Alameda County Industries will add to its MRF sorting robot fleet.
Alameda County Industries (ACI) has expanded its use of EverestLabs robots in its materials recovery facility (MRF) in San Leandro, California.
ACI, which provides collection services of recyclables, organics and garbage for residential, commercial, and industrial customers in parts of that county, had an initial installation of sorting robots in July of last year.
Fremont, California-based EverestLabs says additional robotic units at ACI are scheduled for installation by the third quarter of this year. The robot provider says its units can “increase the operational efficacy of the plant by performing quality control tasks with 99 percent uptime, high artificial intelligence (AI) accuracy of 95 percent-plus and [an] efficacy rate of over 90 percent.”
“The EverestLabs robots are proving to be a useful technology,” says Chris Valbusa, general manager of the ACI San Leandro plant. “As a result, it allows us to position our personnel into higher-priority positions in our plant. It is a win for our team members and plant safety and efficiency.”
EverestLabs founder and CEO JD Ambati comments, “We truly appreciate that commitment of Alameda County Industries, led by plant general manager and partner Chris Valbusa. They are truly committed to continuous improvement in material recovery facilities and are a model to be respected and replicated.”
Separately, EverestLabs robots have replaced human sorters alleviating labor shortage issues in some of other large MRFs in the U.S., the company says.
An advantage of the company’s robots is their small footprint, which can expand the number of viable spaces for installing robots in a MRF, including incline conveyor lines, says EverestLabs.
According to the report, net sales in the first quarter increased 41 percent compared with Q1 2021.
Trinseo, a global materials solutions provider and manufacturer of plastics and latex binders based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, has reported its first-quarter 2022 financial results.
According to the report the company's net sales in the first quarter increased 41 percent compared with Q1 2021. Higher prices resulted in a 26 percent increase mainly due to the pass through of higher raw material costs, like styrene, and higher energy costs. The remainder of the net sales increase was from the addition of the acquired PMMA and Aristech Surfaces businesses within the Engineered Materials segment.
Trinseo's first quarter net income from continuing operations of $17 million was $49 million below the prior year due to a pretax charge of $36 million related to the European Commission's request for information and additional depreciation and amortization from our recent acquisitions.
First-quarter adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $178 million was $6 million lower than the prior-year as the additional earnings from the acquired businesses in Engineered Materials and a positive year-over-year net timing variance of $26 million from rising raw material prices was more than offset by lower styrene margins along with lower automotive volumes in Base Plastics.
“We had a solid start to the year with first-quarter earnings similar to last year despite operating in a more challenging business environment as geopolitical factors in Europe pressure supply chains, customer production and energy costs in the region,” says Frank Bozich, president and CEO of Trinseo. “I’m very proud of our employees who have enacted several measures to combat this difficult landscape, including ensuring raw material supply and adapting our commercial model to more accurately capture input cost volatility. By leveraging our workforce and our global footprint, we continue to provide our customers with quality products and unique solutions.”
Engineered Material's net sales of $295 million for the quarter increased by $229 million versus Q1 2021 and adjusted EBITDA of $35 million increased by $27 million compared with Q1 2021. These increases were primarily attributable to the addition of the acquired PMMA and Aristech Surfaces businesses. Excluding the acquired businesses, net sales were flat compared with 2021, and adjusted EBITDA decreased from lower volumes to consumer electronics applications. Increased frequency in pricing adjustments resulted in passing through energy costs in a timelier manner, but unprecedented volatility in the European energy market still resulted in a $4 million headwind during the quarter. The integration and synergy realization of the newly acquired businesses are both on track.
Latex Binders net sales of $307 million for the quarter increased 22 percent compared with 2021 due primarily to the pass through of higher raw materials such as styrene and butadiene. Sales volume was lower than 2021, with most of the impact from lower sales to paper and carpet applications. Adjusted EBITDA of $30 million was $13 million higher than 2021 as pricing actions and a $20 million positive net timing variance more than offset higher freight and utility costs and lower sales volumes.
Base Plastics' net sales of $396 million for the quarter were 21 percent higher than in 2021. Higher prices accounted for a 31 percent increase in net sales due to the pass through of higher raw materials and pricing actions. Adjusted EBITDA of $69 million was $4 million favorable versus the prior year as a $7 million positive net timing variance and stronger margins were partially offset by lower volume in automotive applications as supply chain constraints continue to cause production issues for customers.
Polystyrene net sales of $318 million for the quarter were 19 percent above Q1 2021 from the passthrough of higher styrene prices. Adjusted EBITDA of $45 million was $2 million lower than 2021 as weaker market conditions in Asia, including impacts from COVID-19 lockdowns, were offset by stronger demand and pricing initiatives in Europe.
Feedstocks adjusted EBITDA of $4 million was $42 million lower than 2021 due to lower styrene margins including impacts from higher utility costs.
Americas Styrenics adjusted EBITDA of $22 million for the quarter was $1 million below Q1 2021 as a higher polystyrene margin mostly offset the impacts of the styrene production turnaround.
The company is predicting a full-year 2022 net income of $174 million to $211 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $625 million to $675 million. It also forecasts cash from operations of about $355 million and free cash flow of about $175 million
“I’m pleased with our start to the year with another quarter of solid results as we continue to successfully navigate uncertain and challenging conditions,” Bozich says. “Our updated outlook reflects a continuation of these conditions through the remainder of the year as well as the current styrene production outages at our Terneuzen site and AmSty’s St. James site, which we anticipate will impact results by approximately $35 million.”
The company says it remains focused on its transformation to a specialty material and sustainable solutions provider, including progress on the sale process of the styrenics businesses.
The sensor-based sorting business has named Parker Bynum sales manager, USA West, replacing Nick Doyle, who has been promoted to key accounts manager, North America.
Sensor-based sorting specialist Tomra Recycling, Charlotte, North Carolina, has announced the appointment of Parker Bynum as the new sales manager, USA West, covering the waste and recycling industry. In this role, Bynum will consult directly with Tomra partners and customers to implement advanced sorting technology solutions designed to improve recycling recovery rates, increase product purity and throughput, and boost profitability.
He takes over for Nick Doyle, who has been promoted to key accounts manager, North America, a newly created position.
“I’ve personally known and worked with Parker for several years and have experienced first-hand his unrelenting passion for recycling and advancing the circular economy, as well as his strong work ethic,” says Ty Rhoad, regional director Americas at Tomra Recycling. “Over the years, Parker has built a vast network of industry connections who respect his dedication to doing whatever it takes to ensure their success.”
Bynum brings to Tomra Recycling more than a decade of industry and related sales experience. He has served as business development manager with industry giant WM’s hauling sector in the southern region, establishing the company’s recycling services. He also worked for Rehrig Pacific Co. for four years where he was an outside environmental sales representative to municipal and private hauling companies throughout a six-state region.
“Tomra is a global organization with thousands of installations worldwide,” Bynum says. “This gives me the opportunity to take the best recycling practices from various markets and apply them to the western region territory. As the recycling industry continues to grow, so too does the need for further sorting automation with Tomra technologies, and I am eager to customize these best practices for my customers’ specific sorting needs. I look forward to building on Nick’s success, and I see potential for emerging markets like wood and textile recycling.”
Doyle moves to key accounts
Doyle’s new position as key accounts manager, North America, expands the company’s level of support, tasking him to work more closely with large recycling operations and provide customized solutions designed to fit the unique needs of customers with multiple systems working at various locations throughout North America. He will also lead the charge in developing the emerging wood and textile markets, as well as other rising niche segments.
“Nick has done a tremendous job developing the western region for Tomra Recycling and has established great relationships with both smaller and larger recycling operations,” Rhoad says. “His previous experience with a plant builder plus these last four years with Tomra afford him a deeper understanding of optical sorting technologies, as well as entire recycling processes. These unique qualifications will allow Tomra Recycling to better assist our key account customers’ sorting needs and lead the charge on emerging markets.”
To support their customers, Bynum and Doyle will work from their field offices. Bynum will operate out of Portland, Ore. and may be reached at 916-908-9085 or Parker.Bynum@Tomra.com. Doyle will continue to work from his Los Angeles office and can be reached at 916-215-9215 or Nick.Doyle@Tomra.com. Both will be among Tomra Recycling’s representatives at WasteExpo in Las Vegas from May 10 to 12 at booth No. 3527.
Matt Breight, who will lead the group, has been with the company since 1998.
Comerica Bank, Dallas, has announced the expansion of its environmental services department (ESD) through a new group dedicated to growing and supporting Comerica’s renewable energy business. Matt Breight, senior vice president and ESD group manager, has been appointed to lead Renewable Energy Solutions. He reports to Joe Ursuy, senior vice president and director of environmental services.
Breight has been with Comerica since 1998. Before becoming vice president in 2013, he served as a relationship manager within the small business, middle-market and environmental services departments. As group manager, his team worked with growing companies in the U.S. and Canada that collect, transport, treat, recycle, process and dispose of various types of waste. This includes solid, recyclables, e-scrap, hazardous, liquid and landfill gas. Breight holds a Bachelor of business administration from Western Michigan University.
Since the department's founding in 2006, Comerica says its ESD has seen significant achievements in the renewable energy space. In recent years, its experience in financing landfill gas and biomass naturally has evolved into financing independent renewable energy generators for other forms of renewables, including those involved in the solar, wind and anaerobic digestion industries.
"Over the past decade, we have developed deep industry expertise within ESD supporting companies that produce renewable energy from certain sources like landfill gas,” Ursuy says. “While waste and recycling remain ESD’s steadfast foundation, we feel it makes sense to target the broader renewable sector with our proven relationship banking model, combined with a strong leader in Matt.”
The bank says it will continue to invest in both the waste and recycling business along with the renewable energy group. Clients will experience no changes in the service they receive, Ursuy says.
Comerica also will continue to support and collaborate with associations and nonprofits such as The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas and the Environmental Research and Education Foundation to advance sustainability and improve industry practices.
By consolidating related efforts from across the organization under one umbrella, the Renewable Energy Solutions group also allows Comerica to better align credit resources. This includes underwriting and approval, driving greater organizational consistency and benefiting its broader sustainability objectives by driving green loan growth and improving the accuracy of data related to its renewable efforts.
“Comerica, a longtime member of the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, has a proven track record when it comes to ethics, commitment to and expertise in working with renewable energy businesses,” says Johannes Escudero, founder and CEO of the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas. “I am excited to see this increased investment in the renewable energy industry, as I envision it will further help support our goal of ensuring present and future generations will have access to domestic, renewable, clean fuel and energy.”
Comerica Bank says it is committed to protecting and preserving the environment to help communities and the planet thrive. In 2020, the bank established an ESG council, the purpose of which is to deliver strategy and programs to maintain Comerica’s ESG leadership among peers and within the financial industry.
Last year, Comerica established its new Office of Corporate Responsibility, to protect and preserve the environment; diversity, equity and inclusion; and community service.
Stratus was recognized for its efforts to better identify, sort and ship its plastic scrap for recycling.
Can-Am Recycling Inc., Tilbury, Ontario, recognized Stratus Plastics International Inc., Windsor, Ontario, April 22 for the company’s efforts to better sort, identify and ship its plastic scrap. Can-Am President Lawrence Pazner and Chief Financial Officer Barbara Cheifetz presented the award to the management team at Stratus Plastics and planted a tree at the company’s Kew Drive location to commemorate Earth Day.
Annually, Can-Am recognizes one of the companies that supplies it with plastic scrap with the Earth Day Award.
Pazner and his sister, Cheifetz, founded the business in 2002. Can-Am primarily serves molders that supply the automotive industry. The company also handles postcommercial low-density plastic films and agricultural trays. Much of the material Can-Am processes is generated in Canada, but the company ships material all over North America and to parts of Asia, Pazner says.
“We handle one of the more diverse and broadest ranges of polymers,” he says, from commodity to engineering grades. They include polypropylene-thermoplastic olefins, polycarbonate-acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, nylons, polycarbonate-polybutylene terephthalate and glass-filled polymers.
Between its brokerage and processing services, Pazner says Can-Am handles roughly 1.2 million pounds of plastic per month.
The company began recognizing its scrap suppliers in 2020. Can-Am has been working with Stratus for more than five years, Pazner says. Under the direction of Stratus Materials Manager Amanda Dubrovay, the company’s Ontario plant worked with Can-Am to begin sorting and identifying the scrap it was generating on-site.
Can-Am supplied Stratus with “giant” pans to collect the plant’s purge and drool in. Collecting the segregated material improves recovery and value for Stratus, he says, while reducing the amount of labor Can-Am has to invest in the material.