Peter all the best for a long and happy retirement.”

The Nickel Institute expects to name a replacement for Cutler by the first half of 2013. In the meantime, the Nickel Institute has put in place interim arrangements to manage its market development and promotion programs.

Cutler started work with the Nickel Development Institute (NiDI) in the U.K., which in 2004 merged with the Nickel Producers Environmental Research Association (NiPERA) to form the Nickel Institute.

Robinovitz Named Alter Trading President

Jay Robinovitz also will retain chief operating officer title.

December 13, 2012
Recycling Today Staff

Personnel

Jay Robinovitz has been promoted to president at Alter Trading Corp., St. Louis. Robinovitz joined Alter Trading in September 2009 as senior vice president and chief officer of operations.

“After much reflection and with the full support of the board of directors and executive leadership, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jay Robinovitz to the position of president and chief operating officer of Alter Trading Corp., effective January 1st 2013,” says Alter Trading chairman and CEO Robert Goldstein.

Robinovitz has more than 30 years of experience in the metal recycling industry. Prior to joining Alter, he was employed by Schnitzer Steel Industries, where he held various senior management positions including several different vice president posts. Prior to that, Robinovitz was general manager, ferrous division, at Aerospace Metals Inc., Hartford, Conn.

“It is with a profound sense of appreciation and humility that I accept this position,” says Robinovitz. “I look forward to strengthening our dedication to safety and commitment to providing exceptional value to our consumers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and the communities in which we operate.”

“At Alter Trading we constantly strive to ensure that integrity and respect for all are part of the cornerstone of our company,” comments Goldstein. “I have the greatest confidence that Jay is the leader to foster continued appreciation of these values and to assist me and the executive team as we work to strengthen Alter’s position as a leader in the scrap metal industry for generations to come.”

Goldstein will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Alter Trading Corp. and the Goldstein Group going forward, according to an Alter Corp. news release.

Alter is a privately owned, fourth-generation company that was founded in 1898. The group of companies employs 1,250 people and operates 43 metal recycling facilities and five trading offices in eight states, as well as having a representative sales office in Hong Kong.

Eco Plastics Receives Funding from Venture Capital Firms

U.K.-based plastics recycling firm receives $9.66 million to expand its operations.

December 11, 2012
Recycling Today Staff

Legislation & Regulations Plastics

Eco Plastics, a Hemswell, U.K., plastics recycling company, has raised £6 million (US$9.656 million) in a second round of financing that will allow the company to expand its operations.

The Ludgate Environmental Fund, a private equity firm that targets the cleantech industry, is part of a group that provided Eco Plastics with the funding. The company already has invested with the company. Other parties that have provided funding for Eco Plastics included the private equity firm Robeco SAM, and Close Brothers, which is Eco Plastics’ existing debt provider.

Eco Plastics’ facility is capable of processing 150,000 metric tons of mixed plastics a year, including around 40,000 metric tons of bottle-grade recycled PET pellet. Eco Plastics says its Hemswell site is the largest and most sophisticated of its kind in the world.

The company’s first round of funding, made in July 2011, raised £24 million (US$38.7 million). That funding was used to finance ECO Plastics’ Continuum joint venture with Coca-Cola Enterprises, an agreement that more than doubled the U.K.’s recycled PET production. In February 2012, Eco Plastics received a £1.5 million (US$2.4 million) loan from WRAP to expand its rigid plastic sorting facilities.

Jonathan Short, ECO Plastics’ managing director, says, “ECO Plastics is now ready to tackle another period of rapid growth. We have made huge progress over the last three years and this investment leaves us ideally positioned to continue to develop our state-of-the-art facilities and to take advantage of any other expansion opportunities that arise.”

ECO Plastics started re-processing post-consumer plastics in 2006. Over the past five years the company has invested more than £17 million (US$24 million) to quadruple its processing capacity and triple its factory footprint. During early 2009 the company says it became the first company in the country to receive food grade accreditation for its recycled PET resin.

UK Group Reports Strong Carpet Recycling Efforts

Carpet Recycling UK says more than 6,000 metric tons of obsolete carpet will be diverted from landfills in 2012.

December 11, 2012
Recycling Today Staff

C&D

Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK), which is managed by the U.K.-based resource recovery firm Axion Consulting, has reported that more than 6,000 metric tons of end-of-life carpet will be diverted from landfills in 2012 by its member companies.

CRUK, which is an industry-backed association for companies recycling and reusing carpet, says in a news release that of the 6,049 metric tons collected, 5,241 metric tons were recycled and 808 metric tons were diverted for energy recovery purposes.

“This is a fantastic achievement and testament to the supreme efforts made by our U.K.-based manufacturers in diverting materials from UK landfill sites, with the obvious benefits in resource recovery and reduced environmental impact,” says Laurance Bird, director of CRUK.

“This illustrates that new outlets and innovative end uses for recycled carpet waste are developing all the time. There is a lot of entrepreneurial spirit willing to turn waste carpet into a new raw material resource,” he adds.

CRUK estimates that around 400,000 metric tons of end-of-life carpet is landfilled in the U.K. each year.

Casella Makes Acquisition

Bestway Disposal Services and BBI Waste Industries acquired by Casella.

December 11, 2012
Recycling Today Staff

Casella Waste Systems Inc., Rutland, Vt., has acquired the outstanding stock of Blow Brothers Inc., which does business as Bestway Disposal Services and BBI Waste Industries. The acquisition of the companies, based in Brentwood, N.H., closed on Dec. 6, 2012.

BBI provides solid waste collection, transfer and liquid waste services in seven locations in New Hampshire and Maine. Bestway also operates a portable toilet service and supplies roll-off containers for contractors and individuals conducting renovations, clean-outs and construction projects. Casella says after the acquisition it can “internalize additional waste and recyclables and consolidate operations, routes and transportation.”

Casella says after the acquisition it can “internalize additional waste and recyclables and consolidate operations, routes and transportation.”

“The BBI team has built an exceptional solid waste company that is well regarded by its municipal, commercial and residential customers,” says John Casella, chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems. “The company and its employees are a great addition to our team and will play a key role in our effort to serve our customers and create value for our stakeholders.”

“BBI's operations overlay well with our footprint in New Hampshire and Maine and we expect the acquisition to drive incremental value from our existing operations and provide a growth platform in several new market areas,” adds Casella.

“BBI collects and transfers roughly 105,000 tons of solid waste and recyclables and we expect to internalize close to 80 percent of this material at our facilities.” More information about the acquired companies can be found at http://www.bestwaynh.com/.

News and Information for Recycling Professionals