The Maine Cos., Zion, Ill., which includes Maine Plastics and A Greener Solution, has partnered with the American Red Cross to launch a program called Recycling for Relief. 

The initiative aims to use the postindustrial recycling community’s infrastructure to raise funds to help the American Red Cross with ongoing disaster relief efforts in the wake of national emergencies such as Superstorm Sandy.

During the pilot phase, the goal is to create a partnership program with manufacturers, recyclers and industry associations as well as raise $50,000 from Nov. 22, 2012, through the end of 2013. According to a news release issued by the Maine Cos., it will provide all logistics and support for the pilot program and make a cash contribution of at least 10 percent of the total pilot goal.

Manufacturers and suppliers who generate plastic, metal, paper and other recyclable byproducts can indicate that a portion of their recyclables be used as a donation to the American Red Cross. The Maine Cos. will pick up, process and donate the fair-market value of the recyclables to the American Red Cross.

The goal for the Maine Cos. is “to attract and inspire recycling companies, manufacturers, associations and others affiliated with the sustainability industry to join together to develop an ongoing support program for the American Red Cross and their relief efforts,” the news release states.

“We appreciate, firsthand, the important and critical work being done by the American Red Cross,” says David Spitulnik, the firm’s president. “We also understand that relief efforts do not stop when the disaster is no longer front-page news. Our goal is to create a sustainable program to help the American Red Cross and their disaster relief efforts.”

The Maine Cos. is inviting interested organizations to take part in Recycling for Relief either by donating their plastic, metal and paper byproducts to the Recycling for Relief initiative or by assisting in program logistics. Organizations also can make a donation directly to the American Red Cross on behalf of Recycling for Relief.

“The plan is not for this to be a Maine Cos.’ initiative, but to stimulate the starting point for an ongoing charitable program supported by the entire sustainability community,” says Spitulnik. “We look forward to working with our entire community on this effort.”

Those wishing to take part in the Recycling for Relief program can contact a Maine Plastics representative or email the company through its website at www.maineplastics.com/about/contact.

Maine Cos. has more than 300 employees and 11 facilities nationwide.

 

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has presented Metro Auto Recyclers, Valparaiso, Ind., with the Indiana Clean Yard Gold Level award.

The Clean Yard program was established in 2009 as a collaborative effort between the IDEM and the Automotive Recyclers of Indiana Inc. to decrease environmental threats posed by vehicles stockpiled in salvage yards.

After first achieving gold-level status in November 2010, Metro Auto Recyclers continued to maintain its level of environmental stewardship, earning re-certification of IDEM’s highest level award.

Theresa Bordenkecher, IDEM Section Chief for Industrial Waste Compliance, presented the award to John Leegwater, Metro’s operations manager, and Leighton Fritze, the company’s quality environmental health and safety coordinator. The company says it was motivated to continue to implement measures to ensure environmental protections after receiving the first designation, and is working toward certification for its Indianapolis location.

Sims Metal Management Ltd. (SMM) headquartered in Chicago and Sydney, has announced the sale of its Arizona scrap metal recycling assets to SA Recycling LLC (SAR) for $35 million. SAR is a joint venture owned equally by SMM and Adams Steel, and has operations in California, Nevada and Arizona.

The sale principally involves the real property related assets of SMM’s two scrap metal recycling facilities in Phoenix and Tucson. SMM will retain the working capital assets of the Arizona business, which is expected to monetize an additional $15 million in cash over 45 days following the sale.

In a release, Daniel Dienst, SMM’s group CEO, says, “The sale of our Arizona assets, following on the heels of our recent dispositions of our Colorado assets, our joint venture interest in Nashville and the acquisitions of assets and businesses in Alabama and Maryland over the past few months, is part of our aggressive repositioning of our shareholders’ precious capital to markets that offer the highest returns on invested capital and meet the long-term strategic growth plans we have for the important North American market.

“The transaction also resolves issues related to the SAR joint venture agreement, which granted Arizona as a territory to SAR, allowing us to operate, but to not otherwise expand in Arizona. We are pleased to have resolved this issue, while at the same time allowing our important joint venture partner in the Southwestern U.S. to expand. In this transaction we will retain an interest in the profit and cash flow of the Arizona business through our 50 percent ownership in SAR,” Dienst continues.

George Adams, SAR’s CEO, says, “This is an exciting growth opportunity for SAR and fits perfectly into our Southwestern U.S. footprint. The deal enables SAR to expand the reach of its Southern California base further into Arizona, and aligns our existing Arizona facility as a feeder yard to the shredder we acquired in this transaction. The transaction also allows the acquired facilities to realize freight efficiencies and better access to export markets through our docks in Southern California. We welcome the new Arizona employees to the SAR family.”

Hytrol Conveyor Co. Inc., Jonesboro, Ark., has presented nine employees with its Tower of Strength award. The award honors employees who have worked for the company for 40 consecutive years.

The nine recipients of the award are: Hershel Williams, Tommy Holmes, Larrie Woodard, James Williams, Lennis McClure, Jimmy Becker, Jerry West, Ron Johnson and Mike Millsap.

During the presentation, Greg Goodner, Hytrol’s president, thanked the long-time employees for their commitment to the company. In a statement, he said that he was “blessed to have the chance to work with each one of these men. They exemplify what Hytrol stands for and represent the love one has to have to be a part of the Hytrol family.”

Each employee received a stainless steel plaque laser engraved with their likeness. Hytrol has presented 22 of its employees with its Tower of Strength award.