Accent Wire Tie acquires Cavert Wire Co.

Accent Wire Tie, a Houston-based baling wire and baling tier supplier, has acquired Cavert Wire Co., a North American manufacturer of baling wire. Cavert, founded in 1910, is based in Rural Hall, North Carolina.

“We are delighted to welcome Cavert to the Accent family,” says Bill Sims, president and CEO of Accent Wire Tie. “Cavert has an unmatched legacy of manufacturing quality baling wire and will bring an Accent-operated producing mill into the industry’s largest and most comprehensive supply chain. Cavert’s sales team and production facility are a great addition to Accent.”

According to a news release issued by Accent Wire Tie, the company’s purchase of Cavert forms one of North America’s largest suppliers for baling wire products and bale packaging equipment. The combined market presence enhances Accent’s ability to deliver products, equipment and service to the industry.

“We are excited to join forces with Accent,” says Charles Spittler, president of Cavert Wire Co. “Cavert’s long-term experience supplying the recycling industry and our North Carolina plant are important additions to Accent. We are looking forward to new opportunities and growth for our team.”

Metso Outotec signs agreement to sell its Waste Recycling business

Finnish company Metso Outotec says it has signed an agreement to divest its Waste Recycling business line to Ahlström Capital, a family- owned investment company. The sale to Helsinki-based Ahlström Capital is expected to take place during the fourth quarter of 2021, according to a news release from Metso Outotec.

In October of last year, Metso Outotec announced it would divest its Recycling business, which includes the waste recycling and metal recycling business lines, based on the company’s strategic decision to focus on the aggregates and mining industries.

The value of the transaction will not be disclosed; however, Metso Outotec says the sale will have a minor positive impact on its financial results.

The company says it continues with its plans to divest its Metals Recycling business line.

The Waste Recycling business will operate under the M&J brand, and its headquarters will be in Horsens, Denmark. All 120 employees of the business will transfer to the new company in connection with the close of the transaction.

The business’ net sales in 2020 totaled approximately 50 million euros, or $59 million, according to Metso Outotec.

Metso acquired Horsens- based M&J Industries A/S in 2009 for nearly 16 million euros (nearly $18.9 million in today’s dollars) from Dansk Kapitalanlaeg, making Metso a significant player in the solid waste recycling equipment segment. Metso merged with Outotec, a designer and builder of minerals processing and metals refining systems, in 2020. Metso Outotec continued to release products using the M&J name, having announced the availability of the M&J F320 FineShredder in July. 

“We are very pleased that we have found a new owner for our business, whose strategic thinking and ambitions are so well-aligned with ours,” says Uffe Hansen, who is heading the Waste Recycling business. “As a stand-alone company with a sole focus on waste recycling, we will be more agile and customer-centric in order to further exploit growth opportunities.”

Lasse Heinonen, president and CEO at Ahlström Capital, says, “The Waste Recycling business, M&J, has a proven track record with a strong growth profile in an attractive market. The business is well-positioned to help drive sustainable development with its premium brand offering, robust operations and skilled personnel. I believe that Ahlström Capital as an owner will bring further focus on and resources for growth initiatives and support the standalone business to reach its full potential.”

Ahlström Capital focuses its investment activity on industrial companies, real estate and forests.

American Baler upgrades two-ram baler hydraulics

Bellevue, Ohio-based American Baler Co. says its W721 and W828 two-ram balers now are being manufactured with a power unit and manifold block designed with off-the-shelf Parker Din Cartridge valves on the manifold. Additionally, the two baler models now are being outfitted with standard directional control valves.

All the pumps on the two models now have their own pressure control kit for all three stages of the pump function, American Baler says. Additionally, no unloader blocks are needed, according to the company.

“Warranty claims were higher than desired with our manifold blocks, and our engineering risk evaluation model led us to these cartridge valves,” says Jim Wolfe, vice president of engineering and customer service at American Baler.

Mike Schwinn, American Baler sales manager, says, “The new design is easier to build with fewer errors. This change was implemented in our larger W828 series two years ago and the results have been superb, so improving the W721 was a logical next step.”

The W721 two-ram baler is American Baler’s most popular model, according to the manufacturer. While the W721 is a wide-body machine, the baler is priced similarly to many narrow-body machines and at a “price point that fits many material recovery facility applications as well as at paper, plastic and nonferrous metals plants,” American Baler says.

Amp Robotics expands operations to Europe

Denver-based Amp Robotics Corp., an artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics manufacturer, has announced it is expanding its presence in Europe as demand grows for the company’s AI and automation solutions. Amp has appointed Rep-Tec Advanced Technologies, which is based in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, and specializes in the supply, installation and support of recycling equipment, as an official reseller and integrator for Amp’s customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. 

According to a news release from Amp, it has hired Gary Ashburner as its European general manager to build out the company’s infrastructure across the region. Based in the U.K., Ashburner leads customer and partner acquisition, presales and postsales consulting, system design, supply, installation, training and service for the company.

“We’re seeing greater interest in and adoption of our technology in the U.S., with customers reordering our AI-guided robotic sorting systems to install in other facilities that they own,” Ashburner says. “This is generating a robust pipeline in the U.S. that’s being mirrored internationally, following the installation of our first robotic sorting system in Europe late last year. We share a commitment to improving global resource efficiency and productivity with Rep-Tec and look forward to working with an established leader that also embraces new technology and innovation as we extend our efforts to modernize and expand recycling infrastructure in Europe and globally.”

Amp says its European expansion reflects strong yearly growth and investment in operational scale made possible by its latest funding round of $55 million at the beginning of the year.

The company’s AI platform, Amp Neuron, encompasses the largest known real-world dataset of recyclable materials for machine learning, Amp says. It can classify more than 100 different categories and characteristics of recyclables across single-stream recycling, e-scrap and construction and demolition debris and reach an object recognition run rate of more than 10 billion items annually, according to the company. 

“We’re delighted to partner with Amp Robotics and support the company’s growth across the U.K. and Ireland,” says Colm Grimes, chief executive officer of Rep-Tec. “We recognize the desire to add AI and robotics to Europe’s recycling infrastructure and believe Amp has developed a system that will change the economics of this industry. We’ll be installing our first three Amp Cortex high-speed sorting systems later this summer. This will provide a great U.K. reference site with the ability to run material trials for interested parties.”

To further grow its market penetration in Europe, Amp Robotics says it plans to establish additional reseller partnerships in the countries of Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and France.

Caroline Allman

Compliance officer at Apto Solutions

Caroline Allman says luck led her to the electronics recycling and information technology asset disposition (ITAD) industry about 11 years ago. Previously, a career in the ITAD industry was not part of her plan.

“I had gotten my degree in horticulture and psychology,” she says. “My goal was to find a horticultural therapy job, but it was during the recession, and there was no way I would find that.”

In 2010, Allman was planning to relocate to the Atlanta area to move closer to her then fiancé, and she says someone had recommended she apply for a quality control position at Apto Solutions, which is based in Atlanta. The company hired her as a quality control analyst and deputy ISO officer.

When she started her role at Apto Solutions, Allman says she didn’t intend to stay in the electronics recycling and ITAD industry for long. She wanted to eventually find a job in horticulture and psychology. But, over time, she says she was impressed by the projects and work being done at Apto Solutions and chose to stay with the company.

"That’s one thing that [Apto Solutions has] proven in the last 20 years—they are pretty darn good at adapting to the changes in the world and in the industry.”

“I was just really taken by the industry,” she says. “And there was a lot of change happening when I got hired. [Apto Solutions] kept giving me different opportunities to learn new things. And 11 years later, I’m still learning.”

Allman is a compliance officer at Apto Solutions, where she oversees operational processes and procedures and ensures the company’s certifications are in place.

She shares what it’s like to work at Apto Solutions, how the company has addressed hiring-related challenges and the ways she’s gotten involved in the industry in the edited interview that follows.

Recycling Today (RT): What are operations like at Apto Solutions?

Caroline Allman (CA): The word “apto” in Latin means to adapt. That’s one thing that the company has proven in the last 20 years—they are pretty darn good at adapting to the changes in the world and in the industry.

Recycling has always been a necessary part of the business but was never something that we really focused on. If something couldn’t be reused, then naturally it would get recycled responsibly. Now, we’ve kind of turned the tables. We still have a focus on reuse because, of course, that’s the most beneficial for the environment and everybody involved financially, but we’re trying to look at the recycling side differently.

That’s been translated into our program that we’re calling Circular Transformation. So, we’re doing a lot more tracking of downstreams and really focusing on what things are being turned into.

RT: Hiring is a big issue right now. Could you speak to how Apto Solutions has addressed hiring lately?

CA: One thing we’ve actually had a lot of luck with is the e-Stewards Advance Plus Program, which we asked to be part of it. It helps us partner with groups or staffing agencies that focus on placing individuals who are on the autism spectrum. So, we’re able to get people from those agencies.

RT: Since working at Apto Solutions, have you gotten involved in any industry associations?

CA: When e-Stewards started working on transitioning from their version 3.1 to version 4 certification standard, I volunteered to assist with that process by just reviewing the changes. We went through and just made sure that the changes that were being made were beneficial to the e-Stewards-certified companies and would hopefully bring in new companies.

CP Group OCC Auger Screen

San Diego-based CP Group’s OCC Auger Screen is designed to separate midsize to large old corrugated containers (OCC) at material recovery facilities (MRFs). The screen:

• uses a series of cantilevered tri-lobe augers to create agitation to liberate material
• creates a clear OCC fraction for MRF operators
• does not require material to be presorted; materials can go directly after the infeed conveyor
• features self-cleaning shafts and rotating screws to prevent material from wrapping
• can be used in commercial and single-stream MRF applications

Visit www.cpgrp.com/occ-auger-screen for more information.

Accent R400 wire tier

Accent Wire Tie, Tomball, Texas, has introduced the Accent R400 wire tier for two-ram balers. The R400 wire tier:

• offers rotary tier technology in a compact design
• can be installed or retrofitted on two-ram balers
• features a knotter that performs a nonreciprocating four-twist rotary knotting sequence, allowing operators to use less costly, finer gauge baling wire
• requires reduced maintenance, with fewer moving parts and a time-saving, quick-change patented removable parts cartridge

Visit www.accentwiretie.com for more information.

Eagle Edge 350

Eagle International, Lyons, Nebraska, has debuted the Eagle Edge 360, which is designed to produce high-quality mulch from the treads and sidewalls of off-the-road tires. The Eagle Edge 360:

• is suitable for tires ranging from 33 inches to 63 inches in rim size
• features rasp heads in three locations at varying angles to increase the surface area that can be claimed as mulch and that speed up cycle time
• allows operators to shred rubber from the tread and sidewall simultaneously
• uses semiautomation with programmable logic controllers that adjust for speed and rasp pressure
• offers remote control for the rasp angle and depth
• can be operated with a high-efficiency vacuum, cyclone, magnet, conveyor, hopper and bag stand
• comes apart in sections to facilitate transport

Visit https://eagle-equipment.com for more information.

Kripke Enterprises shifts officer roles

Toledo, Ohio-based Kripke Enterprises Inc. (KEI) has announced several promotions and what it calls “a new corporate structure as it looks to the future of the 28-year-old company.”

The metals brokerage and recycling firm’s executive roster now includes CEO Matt Kripke, President Chad Kripke, Chief Operating Officer Eric Phillips, Chief Strategy Officer Andy Golding and Senior Vice Presidents Marvin Finkelstein and Alan Sallee Jr.

“I am proud of KEI’s executives,” Matt Kripke says. “Their hard work and vision allowed us to grow exponentially over the years. I am excited to watch this team as we continue to be on the forefront of the aluminum recycling and usable coil industry,” he adds.

Founded in 1993, in addition to its Toledo headquarters, KEI has a trading office in Coconut Creek, Florida, and its Mid-South Aluminum operation is in Jackson, Tennessee. The company’s annual revenue totals $200 million.

In memoriam: Ralph Velocci

Velocci

Waste Pro, Longwood, Florida, has announced that Ralph Velocci died July 15 at age 72. 

Velocci most recently was a senior vice president at Waste Pro and a member of the company’s board of directors.

He grew up in Long Island, New York, where he got his start in the industry by working on his father’s garbage trucks.

Waste Pro says Velocci first worked with the company’s founder, John Jennings, in the 1990s at USA Waste when the company acquired Waste Management. He later reconnected with Jennings at Waste Pro in 2009.

Velocci led Waste Pro’s commercial sales and oversaw the company’s landfill and recycling operations.

According to a statement from the company, “Velocci made a difference in the lives of people around him. He acted as a mentor to many in the company and industry, generously offering his time, knowledge and expertise. He was beloved and respected by his family, friends, all of his Waste Pro family and will be greatly missed.”

“Ralph was an exceptional businessman,” Jennings says.

He adds, “He loved the simple things around him and never took for granted how fortunate he was. He was the son of Italian immigrants who lived the American dream with a strong personality whose impact will last a long time.”

Iron Horse Logistics Group appoints director of sales

Rail and barge logistics provider Iron Horse Logistics Group (IHLG), Aurora, Ohio, has appointed Joe Chrien as its director of sales. He comes to the company with more than 20 years of professional experience in sales.

According to a news release from IHLG, Chrien will develop and implement the firm’s overall corporate sales strategy, managing the sales team and engaging prospective clients.

“Joe brings an expertise in sales that perfectly complements IHLG’s core values,” says Dennis Wilmot, president and CEO of the company. “Our sales vision will be carried by his rare skill set and capability, and we’re very excited to have him on our team.”

Previously in his career, Chrien worked in sales at IHLG.

He can be contacted by email at joe@ihlogistics.com or by phone at 330-222-8240.

Connect Work Tools adds regional business manager

Ali

Connect Work Tools, a division of Exodus Global, Superior, Wisconsin, has added Vaughn Ali to its team as a regional business manager for the Southeast. Ali has almost 20 years in the industry and most recently was the Southeast territory manager for Lockport, New York-based Moley Magnetics Inc.

“I have had the opportunity to work with Exodus Global’s team for several years as a vendor and have watched them grow,” Ali says. “Two things that have always stayed consistent are their positive energy and their reputation to exceed customers’ expectations.”

He continues, “When the chance to work with Geordie Stewart and the Connect Work Tools group came to me, it was an opportunity that felt natural and like being home. I am truly grateful to have this opportunity. I am excited to be able to help this division grow and take care of our customers.”

Stewart, director of sales at Connect Work Tools, says, “I have gotten to work with Vaughn on joint deals over the past years with mutual customers. Vaughn’s reputation for customer service, product knowledge and his drive to go above and beyond is exactly what Connect Work Tools is focused on to grow our business. Everyone who has dealt with Vaughn has nothing but great things to say, and we are beyond thrilled to get to add him to our team in the Southeast.”

Connect Work Tools offers attachments, including hydraulic breakers, compactors, rotating grapples and pulverizers, for the construction, demolition, recycling and mining industries, as well as rebuild services and reconditioned equipment.

Eriez appoints managing director for Eriez-Germany

Eriez President and CEO Lukas Guenthardt has announced that the Erie, Pennsylvania-based company has selected Eric Adams to serve as managing director for the newly established Eriez Deutschland GmbH, based in Recklinghausen, Germany.

In his new role, Adams will lead efforts to increase Eriez’s presence throughout central Europe, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

“Eric has been working closely with our executive team at Eriez-Europe to craft and execute a comprehensive business plan that addresses the needs of the German market,” Guenthardt says. “We recognize that this area of Europe is far too important to properly serve via an independent agent or distributor and, therefore, requires a direct and constant presence in the form of Eriez-Germany, guided by the strong leadership of Eric.”

Adams will report to Jaisen Kohmuench, vice president of international at Eriez.

“Eric’s three decades of experience in technical sales of capital equipment has been integral to the ramp-up of Eriez-Germany,” Kohmuench says. “Eric is already proving to be a tremendous asset to the company, and we are fortunate to have him on our team.”

Adams started his career as a sales engineer supporting deep drilling and mining support systems. Prior to that, he worked for Fördertechnik and Noell Service und Maschinentechnik, a provider of microtunnel technology. He continued in this area, eventually becoming a sales executive at Herrenknecht AG.

More recently, Adams served as general sales manager with Germany-based Steinert Elektromagnetbau and then as the managing director of H+E Logistik, a subsidiary of Herrenknecht AG, a manufacturer of belt conveyor systems for tunnel construction.

Eriez’s magnetic separation, metal detection, material handling, fluid recycling and advanced flotation technologies have applications in numerous industries, including mining and recycling.