CP Manufacturing celebrates 45 years

Material recovery facility (MRF) equipment manufacturer CP Manufacturing Inc. (CP Group), San Diego, is celebrating 45 years in business in 2022.

Photo courtesy of CP Group

The company started in 1977 when Charles M. Davis invented the aluminum can flattener. Since then, CP Group says it has engineered, manufactured and installed more than 450 MRFs around the world, providing award-winning, turnkey solutions for sorting systems with a heavy emphasis on engineering design and operational efficiency.  

In the 1980s, CP began designing and engineering equipment to sort recyclables. By the 1990s, the company developed and installed its first commingled sorting system and sort lines. Since 1995, CP has owned and operated a MRF in San Diego.

With a focus on expansion, CP Group acquired MSS, Krause Manufacturing and Advanced MRF and established a U.K. office in the 2000s.

Because of CP Group’s roots in owning and operating a MRF, the company has engineered solutions based on firsthand experience. Understanding and relating to customer needs have helped CP develop strong, long-term relationships in the industry.

“As far back as the early ’80s when Cal-Waste Recovery Systems first entered the recycling market, the legendary CP magnetic can separator was one of our first purchases,” says Dave Vaccarezza, owner of Cal-Waste Recovery Systems in Galt, California. “Since that time, we have evolved into a modern high-tech digital MRF.

“In the recycling business, the road is full of bumps and hairpin turns,” he continues. “Support is a key issue when you rely on your MRF to plow through 400 tons of mixed recyclables a day. CP has been there time and time again with their support and consultation. They delivered the technology, training and support above and beyond our expectations.”

Throughout its history, CP says it has learned that innovation must deliver operational efficiency to add value for MRF owners. This approach guided research and development to establish dozens of patents, each one curated to deliver value. The company most recently developed the patented OCC Auger Screen that specifically targets midsize to large old corrugated containers (OCC) and creates a clean end product using high-agitation augers.

CP, which still is privately owned, says it thrives on the continuous efforts of its employees’ dedication to innovation. “CP is technologically progressive and a well-functioning entity known and respected domestically and around the world. I am proud to be a part of the team that introduced CP to the world,” says Dave Muchnick, the company’s former engineering manager, who retired after 41 years.   

As the industry changes, CP says it continues improving to stay ahead of the curve and deliver innovative solutions that work hard for its customers. Looking toward the future, CP owner Bob Davis says, “I am very blessed to have had such a long career at CP, from our humble beginnings to the dynamic group of companies that we are today. I want to thank the hundreds of fellow employees who work with me here today plus all of the past employees that made CP their home, many having retired after 40 years of loyalty and service. The future at CP Group looks very bright as we develop and transition to the next generation of people and products that will continue to support the growth and stability of the waste and recycling industries.”