Equipment Report

RDS installs Amp sorting system at Greenville, North Carolina, site

Recycling and Disposal Solutions (RDS) of Roanoke, Virginia, has installed an advanced recycling system from Amp at its recently acquired recycling facility in Greenville, North Carolina, putting the facility a step closer to processing material once again.

In July 2023, RDS was awarded a contract to process recyclables for Pitt County, North Carolina, after 30 years of processing via Eastern Carolina Vocational Center. RDS took over the site in August 2023 with the intention of refurbishing and upgrading it, including adding technology such as the sorting system from Louisville, Colorado-based Amp.

RDS then installed a complete Amp One system powered by the company’s artificial intelligence- (AI-) enabled sorting technology to process approximately 10,000 tons of single-stream and commercial material annually.

“RDS undertook a modernization effort to upgrade the facility to more efficiently process recyclables at a lower cost,” Amp says in a news release. “The partnership and technology solution ultimately enabled the preservation of recyclables processing in Pitt County.”

Amp One is a fully automated, facility-scale sorting solution. Amp says with real-time supplier characterization and configuration, the system can capture more material and more value from “virtually any commodity or mix—all without touching a human hand.”

According to Amp, the system can process municipal solid waste, single-stream recyclables, plastic, fiber, metal, e-waste, film and custom recipes. Its facility designs also can scale to match capacity with supply, including software-enabled configuration changes and modular sorting lines, providing flexibility the company says enables regional diversion strategies that can capture greater amounts of material and lower per-unit capital and operating costs.

RDS first began working with Amp in 2017, and two years later, RDS purchased its first AI-powered sorting system from Amp for its Roanoke recycling facility. The companies say they are collaborating on additional opportunities.

“Amp was flexible in delivering a solution that overcame the limitations of traditional sortation economics,” RDS President Joe Benedetto says. “AI provides a notable efficiency boost when incorporated into existing facilities, but it’s even more impactful when it’s designed from the outset—that’s why it’s so powerful to commission a facility with Amp’s technology.”

From this new facility, RDS will serve Pitt County’s 14 towns and cities as well as surrounding municipalities.

“High transportation and sorting costs often make recycling unviable in small and rural markets,” Amp founder and CEO Matanya Horowitz says. “This project demonstrates how we can profitably open recycling facilities in underserved communities—which is rare in the waste industry.”

ISB Global launches Waste and Recycling One software in US

ISB Global, a London-based waste management software firm, plans to launch its Waste and Recycling One (WR1) program in the United States, with two U.S. haulers set to go live with WR1 this year.

ISB Global says WR1 standardizes, simplifies and automates waste and recycling processes. By providing a single source of master data across all operations, WR1 can deliver an accurate overview of all business functions so companies can boost operational performance, increase efficiency and cut unnecessary costs. The software is built on the OutSystems low-code platform and integrates into ERP systems, like SAP.

“ISB Global’s unique blend of waste industry insight combined with software development expertise means we understand the particular business challenges facing waste management operators,” ISB Global Chief Commercial Officer Pritesh Pattni says. “As a result, we are able to deliver effective software solutions that address these challenges.

ISB Global says WR1 can replace outdated legacy systems that could be a barrier to efficiency, without the need to integrate new software into existing tech stacks. The software also provides full visibility across all operations, driven by a single source of master data, which the company says enables better decision making in real-time. Additionally, it simplifies compliance reporting, adapting to regulatory changes and flagging waste and recycling processes that contravene industry standards.

Since WR1 was introduced in the United Kingdom, ISB Global says that its customers have seen various advantages:

• Metal recycling specialist Light Bros. increased the automation of its recycling materials processes by 90 percent.
• Energy and environmental sensor provider Veris saw an 80 percent uplift in payment accuracy from subcontractors.
• Commercial waste management provider TWBC reduced data administration by 80 percent with WR1’s process automation.

“WR1 stands alone as the only integrated software solution made specifically for the waste management and recycling industry,” Pattni says.

“Already, two major U.S. waste haulers are rolling out the solution across their operations. Expect more WR1 customers in North America over the next 12 months.”

American Baler to expand Ohio facility

American Baler Co., a leading manufacturer of balers since 1945 and a member of the Recycling & Waste Equipment Division of Indiana-based Avis Industrial Corp., has announced plans for an expansion project at its Bellevue, Ohio, facility.

The project began April 22 and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025. Coinciding with American Baler’s 80th anniversary, the expansion will increase the site’s manufacturing footprint by 20 percent with the addition of a wing to the existing facility.

In addition to increasing the physical size of the facility, it also will improve American Baler’s ability to serve its employees and customers with innovation, safety, quality and efficiency improvements, the company says. The project will increase American Baler’s available capacity for fabrication, production and assembly with an eye on the reduction of equipment and parts lead times.

The project will be carried out in three phases, with the initial phase including site and utility preparation, construction of the new addition and installation of overhead cranes. Subsequent phases will include the installation of steel processing equipment and workflow enhancements designed to optimize material movement throughout the plant.

“Project planning began nearly 18 months ago, and I am grateful that Avis Industrial has the confidence to continue investment in our Bellevue, Ohio, facility, operation and staff,” American Baler General Manager Nathan Kuhl says.

D.J. VanDeusen, president of the Recycling & Waste Equipment Division of Avis Industrial, adds, “This expansion project is a testament to the accomplishments of the entire American Baler team and the demonstrated loyalty of its customers to rely on American Baler for their recycling equipment needs.”

In addition to American Baler, the Recycling & Waste Equipment Division of Avis Industrial includes Harris and International Baler Corp.