Mid America Paper Recycling

Mid America Paper Recycling Celebrates 100 Years of Continuous Operation

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:14:11 GMT

Contact: Bob Wolff

The Drucker Group

224.532.1808

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mid America Paper Recycling Celebrates 100 Years of Continuous Operation

A century of relationships, operational expertise, and value creation sets the stage for the company’s next chapter with FV Recycling

Chicago — April 14, 2026 — Mid America Paper Recycling (MAPR), a fourth-generation leader in paper and recycling solutions, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary, marking a century of continuous operation serving suppliers, paper mills, and industrial packaging partners across North America.

Founded in 1926, Mid America has grown from a local scrap operation into a trusted recycling partner known for its deep market knowledge, operational discipline, and long-standing customer relationships. Over the past century, the company has built its reputation by helping businesses increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve sustainability outcomes through smarter management of their recyclable materials.

“For 100 years, this business has been built on relationships,” said Don Gaines, a fourth-generation leader of the company. “Markets change. Customers change. But what doesn’t change is how you show up, being genuine, sharing your knowledge, and helping people find better ways to operate. That’s what earns trust over time.”

Unlike many companies in the recycling brokerage space, Mid America’s approach extends well beyond buying and selling commodities. The company brings a consultative, operations-driven service model by conducting on-site audits, mapping material flow, and identifying inefficiencies across the recycling stream. By improving segregation, enhancing bale integrity, aligning grades with the right mill demand, and streamlining logistics across multi-site plant networks, Mid America transforms recycling from a cost center into a more disciplined, value-generating part of a packaging firm’s operation.

“We’ve never been just a transactional business,” Gaines added. “It’s about walking a facility, understanding their processes, and asking the right questions. How can we help you make more money, improve efficiency, enhance worker safety or eliminate unnecessary costs? That’s how you create real value and that’s why customers stay with you.”

That philosophy has helped Mid America stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace, where success is defined not by participation, but by the ability to consistently deliver value across complex supply chains.

“Anybody can enter the recycling business,” Gaines said. “But staying in it and growing over decades comes down to experience, attention to detail, and delivering on what you say you’re going to do.”

A key differentiator has been the company’s ability to match specific grades of recyclable material to the right end markets, which helps minimize costly downgrades and maximize value for customers. Combined with a high-touch service model and deep mill relationships across the U.S., this expertise enables Mid America to consistently deliver measurable results for packaging, printing, and manufacturing customer partners.

The company’s longevity is also reflected in its culture, with a strong emphasis on employee retention, collaboration, and continuity. Many team members have spent decades with the organization, contributing to a level of institutional knowledge that is difficult to replicate.

Mid America’s centennial will be recognized by the AICC , the leading association representing independent corrugated and packaging companies, as part of its Member Milestone Program, honoring companies that have achieved significant anniversaries of continuous operation. The recognition highlights the company’s enduring role in supporting the paper packaging and recycling industry.

As Mid America celebrates this milestone, it is also entering a new phase of growth as part of FV Recycling, a broader platform designed to expand capabilities, scale operations, and bring additional resources to customers.

“Reaching 100 years is something we’re extremely proud of,” Gaines said. “But it’s not the finish line. It’s a responsibility to keep delivering, to keep improving, and to keep earning the trust of the people we work with every day.”

“Mid America Paper Recycling represents exactly what this industry is built on: relationships, operational expertise, and long-term trust,” said Gene Smith, president of FV Recycling . “As part of FV Recycling, we’re proud to build on that 100-year foundation and bring additional scale and capabilities to customers across North America.”

Together, Mid America and FV Recycling are positioned to deliver the next generation of recycling solutions, combining a century of experience with expanded resources, reach, and innovation.

Commemorative video marking Mid America’s 100-year milestone

https://youtu.be/A-paaSFKXB8

ABOUT MID AMERICA PAPER RECYCLING

Founded in 1926, Mid America Paper Recycling is a fourth-generation leader in the recycling industry and provides solutions for partners ranging from small businesses to large multinational corporations. Its robust program features a new benchmarking audit, consultation services, documentation, quantification and presentation of the specific and overall values that can be realized from customer waste streams. To learn more about the free waste audit and Mid America’s other environmental initiatives, call 877-312-5356 or visit www.midamericapaper.com .

ABOUT FV RECYCLING

FV Recycling is a commercial and industrial recycling company based in Hattiesburg, MS. FV is a portfolio company of Jones Capital. Since 2000, FV Recycling has provided customers with a full range of services to handle recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper, plastics, aluminum, and pallets. FV has evolved to focus on cardboard bale route hauling opportunities throughout the Southeastern U.S. with brokerage capabilities throughout the United States. In addition, FV provides specialized equipment services, including baler and compactor leasing, sales, and maintenance and repair. For more information, visit https://www.fvrecycling.com/ .

The Economics of Baling: Why Scrap Strategy Matters More Than Ever

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:34:29 GMT

Turning Cardboard Waste into Operational Savings

In most packaging plants and distribution centers, scrap is treated as an operational byproduct. It’s something to manage, move, or remove. Trim waste accumulates behind die cutters. OCC stacks up near dock doors. Gaylords fill quietly in the corner of the warehouse.

But for high-volume pre-consumer scrap generators, such as corrugated converters, folding carton plants, printers, and regional distribution hubs, scrap fiber is not incidental. It is economic.

The difference between a disposal mindset and a baling strategy can materially impact labor efficiency, freight economics, and even revenue contribution to your business.

Loose Scrap Is a Margin Leak

When OCC or double-lined kraft is shipped loose, someone downstream must densify it before it reaches a mill. That processing cost is embedded in the transaction. In effect, when you don’t bale in-house, you are allowing another party to capture the value of that compaction.

The hidden costs extend beyond processing. Loose scrap drives higher haul frequency, increases dock congestion, and requires repeated handling. Forklifts move the same material multiple times. Labor hours accumulate in small increments that rarely show up as a line item but quietly erode productivity.

An industrial baler can reduce scrap volume by as much as 90 percent. But the real economic driver isn’t simply volume reduction, it’s density.

Density Creates Freight Leverage

Freight is often the largest overlooked variable in recycling economics. A trailer leaving a facility at 12,000 or 15,000 pounds of loose material represents a missed opportunity. That same trailer loaded with 40,000 to 44,000 pounds of dense, mill-ready bales fundamentally changes the per-ton cost structure.

Heavier, denser bales reduce the number of loads required. They lower transportation cost per ton and decrease the number of dock touches needed to manage scrap. In volatile freight markets, that leverage becomes even more significant.

For converters operating in tight-margin environments, freight optimization through proper bale density can mean the difference between scrap being neutral, or contributory to your bottom line.

Bale Quality Influences Pricing

Not all bales are created equal. Mills evaluate more than just weight, too. They look for density consistency, grade purity, moisture control, and bale integrity. Bale wire placement and compression uniformity also factor into mill acceptance.

Facilities running multiple grades such as OCC, DLK, or mixed paper, often find that more advanced baling systems improve separation discipline and bale quality. A two-ram or closed-door horizontal baler, for example, can maintain grade integrity at higher volumes, producing consistent mill-ready units.

Consistency strengthens mill relationships. Strong mill relationships support pricing stability. Over time, that consistency becomes part of the plant’s financial predictability.

When Labor Becomes the Constraint

Many growing plants begin with a vertical downstroke baler. At moderate volumes, this can be an appropriate entry point. But as scrap generation increases, labor requirements begin to scale with it.

Manual loading, staging, and tying demand operator time. Scrap transport inside the facility competes with production movement. What began as a cost-saving measure can become a labor bottleneck.

At higher volumes, typically 60 to 80 tons per month and above, horizontal systems with automatic feeding and tying often make more economic sense. The capital investment is higher, but the labor drag is lower. Automation shifts scrap handling from reactive to integrated, aligning materials management with production speed.

The return on investment calculation should account not only for commodity revenue but also for labor hours saved, reduced hauling frequency, and the elimination of disposal expense.

In many high-volume operations, payback can occur within 12 to 18 months.

The Risk of Misalignment

Perhaps the most common mistake in baling strategy is misalignment. That is, selecting equipment based on brochure specifications rather than operational economics.

An undersized baler produces lighter bales, increasing freight cost and labor time. An oversized system may sit underutilized, tying up capital without delivering incremental value.

The right baler is determined by monthly tonnage, grade mix, scrap growth trajectory, available floor space, power capacity, and freight strategy. It must align with the financial goals of the organization, not simply with current scrap volume.

Scrap as a Strategic Asset

High-volume converters and distribution centers generate predictable scrap streams. That predictability is your leverage. When managed strategically, scrap fiber becomes a recurring revenue contributor, a hedge against rising disposal costs, and a measurable sustainability metric.

The objective is not simply to bale. It is to increase revenue from waste generation while reducing indirect operational costs.

In today’s packaging and e-commerce environment, scrap is no longer just an operational inconvenience. It is an economic variable, and one that deserves executive attention.

For facilities willing to treat scrap as a managed asset rather than a disposal problem, the economics of baling can shift the conversation from cleanup to contribution.

Mid America Paper provides cardboard balers in Alexandria, LA , Chicago, IL , Little Rock, AR , and across the United States. Our balers help reduce scrap volume, improve recycling efficiency, and lower hauling costs for manufacturers of all sizes. Contact us today for a baling consultation.

How We Grow the Worth of Your Waste

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:51:50 GMT

How We Unlock the Real Value of Paper Recycling

For many companies, paper and corrugated recycling is viewed as a necessary operational function. Plant managers see it as important, but often view it as limited in its financial impact. According to Don Gaines of Mid America Paper Recycling, that mindset often obscures a much bigger opportunity.

In this conversation, Gaines explains how disciplined execution, smarter logistics, and a clear understanding of material quality can transform a plant’s paper waste from a cost or afterthought into a managed asset with measurable value, regardless of market conditions.

Q: You often use the phrase “growing the worth of waste.” For executives who already recycle, what does that really mean?

A: Most companies come into recycling thinking about it defensively. They’re trying to reduce disposal costs, meet sustainability goals, or make sure they’re doing “the right thing.” All of that matters, but it’s not where real value is created.

When we talk about growing the worth of waste, we’re talking about shifting mindset from waste as an unavoidable byproduct in your production to waste as a managed asset. Paper and corrugated have inherent value, but that value is fragile. It’s either preserved through good execution or destroyed through poor handling. Our job is to help companies move from simply moving material offsite to actively managing how that material is captured, prepared, and sold into the market in a way that improves their financial outcome.

Q: Many companies feel they’re either being charged by a hauler to get rid of paper or not being paid enough for it. Why is that so common?

A: Most recycling programs were designed for convenience, not optimization. When paper is being collected the same way trash is collected, handled by the same vendors, and shipped the same way, it’s almost guaranteed to be undervalued.

What we see over and over again is material that could command a higher price is being commingled, contaminated, or downgraded before it ever reaches a buyer. Consequently, by the time it’s priced, the opportunity to increase revenue returns is already gone. Companies assume that’s just “the market,” when in reality it’s the result of how the material leaves their building.

Q: So where do you actually begin fixing that?

A: We always start with a simple waste audit, because it tells us how mature a company really is in its recycling journey. Not every organization is at the same stage, and the questions you ask should change depending on that maturity.

The audit looks at how material is collected on the floor, how consistently it’s segregated, what equipment and labor are involved, how logistics are handled, and what the company is actually trying to accomplish financially. When you step back and look at all of that together, patterns emerge very quickly. You can see where value is leaking out of the system and where small operational changes can have outsized financial impact.

Q: Segregation comes up a lot in recycling discussions. Why does it matter so much at a financial level?

A: Because paper markets don’t reward averages. They reward precision. The cleaner and more consistent a certain paper or corrugated grade is, the more usable it becomes to a mill, and therefore the more valuable it is.

When different grades are mixed together, everything prices to the lowest-quality component. That’s not a market problem, it’s an execution problem. When companies take the time to separate material properly and train their plant teams on the floor on why it matters, we often uncover valuable grades they didn’t even realize they were producing. Suddenly, what looked like this marginal waste material starts contributing real revenues. People start paying closer attention.

Q: At what point does baling or even shipping directly to mills become realistic?

A: It’s less about company size and more about volume consistency and discipline. We’ve worked with mid-sized plant operations that absolutely generate enough of a single grade to justify baling or even mill-direct loads.

Once you reach that point, the economics change. Baling improves density and freight efficiency. Mill-direct shipments remove layers of handling and allow pricing to reflect how the fiber actually performs in a mill environment. That’s where deep market knowledge and brokerage connections matter. Knowing which mills want which grades and why. Those relationships are built over decades, and they’re a big part of how we help clients unlock incremental value.

Q: How important is logistics in all of this?

A: It’s critical, and it’s often overlooked. If recyclable paper is leaving your facility in a garbage truck, it’s being treated like garbage all the way down the line. That affects cost, quality, and ultimately price.

We spend a lot of time rethinking how material moves. How often it’s picked up, how it’s staged, how full loads are built, and where they go. Small changes in logistics can be the difference between a recycling program that’s cost-neutral and one that’s meaningfully profitable.

Q: How do senior leaders decide what to tackle first without overengineering the program?

A: That’s exactly why the waste audit matters. A company that’s still struggling with basic material segregation shouldn’t be talking about high-value mill-direct shipments yet. On the other hand, a sophisticated operation may already be doing the basics well and leaving money on the table through legacy recycling contracts or inefficient hauling procedures.

The goal isn’t to do everything at once. It’s to understand where you are today and make targeted incremental improvements that build on each other over time. Recycling done well is a continuous improvement process, not a one-time project.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception management has about recycling economics?

A: That pricing is out of their control. Markets move, of course, but how your material shows up in that market is entirely controllable. Two companies producing the same paper waste can have very different outcomes depending on how well they manage the details.

When executives see recycling as a static commodity transaction, value stays flat. When they see it as an operational system that can be optimized through partnership, value grows.

Q: What does success look like when companies get this right?

A: Success looks like predictability. Recycling revenue becomes something you can forecast instead of something you explain away. Disposal costs shrink. Operational surprises disappear. Internal teams understand why processes matter, not just what they’re supposed to do.

At that point, recycling stops being a compliance exercise and starts behaving like a quiet but reliable contributor to the business. As a starting point, Mid America Paper Recycling offers a free online waste audit that allows you to quickly assess how your recycling program is structured today and where potential vulnerabilities may exist. Begin yours today, or contact us for a consultation.

Recycling Volatility Has Moved Out of the Plant and Into the C-Suite

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:37:45 GMT

Recycling Volatility Has Moved Out of the Plant and Into the C-Suite

For packaging converters, recycling has traditionally been viewed as a solved problem. Pre-consumer OCC and DLK are clean, consistent, and widely used by paper mills. As long as bales moved offsite, few executives gave recycling much strategic attention.

But today, volatility in recovered fiber markets is turning what was once a background function in the plant into an important source of financial and operational exposure. Nowadays it’s one that increasingly belongs in executive and board-level conversations.

The Old Assumption Is Broken

For decades, recycling programs at box plants were built around three familiar beliefs:

Clean OCC and DLK always have a home somewhere
Pricing fluctuates, but demand is usually stable
Recycling is an operational function, not strategic

Those assumptions held when regional mill capacity was broader, freight was predictable, and quality standards were forgiving.

What’s Actually Changed In The Recycling Market

Over the past several years, North America has seen dozens of paper mill closures, consolidations, or paper grade conversions, particularly impacting recycled fiber demand. Fewer mills now control more buying power and they are becoming increasingly selective.

“Converters assume that their clean scrap and trim waste guarantees movement,” says Don Gaines, of Mid America Paper Recycling. “But when mill options shrink, even high-quality material needs a clear plan behind it.”

At the same time, scrap corrugated pricing has become markedly more volatile. According to Fastmarkets RISI data , OCC prices have experienced 40–50% year-over-year swings in recent market cycles, creating planning challenges for packaging converters accustomed to stability.

Freight volatility has also compounded the issue. Truckload rates increased more than 30% between 2020 and 2022, and while rates have moderated this past year, availability and scheduling remain inconsistent. Missed pickups, staged trailers, and emergency hauling quietly erode operating margins.

For one box manufacturer customer in Colorado, their scrap volumes dramatically increased alongside production. Prior to working with MAPR, the company self-hauled material every three weeks, leased storage trailers, and absorbed labor costs tied to unloading and transport, which are hidden expenses that scaled with volume rather than efficiency.

MAPR helped them redesign bale weights, loading patterns, and outbound logistics, enabling mill-direct shipments of their waste. The result: approximately $400 saved per load, without reducing throughput or staffing increases.

Why This Matters To Leadership

These unexpected costs accumulate quietly and often hit logistics or operations budgets, but don’t always show up on recycling reports. The most resilient high-volume packaging converters now manage recycling itself as a supply chain, not a disposal function. That means focusing more on waste sorting and handling, bale quality, mill outlet flexibility, internal dock-side logistics and storage, plus continuous review as production changes.

Executive Leadership Takeaway

Recycling volatility is no longer cyclical, it’s structural. For packaging converters generating large volumes of pre-consumer scrap, treating recycling as a managed supply chain is now a form of risk management, with companywide implications. “The important thing to remember is that volatility doesn’t punish box plants who plan for it,” Gaines says. “It punishes the ones who assume their scrap will always move the way it used to.”

What You Can Do Next

For board converters generating large volumes of pre-consumer scrap, recycling volatility doesn’t have to translate into disruption or margin erosion. But it does require visibility. The first step is understanding how your current recycling program would perform if conditions change, not just when markets are stable.

That means discussing these practical questions with your leadership team:

Do bale quality, weights, and loading patterns align with current mill expectations?
How dependent is your operation on a single mill outlet?
What happens at the dock if a pickup is missed, delayed or a load is rejected at the mill?
Where are hidden labor, freight, or scrap storage costs accumulating in your plants?

Mid America Paper Recycling works with packaging converters across North America to evaluate recycling programs as operating systems, not just disposal arrangements. Our team helps identify where risk is building and where small adjustments can improve resilience, efficiency, and financial performance.

If you’d like a starting point, we offer a free online waste audit that allows you to quickly assess how your recycling program is structured today and where potential vulnerabilities may exist.

For a deeper conversation, our recycling brokerage experts are also available for free one-on-one consultations to review your operation, answer questions, and discuss whether your current approach is positioned to withstand ongoing market volatility.

Because in today’s recovered fiber market, the most expensive risk is assuming your recycling program will keep working the way it always has.

From Cardboard to Cash: Optimizing OCC & Mixed Paper Programs When Mills Are Volatile

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:58:29 GMT

How Ohio Companies in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton Can Stabilize Revenue, Even in Unpredictable Markets

Volatility is nothing new in the recycled fiber markets, but recent swings in OCC and mixed paper pricing have hit the Midwest with unusual force. Ohio, which is home to dense manufacturing, logistics, and distribution corridors, feels these market disruptions quickly.

When mills reduce intake, shift furnish requirements, or pause buying altogether, companies in Columbus , Cincinnati , and Dayton experience immediate ripple effects: shrinking rebates, rising logistics costs, and unpredictable revenue streams.

For nearly 100 years, Mid America Paper Recycling (MAPR) has helped industrial and packaging companies keep their recycling programs profitable through every market cycle. As MAPR’s President Don Gaines often says, “Our goal has never been to just haul recyclables. It’s to help customers see what their materials are truly worth and build programs that deliver measurable returns.”

That philosophy is especially important now, as Ohio companies face unstable demand and shifting mill specifications.

Ohio’s Challenge: Volatile Mills, Consistent Waste Volumes

Ohio sits between major regional board producers and a vast network of consumer‐goods distribution centers. When mills slow down, OCC and mixed paper backlogs grow quickly, leaving generators with fewer outlets and tighter specs. This creates three major vulnerabilities:

· Revenue compression when OCC and mixed paper prices fall

· Logistics cost spikes when haulers make more frequent stops for less volume

· Operational inefficiency when materials aren’t baled, sorted, or stored to mill expectations

But forward-thinking Ohio companies are proving that volatility doesn’t have to erode value if your recycling program is engineered for resilience.

Optimization: The Path From Cardboard to Cash

MAPR’s century of experience proves that cardboard and paper become real revenue only when the entire recycling system, not just the bins and the baler, is optimized. That means improving how materials are sorted, baled, stored, and moved, and ensuring they always have a reliable home.

Across Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton, the most resilient programs focus on four essentials:

1. Capture More, Capture Cleaner

Small improvements in OCC recovery or mixed paper quality can create meaningful gains, especially in low-price markets. MAPR helps identify where valuable fiber is being lost.

2. Keep Multiple Outlets Open

Volatile markets require flexibility. MAPR’s national brokerage network, now strengthened by FV Recycling, keeps Ohio companies connected to steady buyers and mill-direct opportunities.

3. Tighten Logistics

Using trailer drops, smarter pickup schedules, and fewer empty miles reduce costs and protect margins even when prices dip.

4. Leverage Market Intelligence for Better Timing

MAPR monitors mill behavior, grade shifts, and price movements daily, helping customers adjust quickly and protect margins. As Don Gaines says, “It’s to help customers see what their materials are truly worth and build programs that deliver measurable returns.”

Ohio Companies Don’t Need Stable Prices, They Need a Stable Recycling Program

The most resilient organizations in Columbus , Cincinnati , and Dayton aren’t waiting for markets to recover. They’re building recycling systems that perform no matter what mills do next.

MAPR helps businesses turn volatile OCC and mixed paper streams into reliable, measurable revenue. The outcome is simple: stronger margins, steadier operations, and a recycling program that grows the worth of your waste.

Ready to strengthen your recycling strategy? Let’s turn your cardboard into cash, no matter what the market throws your way. Start the process by completing our free waste audit survey here:

What to Do When Georgia Paper Mills Shut Down

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 21:37:23 GMT

What to Do When Georgia Paper Mills Shut Down

Georgia has long been a powerhouse in the paper and packaging industry. Mills in Savannah , Riceboro, and Cedar Springs have supported a vast network of converters, manufacturers, and recycling operations for decades. But with multiple closures announced across the state, the landscape for recovered fiber is shifting fast, and so must the companies that depend on it.

In the past year, several major players have announced plans to exit or consolidate operations in Georgia. International Paper is closing its Savannah paper mill and related packaging facility by the end of September 2025 and shutting down its Riceboro plant, including timber and lumber operations. Georgia-Pacific’s Cedar Springs containerboard mill is also scheduled to close, removing a significant amount of regional fiber demand.

While the headlines have focused on what these closures mean for jobs and local economies, the deeper and more immediate concern for recycling generators is what happens next to their fiber flow. With three large mills going offline, thousands of tons of recovered paper that once stayed in-state now need new destinations. That shift affects everything from freight rates to bale scheduling and pricing stability.

For many Georgia manufacturers, converters, and distribution centers, the change has revealed how closely recycling performance depends on logistics. When local outlets disappear, so do short hauls, predictable pricing, and fast turnaround times. Full trailers sit longer, freight bills climb, and recyclable materials that once generated consistent revenue can become costly to manage.

That’s why companies across the Southeast are re-evaluating their recycling strategies and vendor partnerships. The key lesson is clear: proactive logistics management is the best defense against disruption.

When a mill closes, fiber that once had a short, steady route to market must now compete for limited capacity across longer lanes. Haulers redirect loads to new regions, brokers search for alternate mill contracts, and small inefficiencies quickly multiply into real expenses. Without a coordinated plan, even the most disciplined recycling programs can find themselves squeezed between freight and storage costs.

Mid America Paper Recycling helps companies stay ahead of that curve. By maintaining a broad network of domestic and international mill relationships, we can reroute recovered paper quickly to keep materials moving and pricing stable. Our logistics systems anticipate regional bottlenecks, ensuring trailers are staged, released, and replaced on schedule.

Another essential step is a free online waste audit that identifies unrealized value within the recycling stream. Many Georgia operations still ship mixed or compacted waste that could yield higher returns with better separation and baling. Converting loose material to baled shipments and managing grades more precisely can often offset higher transportation costs with improved per-ton pricing.

Equally important is transparency. In a volatile market, data on bale weights, freight costs, and material values allows operators to make informed decisions in real time. MAPR’s advanced reporting systems give both plant managers and finance leaders the visibility they need to minimize risk and maximize return.

Georgia’s mill closures may mark the end of an era, but they also highlight a new opportunity. By strengthening logistics, broadening outlet access, and refining recycling practices, companies can continue to turn waste into value, even in a changing market.

The goal remains the same: keep material moving, keep revenue flowing, and keep recycling profitable.

Ready to get started? Take our online waste audit now.

Once you take the survey, we will send you a free report on your waste stream. Complete the waste audit survey by clicking the button below.

Need Help With Your Company’s Paper Recycling in the Savannah, GA Area?

Mid America Paper Recycling serves the entire Savannah, GA region. Our team can assist with all your commercial paper recycling needs.

Supplier-Partner FAQ

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 03:30:39 GMT

FAQ | Suppliers & Buyers

What is the news?

FV Recycling has acquired Mid America Paper Recycling, expanding into the Midwest and creating a stronger,

nationwide recycling partner for customers.

Why is Mid America Paper Recycling becoming part of FV Recycling?

Mid America Paper Recycling is proud to announce that we are now part of FV Recycling , a leading commercial

recycling provider serving the Southeastern United States with nationwide brokerage capabilities. This strategic

partnership allows us to strengthen and expand our service capabilities while continuing to deliver the same

dependable service our customers and partners have known for decades.

FV Recycling is owned by Jones Capital , a family-owned investment company that, like Mid America, has been

built over generations. This shared foundation of family values, community involvement, long-term vision, and a

commitment to operational excellence makes this a strong cultural and strategic fit.

Through this partnership, we gain access to broader resources and opportunities across the Jones Capital

portfolio — enabling us to provide greater value and long-term service stability to our customers and suppliers.

To learn more, visit: www.fvrecycling.com and www.jones.com

What changes should I expect?

At this time, there are no immediate changes to the way we operate. Don Gaines, along with other members of

the MAPR team, will remain in place to ensure continuity for our suppliers. You can expect the same hands-on

partnership and strategic insight you’ve always received, now backed by even deeper resources.

Until otherwise communicated, business will continue under the Mid America name, with no changes to:

Your primary point of contact
Billing or payment processes
Service schedules or operations

We plan to formally transition to operating under the FV Recycling name and branding sometime in 2026.

All branding updates will be thoughtfully rolled out and clearly communicated.

Who will I work with moving forward?

You will continue working with the same team and point of contact you’ve relied on at Mid America. The staff

and leadership remain in place, and our focus remains on delivering outstanding service and communication

throughout this transition.

Will there be changes to invoicing or payment?

No. All billing and payment information will remain unchanged through the end of 2025. Should any updates

occur in the future, they will be communicated in advance with clear guidance to ensure a seamless transition.

What are the benefits of this partnership?

This partnership strengthens our ability to serve you by:

Providing access to FV Recycling’s expanded recycling infrastructure
Offering long-term stability through the support of Jones Capital
Creating future opportunities to leverage services across other Jones Capital portfolio companies

This transition positions us for continued growth, while preserving the core relationships and standards that our

customers and suppliers value.

Will I be notified of future updates?

Yes. We are committed to transparent and proactive communication. Any changes related to systems, branding,

or operations will be clearly communicated well in advance. Our goal is to ensure a seamless transition with

minimal impact on your day-to-day business with us.

Questions?

If you have questions or need additional information, please reach out to your existing Mid America point of

contact. We’re here to support you throughout this transition and beyond.

We appreciate your continued partnership and look forward to delivering even greater value.

Cost Avoidance VS. Cost Reduction

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:51:51 GMT

Cost Avoidance VS. Cost Reduction

Cost Avoidance vs. Cost Reduction: The Hidden Value of Smarter Recycling Logistics

For most companies, a recycling operation is treated as a cost center. The conversation usually revolves around cutting hauling bills, minimizing landfill fees, or negotiating freight rates. Those are real expenses, but they represent only a slice of the true financial picture. What rarely gets considered are the hidden costs of inefficiency. The dollars lost when trailers sit idle, when bales are downgraded or rejected, or when valuable material is mixed into lower grades.

Mid America Paper Recycling has documented how quickly those costs add up. For one large customer-partner, converting loose material to baled shipments increased net income by more than $250,000 in just six months. Better grade separation and direct mill shipments created another $225,000 in net income. Those aren’t one-time savings, either. They’re examples of how smart recycling management prevents unnecessary costs from ever hitting the books.

This is the distinction between cost reduction and cost avoidance . Reduction trims what you’re already spending. Avoidance stops inefficiencies and bottlenecks before they generate costs in the first place. In recycling logistics, the difference is measured not in pennies per ton, but in hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Why Logistics Is the Pressure Point

When material leaves the plant floor, the real test begins. Recycling logistics is more than arranging a truck to show up. It’s the system that ensures material keeps moving, docks don’t clog, and downstream outlets don’t dry up. Done poorly, it produces a cascade of hidden costs. Done well, it becomes a margin enhancement driver.

Take something as basic as trailer flow. If empty drop trailers aren’t staged in time, balers sit idle and material piles up. If full trailers aren’t moved quickly, dock space disappears and production teams work

overtime to make room. Those inefficiencies create measurable costs, yet they’re easily avoided with proactive logistics management. The same is true of routing. A well-managed program anticipates backhauls, balances volume across regional outlets, and adjusts quickly when markets shift. That agility prevents unnecessary freight bills, overtime, or emergency fees.

Lessons from Mill Closures

Nowhere has the importance of logistics and cost avoidance been clearer than in the wave of paper mill closures hitting the industry. Over just the past 100 days, several major shutdowns have been announced across the United States, creating immediate challenges for companies that rely on these

outlets.

International Paper is shuttering its Savannah, Georgia, paper mill and related packaging facility by the end of September 2025. The company is also closing its Riceboro, Georgia, operations, which include

both paper and timber facilities. In Chillicothe, Ohio, Pixelle Specialty Solutions permanently closed its longstanding paper mill in August, a move that rippled into the local logging industry as well as downstream suppliers. Georgia-Pacific has announced it will close its Cedar Springs containerboard mill.

Other closures are reshaping the map. International Paper is shutting down its Georgetown, South Carolina, pulp mill, while packaging facilities in Statesville, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; and

Rockford, Illinois, have all recently ceased operations. Taken together, the volume once absorbed by these mills is now competing for fewer outlets.

For companies in these local markets that relied on a single downstream buyer, the result has been trailers sitting longer in yards, higher freight bills to reach new destinations, or stockpiles of fiber with no

immediate outlet. Those that navigated the closures successfully weren’t the ones chasing the lowest hauling rate. They were the ones with contingency plans, alternate outlets, and logistics systems flexible

enough to redirect material within days instead of weeks. The difference between scrambling and staying steady shows up directly on the P&L.

Professional Management Makes the Difference

We often see too many recycling programs are managed on autopilot. A hauler arrives when scheduled, fiber is sold when convenient, and reports show up long after the fact. That approach may keep material

moving in good times, but it leaves companies exposed when markets tighten or outlets close.

The companies that come out ahead treat recycling as a managed supply chain. They invest in detailed waste audits to uncover hidden revenue, use timely reporting to track bale weights and freight costs,

and rely on experts to anticipate market disruptions before they hit. They even pay attention to details like bale wire and ties, because a jammed line or a broken bale isn’t just a nuisance, it’s downtime that creates avoidable labor and maintenance costs.

Recycling Seen From the CFO’s Chair

Finance leaders understand the difference between a one-time cost cut and a system designed to prevent recurring expenses. Cutting costs can be quick, but it’s often temporary. Avoiding costs builds resilience into the system. That resilience shows up as steady throughput, consistent revenue, and smoother operations, even when markets are volatile.

A Stronger Bottom Line

Recycling should never be seen as a static line item. It’s a dynamic part of the supply chain with the potential to either erode or enhance your profitability. Focusing only on reduction leaves dollars on the table and exposes operations to risk. By contrast, companies that prioritize cost avoidance through smarter logistics turn recycling into a source of strength. In a market shaped by mill closures, shifting outlets, and rising freight, that hidden value isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s an essential “must have.”

If you think there’s more value to be found in your recycling program, there probably is. And we’re here to help you find it. Click here to get started: https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

Recycling That Pays Off: How Professional Management Drives Real Results

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:34:00 GMT

Recycling That Pays Off: How Professional Management Drives Real Results

Smart Recycling Starts with Smarter Management

Many companies believe they’re getting the most out of their recyclables. They’ve got bins in place, someone hauling the materials away, and reports that arrive… eventually. But what if there’s significantly more value -- financial, operational, and environmental -- just waiting to be unlocked?

At Mid America Paper Recycling, we don’t just remove recyclables. We professionally manage them. We work alongside your team to uncover missed revenue, eliminate inefficiencies, and support your sustainability goals. Our approach is built on experience, accountability, and the mindset that success isn’t something you stumble into, it’s something you build.

Think You're Already Optimized? We Love That Challenge.

Some of our biggest wins have come from facilities that thought they were doing everything right. After all, if the material’s getting picked up and you’re getting paid, what’s the issue?

The issue is, we often find materials under-graded, misclassified, or bypassing mill-direct options that significantly boost revenue. At one location, a simple dock change and shift to mill-direct shipping generated over six figures in added value in just 12 months. In another, we helped eliminate all bale rejections after years of downgrades from the paper mills receiving inbound recyclables.

Recycling is a discipline. Done right, it adds real margin. Done wrong, it quietly erodes your bottom line.

Our People Don’t Just Manage Accounts. They Drive Results.

The difference is in the execution, and that comes down to our people. Our teams don’t manage from behind a desk. We’re in your plants. We walk your operations. We ask questions. We listen. And then we build solutions.

When a packaging plant customer’s press operators were wasting hours handling scrap, we fabricated custom containers to streamline collection. At another site, our waste audit uncovered a dozen recyclable materials being landfilled due to poor sorting practices. All corrected in under a month.

We bring talent, experience, and a relentless focus on doing the job right. It’s not flashy, but it works.

Continuous Improvement Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s a Standard.

Anyone can promise improvement. We structure it. That starts with a full audit of your waste streams and continues through detailed reporting, custom scorecards, and executive dashboards that track revenue, volumes, and landfill diversion trends.

Several of our customers have sustainability goals baked into their supplier contracts, including targets for waste reduction, landfill diversion, and recycling revenue growth. We’ve built our services to align with those expectations.

If you’re not seeing year-over-year progress in these areas, you’re not getting true continuous improvement. You’re getting maintenance.

Trust, Transparency, and a Stronger Bottom Line

In an industry known for spotty service, vague pricing, and inconsistent reporting, we take a different approach. Our customers count on timely payments, clear reports, and complete transparency in how their materials are handled and monetized.

And we go further, too, in helping to identify new material streams, install balers and containers where needed, and reduce handling costs wherever possible. That includes keeping your operations running smoothly with fast, reliable access to high-quality bale wire through our Scan-Order-Go system. With a quick scan, customers can instantly reorder wire right from the floor, with no lag time, no red tape. Orders are packed and shipped quickly to keep balers running and materials moving without interruption.

Whether the outcome is new revenue or a smarter environmental footprint, we treat every ton like it matters. Because it does.

Ready to Get More from Your Recycling Program?

Mid America Paper Recycling brings nearly 100 years of experience to every site we serve. We’ve grown by helping companies like yours get more out of their operations, and we do it with professionalism, integrity, and results that speak for themselves.

If you think there’s more value to be found in your recycling program, there probably is. And we’re here to help you find it. Let’s make a bigger impact. Together.

Click here to get started: https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

When the Mill Shuts Down: What Happens to All That Recycled Corrugated?

Sat, 10 May 2025 19:50:07 GMT

When the Mill Shuts Down: What Happens to All That Recycled Corrugated?

This summer, three major paper mills are set to close across the U.S., sending shockwaves through regional recycling ecosystems. Smurfit WestRock will shut down its historic St. Paul, Minnesota mill by the end of June, along with its Forney, Texas location just outside Dallas. Meanwhile, Graphic Packaging International has announced the permanent closure of its coated recycled paperboard facility in Middletown, Ohio.

These closures don’t just affect the nearly 500 workers employed at the sites. They also disrupt the carefully orchestrated supply of recovered fiber, mostly old corrugated containers (OCC), that fed these mills. When a mill goes offline, the question becomes immediate for local suppliers:

Now what?

A typical mill shutdown can affect as many as five major, 15 mid-sized, and 50 smaller generators of recyclable material in the surrounding area. These include local trash haulers and material recovery facilities (MRFs), retailers, distribution centers, food processors, and commercial printers and packaging firms, many of whom rely on consistent mill demand to keep their recycling programs viable and profitable.

A Supply Chain Disrupted

The U.S. paper industry depends heavily on recycled fiber. In 2025, recycled materials are expected to represent nearly 45% of all paper and board production, with corrugated board production relying especially on old corrugated containers (OCC).

But when large mills close, particularly ones with a high recycled fiber intake, nearby generators must scramble to reroute truckloads of their material. The result is a sudden supply chain bottleneck, and often, a costly one.

That’s where Mid America Paper Recycling comes in.

Chaos, Then Opportunity

“These closures create chaos, no question,” says Don Gaines, CEO at Mid America Paper Recycling. “But if you're a supplier affected by this, there are solutions, and they don’t have to involve panic or loss.”

One customer in the Upper Midwest, for example, had been shipping 4,000 tons per month of loose corrugated material into the St. Paul mill. With its closure imminent, they now possibly face the need to source and install baling equipment, reconfigure logistics, and secure new offtake partners elsewhere, all within a matter of weeks.

“And it’s not just the large accounts,” Gaines points out. “Small and mid-sized businesses often don’t have the infrastructure or the paper mill relationships in place to pivot quickly. That’s when they need a partner like Mid America.”

Fast Action, Trusted Help

Mid America Paper Recycling has been through moments like this before. With a century-long track record, the company has helped thousands of businesses maintain recycling continuity during times of disruption, whether due to plant shutdowns, production pauses, policy shifts, or market volatility.

Mid America Paper Recycling is already working with suppliers in the Minneapolis–St. Paul, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Cincinnati–Middletown regions to offer solutions: redirecting loads, identifying nearby end markets, and providing fair, transparent pricing even as volatility rises.

“In this business, movement is everything,” says Gaines. “When the material stops moving, that’s when problems start. We specialize in keeping the flow going, no matter what.”

What Should Affected Suppliers Do?

If your corrugated recycling outlet is impacted by one of these closures, here are key steps to take:

Act quickly: Don’t wait until material piles up, where it can risk degradation or contamination. Assess your current storage, transportation, and baling capacity. And if you’re unsure where to begin, Mid America Paper Recycling offers a free waste audit to help you evaluate your material flow, identify bottlenecks, and uncover new value in your recycling stream .
Evaluate infrastructure needs : If you’ve been shipping loose OCC, you may need to invest in baling. That takes time, capital, and planning. And a partner well versed in value analysis.
Vet downstream options: Look for a recycling partner with an experienced support team that coordinates closely with brokers and logistics providers to keep material flowing smoothly. Strong relationships with mill buyers and fiber suppliers, along with insight into their operations, can make a big difference in ensuring fair pricing and reliable movement of your recyclables.
Diversify : Avoid overreliance on a single mill. This moment is a wake-up call to build more flexible, multi-channel end markets where your material is most valuable.

Mid America Paper Recycling Is Ready

Whether you're in St. Paul, Forney, TX or Middletown, OH, Mid America Paper Recycling stands ready to help suppliers navigate this period of transition. From large recyclers and waste haulers to regional warehouses and packaging companies, we offer both the infrastructure and market access to keep material moving and value flowing.

“If your mill just closed,” Gaines says, “you’re probably asking yourself, ‘Who’s going to take this material now?’ We’re here to answer that question, and solve the problem.”

Mill closed? We’re open. Reach out to Mid America Paper Recycling and let’s keep your recycling program on track. Contact us at Info@midamericapaper.com , visit www.midamericapaper.com , or call us at 773-890-5454.

Rethinking the Future of Plastic Packaging: A Recycling Challenge We’re Tackling Head-On

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:22:09 GMT

Rethinking the Future of Plastic Packaging: A Recycling Challenge We’re Tackling Head-On

The packaging world is facing a pivotal reckoning—and nowhere is this more evident than in the growing pressure to move away from single-use plastics. One of the largest e-commerce retailers in the world is currently grappling with the question of what to do with plastic mailers that, while functional, pose significant environmental and operational challenges.

Plastic packaging like these shipping mailers—made from multi-layer plastic film—are technically recyclable but practically unrecyclable for most communities. Why? Because plastic film is not accepted in most curbside recycling programs. It can jam machinery at material recovery facilities (MRFs), contaminates otherwise valuable recycling streams, and often ends up in landfills despite best intentions.

The Problem With Plastic Shipping Pouches

Not accepted in most curbside recycling programs
Difficult to process and disruptive to recycling facility operations
Can take over a century to break down in landfills
Often mislabeled as recyclable, confusing consumers and contaminating recycling streams

In fact, consumer drop-off programs—once seen as a workaround—are failing. Investigations have found that the overwhelming majority of plastic mailers placed in designated bins are never actually recycled. And as public scrutiny mounts, so does the urgency to act.

What’s Changing—and Why It Matters

The industry is shifting. In Europe, leading online retailers have already phased out plastic mailers in favor of fully recyclable, paper-based alternatives. In North America, a significant transition is also underway, with commitments to remove plastic air pillows and redesign packaging operations around sustainable paper-based materials.

But that still leaves millions of pounds of plastic in circulation—new, unused, and looking for a second life.

Where Mid America Paper Recycling Comes In

At Mid America Paper Recycling, we’re not just watching this transition—we’re helping drive it. One of our newest and most ambitious projects involves responsibly managing the recycling of nearly 90 trailers of these plastic mailers, keeping them out of landfills and supporting our partner’s efforts to find more sustainable solutions.

While we can’t name the customer, it’s fair to say this project reflects a much larger movement in the packaging industry—a turning point where sustainability, practicality, and innovation must intersect.

Our Role: Turning Waste Into Opportunity

We’ve built our name on helping companies reclaim the value of their paper waste. But did you know we do the same for plastic?

Plastic is now as common as paper in commercial and industrial settings—and just as capable of holding untapped value. It piles up fast, takes time to collect, and costs money to dispose of. Worse, when it ends up in landfills, it depletes natural resources and sets back sustainability goals.

That’s where we come in.

We help you manage plastic scrap more efficiently
We market your materials to qualified buyers to generate revenue
We support your sustainability goals with real, measurable progress

Our plastics recycling program is built on the same foundation as our nationally recognized paper recycling network—delivering customized solutions backed by deep expertise and strong industry connections.

And we’re not limited to the easy stuff. Mid America has the capability to handle many of the hard-to-recycle plastics that others won’t touch. From mixed polymers and air bags to shrink wrap and multi-layer films, we’ve successfully moved materials that would otherwise be destined for landfill. It’s all part of our mission to transform waste into value—and sustainability into action.

Some of the Plastic Materials We Recycle:

#1 PET – Polyethylene Terephthalate
#2 HDPE – Natural and Color
#3 PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride
#4 LDPE – Low Density Polyethylene
#5 PP – Polypropylene
#6 PS – Polystyrene, including commingle plastic
Polycarbonate, ABS, Acrylic, Engineering Grade Plastics
LDPE Film (shrink wrap), HMW drums, Mixed Rigid Plastics

We handle material in many formats—baled, loose, regrind, repro, purge, post-consumer, and industrial. Whatever your scrap stream looks like, we can help you turn a problem into a profit center.

A New Era of Responsibility

Plastic mailers may be on the way out. But until the last one is phased out, the challenge remains: how do we manage this waste stream responsibly?

At MAPR, we believe recyclables are more than a sustainability checkbox—they’re a source of efficiency, a path to innovation, and a competitive advantage for forward-thinking companies.

Let’s make sure that every pound of plastic scrap ends up where it belongs: in the recycling stream, not the landfill.

�� Start with our 10-minute Waste Audit and see what’s possible: https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

What 142 Businesses Taught Us About Recycling Practices in 2025

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:36:58 GMT

What 142 Businesses Taught Us About Recycling Practices in 2025

At Mid America Paper Recycling, we’re passionate about helping businesses turn their waste into value. But to do that, we need to understand where companies stand today when it comes to recycling. That’s why we surveyed 142 businesses across manufacturing, distribution, packaging, and printing industries to get a clearer picture of current recycling habits and challenges.

The results were eye-opening. While most companies want to improve sustainability, few have the structure, visibility, or vendor support in place to make that vision a reality. Below, we dive into the key takeaways—and the major opportunities that forward-thinking companies can capitalize on.

1. Goals Without a Game Plan

Recycling programs are only as strong as the systems supporting them. Unfortunately, many companies are operating without a formal strategy. Nearly 70% of businesses surveyed have no structured recycling program in place—meaning no team members are accountable, no metrics are tracked, and no progress is measured.

In fact, nearly half (47.9%) never review their recycling efforts, and 59% haven’t set any recycling goals in the past year. Without regular evaluation, even well-intentioned programs become stagnant.

Perhaps most telling: only one in four companies have a continuous improvement plan for recycling. That means the majority are missing out on the opportunity to reduce waste, increase material recovery, and boost revenue through optimized recycling efforts.

Takeaway: Companies that treat recycling as a strategic initiative—just like production or quality—stand to gain a competitive edge in both cost savings and environmental performance.

2. A Lack of Visibility is Holding Companies Back

Another consistent theme in our research: a startling lack of data and visibility. More than half of companies never receive recycling reports from their vendor, meaning they don’t know what’s being collected, what it’s worth, or where it's going.

Additionally, 82% don’t label their loads with grade information, and nearly half don’t weigh their loads before they leave the facility. This makes it nearly impossible to validate vendor payments or understand the value of what's being shipped.

Without clear reporting and tracking, companies are flying blind. Valuable materials may be leaving money on the table—or worse, being landfilled—simply because no one is measuring performance.

Takeaway: Implementing basic documentation practices, such as load tagging, weighing, and AI-enhanced reporting, provides the clarity needed to improve operations and strengthen recycling ROI.

3. Waste Is Taking Up More Than Just Time

Floor space is one of the most valuable assets in any plant or warehouse—and too much of it is being consumed by waste. Many businesses store gaylords of loose trim, large rolls, and bales of scrap that sit idle waiting for pickup.

Our survey found that only 36% of companies use drop trailers, which can help remove materials from the floor in real-time. Worse, 39% have no logistics plan at all, meaning waste piles up, blocking workflows, increasing labor costs, and reducing safety.

Companies often underestimate how much waste management can erode their operational efficiency. Labor hours lost to moving scrap, managing pickups, and clearing floor space quickly add up.

Takeaway: With trailer spotting and a streamlined logistics plan, businesses can free up space, reduce risk, and create a more efficient workflow—while also improving their recycling program .

4. No One’s Driving the Bus

Who’s in charge of your recycling program? For 29.6% of companies, the answer is “no one.” And even when someone is technically responsible, they may not have the knowledge needed to improve it.

Only 27% of employees involved in recycling are familiar with paper grades, and 65% of respondents didn’t know where their materials go after pickup—whether to a processor, a broker, or a landfill.

Takeaway: Recycling programs perform best when there’s clear ownership, employee education, and active vendor engagement to keep things moving in the right direction.

5. Recycling Vendors Are Missing in Action

One of the most surprising findings? 67.6% of companies said their recycling vendor doesn’t visit their facility or analyze their waste stream. In many cases, service is limited to pickups and payments, with little communication or strategic input.

As a result, over half of respondents said their service did not meet expectations, and 35% rated vendor performance as poor when it came to either service, payment, or responsiveness.

Takeaway: A strong recycling partner doesn’t just haul away waste—they help you identify opportunities, solve problems, and generate measurable value.

Recycling Isn’t Just a Line Item—It’s a Strategic Opportunity

This research reveals what many in the industry already feel: recycling is full of untapped potential. But to unlock it, businesses need more than good intentions—they need structure, insight, and a partner who’s committed to delivering value.

At Mid America Paper Recycling, we help clients do exactly that. From waste audits and reporting to logistics support and paperboard mill partnerships, we build recycling programs that are smarter, cleaner, and more profitable.

If your current approach to recycling feels like a missed opportunity, let’s talk.

�� Start with our 10-minute Waste Audit and see what’s possible : https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

Let’s make recycling work harder for your business together.

Driving Value, Innovation, and Sustainability: Meet Brian Gaughan, Mid America Paper Recycling’s Business Development Leader

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 04:58:50 GMT

Driving Value, Innovation, and Sustainability: Meet Brian Gaughan, Mid America Paper Recycling’s Business Development Leader

With over three decades of experience in the recycling industry, Brian Gaughan brings unparalleled expertise and dedication to his role as Business Development Director at Mid America Paper Recycling. Known for his customer-centric approach, Brian focuses on building meaningful partnerships and delivering customized solutions that create real value for clients.

A Hands-On, Solution-Oriented Leader

Brian's role extends far beyond traditional business development. He takes a hands-on approach, working closely with customers to understand their unique needs and identify opportunities for improvement. He’s known for providing tailored recommendations that maximize efficiency, optimize floor space, and generate additional revenue. Whether it’s helping facilities better utilize their balers, consolidating loose materials into bales, or recommending strategies to minimize labor in plant facilities, Brian’s commitment to operational excellence sets him apart.

For example, Brian recently supported a large multi-site printing firm client by visiting each of their plant locations, analyzing their recycling streams from waste generation to exit, and recommending process adjustments to free up valuable floor space and streamline logistics. These insights were instrumental in securing their recycling business and achieving measurable results for their operations.

Adding Value Through Innovation and Insight

Brian is a strong advocate for using data and reporting to create value. Mid America Paper Recycling’s customized AI-enhanced reporting solutions help clients track their recycling performance and uncover hidden opportunities for cost savings and revenue growth. From reducing hauling expenses to identifying higher-value recycling streams, Brian’s expertise ensures that customer-partners achieve the maximum benefit from their recycling programs.

“Mid America takes a customer-focused approach,” Brian explains. “We don’t just look at market prices for recovered materials—we evaluate entire programs to find ways to save money, generate revenue, and improve efficiency for large enterprise customers. Our ability to customize solutions for each customer is what sets us apart.”

A Commitment to Partnership and Results

Brian credits much of Mid America’s success to the company’s commitment to its collaborative approach to customer relationships. “We’re not just a service provider; we’re a partner,” he emphasizes. “We visit sites, provide recommendations, and work alongside customers to create programs that truly add value.”

As 2025 begins, Brian is focused on growing Mid America’s footprint in both traditional and emerging markets while continuing to deliver outstanding service and results for clients. He sees significant growth potential in the plastics recycling sector, driven by increasing investment in consumer recovery rates, as well as opportunities to expand paper and board recycling services for printers and packaging converters. His dedication, expertise, and innovative mindset make him a key driver of the company’s success and a trusted partner to the businesses he serves.

If you're ready to take your recycling program to the next level, contact Brian at bgaughan@midamericapaper.com to build and execute a revenue-generating recycling strategy.

Reclaiming Floor Space: How Recycling Solutions Help Packaging Firms Optimize Efficiency

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 21:26:36 GMT

Reclaiming Floor Space: How Recycling Solutions Help
Packaging Firms Optimize Efficiency

For printing and packaging firms, floor space is a critical resource directly tied to productivity, safety, and profitability. Operating under typically tight profit margins, these companies cannot afford inefficiencies that hinder operations or add unnecessary costs. Yet, in many facilities, valuable floor space is wasted on scrap and trim waste from the paperboard manufacturing and converting process. Gaylords of loose material waiting to be processed and bales awaiting pickup can create bottlenecks, disrupt workflows, and eat into already slim margins. At Mid America Paper Recycling, we provide timely solutions to help manufacturers reclaim their floor space and protect their bottom line. Here’s how:

The Hidden Costs of Wasted Floor Space

Inefficient use of floor space doesn’t just limit operational effectiveness—it carries significant financial and operational consequences. Here’s what’s at stake:

High Real Estate Costs :
Manufacturing and warehouse space is expensive. According to Prologis, the annual cost for warehouse space averages $13.20 per square foot , including base rent and operating expenses. A facility dedicating 1,000 square feet to waste storage could incur $13,200 annually in avoidable costs.
Safety Risks and Workplace Injuries :
Cluttered floors with bins of loose material and stacked bales create hazards that increase the risk of workplace injuries. The National Safety Council reports that the average cost of a medically consulted workplace injury exceeds $40,000 , factoring in productivity losses, medical bills, and administrative expenses.
Missed Revenue Opportunities :
Every square foot dedicated to waste is a square foot unavailable for revenue-generating activities. For example, a production machine occupying 1,000 square feet could generate $100,000 to $500,000 annually in additional revenue.
Increased Labor Costs :
Managing waste on the plant floor is time-consuming. Employees spend hours moving, organizing, and handling waste instead of focusing on higher-value tasks. At an average wage of $20 per hour , one additional hour spent daily on waste management can cost a company $5,000 annually per employee .

How Mid America Paper Recycling Reclaims Space

Reclaiming floor space starts with understanding a facility’s unique challenges. Through our waste audit services , we identify inefficiencies in waste management handling practices in your plant facilities and provide customized solutions to optimize space utilization.

Trailer Spotting: A Game-Changer for Floor Space

One of the most effective strategies we offer printers and board converters is trailer spotting. Instead of storing waste on the plant floor, a dedicated trailer is stationed on-site to accumulate scrap and trim waste, and then rotated back to our recycling facility for materials processing.

Maximizes Plant Space : By removing bales and scrap from the floor at key intervals, plants can free up hundreds or even thousands of square feet for production or finished goods storage.
Improves Safety : Clear, clutter-free floors reduce the risk of accidents and ensure smoother workflows.
Cuts Handling Costs : Employees spend less time managing waste, which translates to significant labor savings.
Streamlines Operations : Trailers simplify the waste management process, ensuring efficient material handling and faster pickups.
Faster Financial Return on Recyclables : By consolidating and efficiently managing scrap materials in a trailer, recyclables can be transported directly to mills more frequently. This reduces delays, accelerates payments, and ensures more consistent cash flow tied to a recycling program.

For example, one large printing client reduced their reliance on floor space for bales by 50% , enabling them to install additional equipment and increase production capacity.

Execution in Action

At Mid America Paper Recycling, we deliver results through precise execution of recycling programs. Our Chicago-based facility processes 51 different paper grades using advanced baling systems and a fleet of 125 trailers in our logistics network. By leveraging our infrastructure and consulting expertise, we help customers reclaim floor space, reduce costs, and maximize profitability year after year.

Partner with Mid America to Reclaim Your Space

For any packaging manufacturer, the value of floor space cannot be overstated. Don’t let waste take up space that could be driving your business forward. Let Mid America Paper Recycling help you optimize your operations, starting with a free waste audit to discover how we can help you unlock the hidden value in your facility.

Execution Wins Championships: How Mid America Paper Recycling Delivers Excellence

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 21:04:49 GMT

Execution Wins Championships: How Mid America Paper Recycling Delivers Excellence

As Vince Lombardi once said, "Talent and a good game plan each on their own are not enough to win. Execution is everything." This timeless insight rings especially true in the recycling industry, where results hinge on not only having the right resources but also leveraging them with precision and consistency. At Mid America Paper Recycling, execution is our hallmark, honed over decades of practice and refinement.

From Talent to Teamwork

At the heart of Mid America Paper Recycling’s success is our experienced and dedicated team. With generations of expertise, we’ve cultivated a culture where execution is second nature. Our employees undergo training, and our game plan for customer support is practiced and optimized continually, ensuring consistent excellence in every service we provide. From plant operations and brokerage, to transportation and customer service, every team member understands that their role is pivotal in delivering the quality and reliability our clients expect.

The Game Plan: Precision and Purpose

Winning in recycling, much like in sports, requires a well-orchestrated strategy. Here’s how we execute our game plan to help our supplier-partners turn waste into value:

Waste Stream Audits

Each client engagement begins with a detailed audit of their waste streams, mapping the journey of recyclable materials from generation to exit. For example, at one facility, our audit identified inefficiencies in sorting, allowing us to recommend adjustments that increased recycling rates by 20% and reduced disposal costs significantly.

2. Maximizing Revenue with Mill Direct Shipments

By leveraging our strong relationships with mills worldwide, we ensure that materials are shipped directly to the most advantageous destinations. For instance, a paperboard converter client generated $140,000 in new revenues after we helped them implement a dedicated dock for mill-direct shipments.

3. Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Our innovative handling solutions reduce labor costs and improve safety. In one case, we introduced custom receptacles for a printing facility, eliminating the need for double handling of scrap materials and reducing workplace injuries by 15%.

4. Uncovering Hidden Value

Misclassified materials and overlooked recycling opportunities are common pitfalls in waste management. For example, we worked with a fulfillment center customer to reclassify their "mixed paper" waste stream into higher-value grades, increasing their recycling revenue by 30%.

5. Providing Accountability and Transparency

Timely reporting and payments are standard operating procedure at Mid America. One client noted improved decision-making after implementing our detailed quarterly reports, which highlighted cost savings and environmental contributions across all their facilities.

Execution at the Processing Plant

Our Chicago-based facility exemplifies what great execution looks like in recycling services. Equipped with state-of-the-art baling systems and supported by a fleet of over 125 trailers, our plant processes 51 different paper grades of recyclables. By meticulously sorting, baling, and shipping materials, we ensure that our clients' waste streams are transformed into high-quality commodities for mills across the globe.

Why Execution Sets Us Apart

Our Chicago-based plant operations set us apart by ensuring unmatched reliability. Unlike brokers who rely solely on external processors, we maintain control over quality and consistency, virtually eliminating the risk of mill rejections or downgrades—a common issue with third-party processors. Our decades of experience also provide the flexibility to adapt swiftly to changing market conditions and evolving client needs. Most importantly, our commitment to execution consistently delivers tangible results, from cost savings to increased revenues, directly impacting our clients’ bottom lines.

A Commitment to Winning—For You

In recycling, as in football, the difference between a good performance and a championship win lies in flawless execution. Mid America Paper Recycling doesn’t just play the game; we play to win—for our clients, our planet, and our future. As we approach the Super Bowl, let’s remember: talent and a game plan are essential, but execution is what turns potential into victory.

If you're ready to take your recycling program to the next level, let us help you execute a winning strategy. Take our free Waste Audit Survey to get started today.

Recycling in 2025: What Printers, Packaging Converters and Box Manufacturers Need to Know

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 15:59:26 GMT

Recycling in 2025: What Printers, Packaging Converters and Box Manufacturers Need to Know

The paper and cardboard recycling market has evolved dramatically over the past decade. Once viewed as a straightforward waste collection activity, scrap and paper recycling has become a sophisticated process driven by innovation, partnerships, and the growing demand for sustainable practices. For printing and packaging converters as well as box plant managers, this evolution offers opportunities to increase revenue in your operations while meeting sustainability goals.

As a fourth-generation independent broker, processor, and exporter of recovered paper, Mid America Paper Recycling has witnessed these changes firsthand over decades. We’ve adapted and innovated to help our partners thrive in this dynamic market. As we enter 2025, let’s dive into the key trends shaping the future of recycling and how your business can stay ahead.

The Evolving Recycling Landscape

The days of simply tossing recyclable materials into a gaylord bin and forgetting about them are long gone. The recycling market now prioritizes extracting maximum value from every paper grade in every waste stream in your facility. This shift is driven by:

Stringent environmental regulations pushing companies to reduce landfill contributions
Consumer demand for sustainable products, prompting brands to adopt eco-friendly packaging
Advances in technology, enabling more efficient sorting and processing of recyclable materials

These changes have transformed how companies like Mid America Paper Recycling work with our supplier-partners, moving from a reactive service model to more of a proactive, strategic partnership approach.

Three Trends Impacting the Future of Recycling

1. Circular Economy Partnerships - A circular economy thrives on collaboration between waste generators and upcyclers. For example, Mid America Paper Recycling helps box manufacturers and other clients divert waste from landfills by connecting them with upcycling partners. Recently, we developed a unique recycling process for flexo printing dieboards, transforming these "unrecyclable" wooden components into valuable products like garden mulch, road aggregate, or landfill cover. By working with partners to create closed-loop solutions, we help packaging converters reduce waste and disposal costs while supporting sustainability goals.

2. Specialized Waste Handling - Not all recyclables are created equal. Beyond the typical high-grade paper stocks and OCC cardboard are materials like mixed plastics, fabric remnants, and oversized components that require specialized handling and processing. Mid America Paper Recycling provides solutions for challenging materials like paperboard roll cores, wooden supports, and trade show display remnants. Our partnership with Orbus, a leading trade show display manufacturer, demonstrates how tailored recycling programs can eliminate 80% of waste from landfills while generating revenue for the client partner.

3. Recycling as a Recurring Revenue Stream - Recycling is no longer just an operational necessity—it’s a strategic financial opportunity. From our Chicago headquarters, we leverage cutting-edge AI-enhanced reporting to uncover hidden profit potential in our clients’ waste streams. For instance, we helped one client increase net income by over $250,000 in just six months by converting loose material into baled recyclables. Additionally, through better grade separation and mill-direct shipments, we identified opportunities to generate an additional $225,000 in net income. Detailed ROI analyses help clients not only reduce costs, such as freight expenses, but also maximize revenue by improving material handling and separation processes. By turning waste into a profit center, we ensure recycling contributes directly to your bottom line.

From the Plant Floor to the Board Room

At Mid America Paper Recycling, we’ve spent nearly a century perfecting our processes to meet the needs of printing and packaging converter plants. As we head into 2025, the management teams in any business that generates paper waste should consider these questions as it pertains to their recycling programs:

Are we maximizing the value of our waste streams?
Are there challenging materials we could recycle with the right partner?
Are we leveraging strategic partnerships to support our sustainability goals?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no," it’s time to rethink your approach. The right recycling partner can help you not only meet but exceed your sustainability targets while turning waste into a revenue-generating asset.

Let’s Build a Better Future Together

Recycling is no longer just about doing the right thing for the environment. It’s about creating value—for your business, your partners, and the planet. At Mid America Paper Recycling, we’re committed to helping printing and packaging converter plant managers navigate the complexities of modern recycling with solutions that are as innovative as they are effective.

Ready to see how we can help you? Take our free Waste Audit Survey on our website to discover opportunities to turn your waste streams into revenue streams. Let’s work together to transform recycling into a driver of sustainability and profitability for you.

Click here to get started by taking this simple waste audit: https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

From Waste to Worth: How We Help Businesses Turn Recycling into Revenue

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 07:09:26 GMT

November 11, 2024

From Waste to Worth: How We Help Businesses Turn Recycling into Revenue

When you think of recycling, what comes to mind? Reducing landfill waste? Cutting down on pollution? At Mid America Paper Recycling, we go a step further. We believe recycling isn’t just about managing waste; it’s about uncovering hidden value within it. We help businesses turn their recycling programs into revenue streams, transforming what was once considered waste into valuable assets.

Maximizing the Value of Recyclable Materials

We know that every company’s sustainability journey is different. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, we begin by carefully evaluating each client’s processes and materials. By thoroughly understanding a client’s waste stream, we can identify the materials that hold potential value—whether it’s various grades of paper, plastic, or other recyclables. This collaborative assessment enables us to uncover opportunities for improvement that align with both environmental and financial goals.

Rather than simply responding to RFPs for recyclables, we work closely with clients to develop custom recycling solutions. Our team leverages a deep understanding of the recycling market to pinpoint who will find value in each type of waste, setting up mutually beneficial relationships between sellers of recyclable materials and buyers eager to upcycle.

Transforming Waste: A Real-World Success Story

One of our key partnerships is with Orbus, a trade show display manufacturer based in Woodridge, IL. For over a decade, Orbus has recycled 75 percent of its total waste, diverting millions of pounds of materials from landfills. In 2023 alone, they recycled over 1.6 million pounds of cardboard, fabric, plastic, and other materials, reducing landfill waste by 80 percent.

With Mid America Paper Recycling’s support, Orbus has implemented a comprehensive recycling program, sorting and baling materials like fabric, cores, and rolls. “We started processing items like their fabric and paperboard cores that no one else would recycle for them,” says Bill Krafcheck, National Sales Manager at Mid America. “We also recycle wood supports from their displays, repurposing them as landfill cover, keeping them out of dumpsters.”

Orbus values environmental responsibility, seeing sustainability as key to a greener future. As Vice President of Marketing Natalie Whited puts it, “We’re proud of our progress and excited to continue implementing more green practices in the years to come.”

Why a Strategic Recycling Partner Matters

For many companies, recycling programs are often seen as cost centers rather than revenue drivers. But when managed strategically, recycling can contribute directly to the bottom line. By working with a dedicated recycling partner like Mid America Paper Recycling, businesses can benefit from innovative recycling solutions and industry partnerships that would otherwise be out of reach.

Ready to Maximize the Value of Your Waste?

If your organization is ready to move beyond paying a disposal or recycling vendor to remove your recyclables, we’d love to help. At Mid America Paper Recycling, we’re committed to supporting your sustainability goals with a recycling program that generates revenue and drives positive environmental impact.

Let’s work together to transform waste into an asset. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can add tangible value to your recycling efforts.

Click here to get started by taking this simple waste audit: https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

Keep Your Bales Moving with Reliable Baling Wire from Mid America Paper Recycling

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 14:48:05 GMT

October 10, 2024

Keep Your Bales Moving with Reliable Baling Wire from Mid America Paper Recycling

When it comes to efficient recycling, the details make a difference. For businesses that rely on baling for recycling, quality baling wire is essential. Mid America Paper Recycling (MAPR) understands this need, which is why we offer a range of high-quality baling wires and ties to keep your bales secure and your operations running smoothly.

Why Choose MAPR for Your Baling Wire Needs?

At MAPR, we specialize in creating recycling programs that maximize revenue while meeting sustainability goals. Our team knows that choosing the right baling wire can boost productivity and streamline your recycling process. We offer customized recommendations to ensure you have the perfect fit for your unique recycling applications, whether you’re securing bales of paper, plastics, or metals. And because we’re a high-volume purchaser, we pass those cost savings directly to you, offering premium baling wire at highly competitive prices.

Streamline Your Reordering Process with Scan-Order-Go

Reordering supplies can sometimes be a bottleneck. That’s why we developed the Scan-Order-Go system, an innovative QR code-based ordering solution that makes reordering fast and simple. Just scan the QR code on your carton, and we’ll handle the rest, preparing your order for rapid delivery right to your facility.

Download our PDF to learn more about Scan-Order-Go

The Right Wire for Every Application

We carry a comprehensive line of baling wire products, so you’ll always have the right wire to keep bales moving and business growing:

Boxed Baling Wire

Black Annealed Wire in 10, 11, or 12 gauge sizes
Packaged in 50 or 100 lb boxes
Available in strand annealed and bulk annealed options for added durability

Stem or Carrier Black Annealed Wire

Heavy-duty black annealed wire for high-speed single ram auto-tie balers
Offered in 10, 11, or 12 gauge sizes, coiled on carriers weighing 1200-1800 lbs for maximum efficiency

Stem or Carrier Galvanized Wire

Hi-tensile galvanize finished, ideal for two ram balers
High-tensile wire in 1200-1800 lb carriers, stems, or stumps for extra strength and resilience

Single Loop Bale Ties

Manufactured from premium stock to meet OEM specifications
Sold in 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15 gauge, with standard lengths from 9 to 22 feet
Available in 125, and 250 count bundles

Double Loop Bale Ties

Easy snap-together wires for quick hand ties
Offered in 9 to 14 gauge sizes and custom lengths for diverse applications

Whether you need black annealed wire, galvanized wire, or versatile loop ties, MAPR has the solution to fit your baling needs. With our coast-to-coast reach and extensive network, we’re here to provide the right wire at the right price, so your bales stay secure and your operations stay on schedule.

Partner with MAPR for reliable, high-quality baling wire that keeps your recycling processes running efficiently. Reach out to us at balewire@midamericapaper.com for expert recommendations or to place your order through our streamlined Scan-Order-Go system. With MAPR, keeping the wire coming has never been easier.

Maximizing P&L Benefits From Waste Recycling

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 06:27:42 GMT

August 18, 2024

Maximizing P&L Benefits From Waste Recycling

As the paperboard packaging industry rebounds, opportunities to enhance profitability are becoming increasingly crucial in the second half of 2024 ahead. With containerboard demand on the rise and production up by 7% in Q2 2024 compared to last year, folding carton and corrugated packaging companies have a unique chance to boost their bottom line through smarter waste management. Mid America Paper Recycling (MAPR), a leader in the recycling industry for nearly a century, offers a strategic advantage for companies looking to optimize their profit and loss (P&L) statements this year.

At SuperCorrExpo 2024 , MAPR will be showcasing its innovative Waste Audit program —a service designed to uncover the hidden value in recyclable waste streams. According to MAPR CEO Don Gaines, the program can make a significant impact on a company's P&L by increasing revenues and reducing costs associated with waste management.

The Financial Upside of Recycling

For CEOs, CFOs and financial decision-makers, the benefits of recycling extend well beyond environmental stewardship—they directly influence financial performance. The MAPR Waste Audit Survey is a key tool in identifying waste streams that hold untapped value, converting what many see as a cost center into a revenue generator.

Revenue Growth: By analyzing waste streams such as pre-consumer paper, production and die-cutting trim, and corrugated paperboard, MAPR helps companies unlock additional revenue. Recyclable materials that were previously overlooked or undervalued can be sorted, reprocessed and sold at higher rates, boosting the top line.

Cost Reduction: Waste management and disposal fees are often a significant line item in a manufacturing company’s budget. MAPR’s approach involves not only maximizing the value of recyclable materials but also minimizing the costs associated with their disposal. This can include reducing or even eliminating expenses for waste hauling, lowering landfill fees, and optimizing logistics to remove these materials—directly impacting the expense side of the P&L.

A CFO’s Perspective: Why Now?

In today’s highly competitive consumer packaging market, box manufacturer CFOs are under pressure to find innovative ways to improve financial performance. With the recent uptick in demand for OCC on an upward trajectory, there's no better time to re-evaluate recycling strategies. The benefits of doing so are multifaceted:

Improved Margins: By increasing the revenue generated from recyclable waste and reducing disposal costs, companies can significantly improve their gross and operating margins. This can provide a competitive edge, particularly in consumer packaging industries where margins are tight.
Enhanced Cash Flow: Effective recycling programs can improve cash flow by turning waste into a predictable revenue stream. This can be particularly beneficial in managing working capital and reducing the need for external financing in operations.
Sustainability as a Financial Strategy: With growing investor and consumer focus on sustainability, companies that implement robust recycling programs can enhance their brand reputation, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty. This not only supports the top line but also positions the company favorably in the eyes of shareholders and potential investors.
Risk Management: By reducing reliance on traditional waste disposal methods and embracing recycling, companies can mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating disposal costs and potential regulatory changes. This strategic foresight can prevent unexpected hits to the P&L.

Why MAPR’s Waste Audit is a Strategic Tool

MAPR’s Waste Audit Survey is more than just a recycling assessment—it’s a strategic tool that CFOs and plant operations leaders can use to drive continuous improvement in waste management practices. The survey establishes a baseline for current recycling operations, identifies inefficiencies, and offers actionable insights to enhance profitability.

At next month’s SuperCorrExpo 2024 , MAPR’s presence at booth 1171 offers an excellent opportunity for packaging leaders and other financial leaders to explore how they can integrate these insights into their broader financial strategies. Gaines emphasizes, “Establishing a smart, continuously improving recycling program isn’t just good for the environment—it’s essential for a strong bottom line.”

In today’s economy, where every dollar counts, the path to better profitability begins with a simple, 10-minute Waste Audit Survey. For CFOs looking to drive financial performance, the time to act is now.

Click here to get started: https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

The Largest Plastics Cleanup in History

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:53:28 GMT

June 7, 20224

The Largest Plastics Cleanup in History

Mid America Paper Recycling’s Brian Gaughan, Director of New Business Development, has been involved with The Ocean Cleanup , a global organization based in Delft, Netherlands, founded in 2013, that works daily and tirelessly to rid the world's oceans of plastic. The Ocean Cleanup team operates ships on the Pacific Ocean that collect plastic waste from the Great Pacific “Garbage Patch (GPGP)”, an interception/collection system for marine debris litter that ends up in the North Pacific Ocean, seas, and other large bodies of water.

“As a 30-year recycling veteran and advocate for recycling, I got involved with them in my last job,” Gaughan explains. “I find end markets for the material they catch in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Since then, I have stayed in contact with them and am currently working with them on options for their catch. The Ocean Clean Up has a strong team, but they rely on third-party support for their cause. The end goal is to collect the plastic waste from the ocean and incorporate it back into products supporting companies produce.”

Spanning the waters from the West Coast of North America to Japan, this floating waste dump is massive. It occupies an area double the size of Texas, triple the area of France or Thailand, and is estimated to contain about 100,000,000 kilograms of plastic debris. Trillions of pieces of plastic pollute our oceans today, and the problem is worsening.

“Plastic recycling and (landfill) diversion is a major challenge in the U.S. today,” Gaughan points out.

“This plastic has a devastating impact on marine wildlife and ecosystems,” The Ocean Cleanup states on its website . “Plastics can persist for many decades, continuously degrading into microplastics. These can be ingested by wildlife and later enter the human food chain. Plastic pollution is a global crisis requiring urgent action.”

The Garbage Patch comprises the Western Garbage Patch, located near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawai'i and California. The circular motion of the whirling water draws debris into this stable center, where it becomes trapped. For instance, a plastic water bottle discarded off the coast of California takes the California Current south toward Mexico. There, the bottle may catch the North Equatorial Current, which crosses the vast Pacific. Near the coast of Japan, the bottle may travel north on the powerful Kuroshiro Current. Finally, the bottle can travel eastward on the North Pacific Current. The gently rolling vortexes of the Eastern and Western Garbage Patches gradually draw in the bottles.

The following images are provided by The Ocean Clean Up.

This is how the organization’s ships intercept plastic waste in their nets.

Acting as an independent supporter of the project, Gaughan assists The Ocean Cleanup in advancing their cause, spreading the word about what they’re doing, and hopefully engaging more businesses that can assist in their work. “I help find processors that can take the ocean catch and separate the rigid plastics from their nets,” he says. “I also find U.S.-based compounders that can turn the plastic waste into pellets that can be resold to the companies that invest in and work with The Ocean Cleanup.”

A nonprofit environmental engineering organization based in the Netherlands, The Ocean Cleanup has been working for over 10 years, researching, extracting, intercepting and monitoring plastic pollution in oceans and rivers globally – removing millions of kilograms of waste to date. Funded by environmental foundations, automakers, top global beverage manufacturers, and many other partners, the group’s ultimate goal is to clean up 90 percent of floating ocean plastic waste by 2040.

Part of the current cleanup system, a netting apparatus lies on the deck

of this ship (above, top), moments before it is deployed in the ‘garbage patch’ to collect

waste items. An interceptor barricade (below) catches a trash flood in Guatemala’s Rio Las Vacas.

The group also develops and scales up technology to extract plastic waste from the oceans. To achieve this objective, it uses a dual strategy of intercepting plastic in rivers to cut the inflow of waste and clean up what has already accumulated in the ocean and won’t go away by itself. “When the oceans are clean, we can capture the waste in rivers before it can reach the ocean,” the organization states. This is a crucial year in which we aim to show the world that our solution is ready to clean the entire GPGP. With the right support, we can scale up to a fleet of systems and get the job done. ”If it can achieve its desired performance levels, it says this year, it will be able to prove that its technology is ready for scale.

But the results don’t happen overnight. “We calculate it will take 20 years to rid the world’s oceans of plastic,” the group adds. “Therefore, we look for long-term partnerships with those who want to make a genuine and sustained commitment to our mission, create a legacy for themselves, and be part of the movement of those solving one of the biggest environmental problems of this era.”

As such, The Ocean Cleanup depends on several partners that help to accelerate its impact and achieve its long-term mission. The organization receives support from an array of robust partners and funders from academia, research and cultural entities, equipment providers, and nonprofits to multi-year global sponsors equipped with the resources, knowledge, expertise, and networks from many sectors that reuse the plastic materials to produce their own new products, accelerating the programs in different locations. These are just a few examples of partners who have joined the mission. The partners also conduct vessel operations and manage logistics, provide the deployment of interceptors, engage and mobilize industry from companies worldwide and so much more. In addition, donations help fund their research, development of technology and engineering and the execution of cleanup operations.

For Mid America Paper Recycling’s Gaughan, this is a passion project. “The U.S. recovery rate for plastics is 9 percent, which needs to change. I am involved with several projects trying to change this dynamic. I feel they are the right thing to do. I do not approach it from a profit perspective, but more as a way to help further the success of a worthy cause.”

For more information on Mid America’s other projects, visit our blog page at https://www.midamericapaper.com/blog . For more information on The Ocean Cleanup, including ways to support the organization, visit www.theoceancleanup.com .

Essential Company Roles: Meet Brian Gaughan

Thu, 23 May 2024 20:02:36 GMT

Essential Company Roles: Meet Brian Gaughan

As Director of New Business Development at Mid America Paper Recycling, Brian Gaughan plans strategies and guides business decisions. “I am very focused on bringing new business to Mid America,” he says. “I have over 30 years of recycling relationships and am working to create value for Mid America. I also have extensive experience in the plastics markets, an area of growth opportunities for Mid America. I decided to get back into the recycling business. I spent the majority of my career in recycling.”

For several years, Gaughan did business with Mid America Paper Recycling and was always impressed with its operation and how the staff works. He returned to the recycling industry after serving as a director at Heritage Environmental Services in Indianapolis, responsible for growth and new ventures in the sustainability sector. Earlier, he helped launch Greenstar North America (a private-equity-backed startup sold in 2013 to Waste Management) and spent four years as the general manager of the Georgia-Pacific Plastics Division.

At Mid America Paper Recycling, Gaughan’s typical day centers on developing new business opportunities and following up with new customers. “With my experience, I hope to assist the Mid America Paper Recycling team in building on its success. I am currently working on over 20 new projects. Some projects involve the more traditional paper business and some are in the plastics arena. I am also working on a very interesting project in Spain with a potential opportunity. We have several exciting growth opportunities to capitalize on in the plastics space. We approach the recycling business purposely and invest in ways to improve the services we provide to our customers. It’s an approach in which we explore the ‘what else’ and how that can drive value.”

He says the company invests in technology and other areas to improve its services. “We take a total customer value approach, versus just focusing on how much we can pay for waste material. Mid America brings an innovative approach to recycling that is good for the industry. There is a great deal of new technology in the recycling space and Mid America will stay on top of it and use it to create more value.”

People power

Gaughan especially appreciates Mid America Paper Recycling’s unified team approach to the recycling business. “The employees are great to work with and are very supportive,” he mentions. “I like the freedom we have to explore new opportunities. Mid America is quite good at finding new value opportunities with customers. Mid America strives to find and create value, which are advantages in the recycling industry. But I think the best thing about the company is the people. They are high-quality, committed employees, from the top down.”

Of course, there are some challenges, and he knows the markets can frequently be challenging. “The recycling markets can be quite volatile and while that presents opportunities, it can also present challenges. However, I meet with the sales team and executives regularly to discuss how to tackle the demands. We share insights and perspectives and learn about what everyone is working on. We all bring a unique perspective and it is good to share. Still new at my role, I have been leaning on the team to get started in developing new connections, innovations, leads, and projects.”

Gaughan envisions Mid America Paper Recycling moving forward with added growth and success in the recycling space. “That could take the form of acquisitions, partnering, and other acceleration avenues. We want our partners and customers to continue to rely on our expertise as they gather more revenue from their waste.”

To learn more about Mid America Paper Recycling and to take our quick, free Waste Audit, call 773-890-5454 or visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit .

Helping Orbus Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle

Sat, 04 May 2024 19:54:56 GMT

May 2024

Helping Orbus Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle

Mid America Paper Recycling began working with Orbus, a Woodridge, IL-based designer and manufacturer of trade show displays and accessories, three years ago to further its efforts to minimize its impact on the environment. Orbus has been recycling 75 percent of its total waste for over a decade, diverting more than 10 million lb. of recyclable waste from landfills. In 2023 alone, Orbus said it recycled over 1.6 million lb. of cardboard, paper, aluminum, fabric, plastic, steel, wood, and other materials, eliminating 80 percent of its waste from landfills. With Mid America Paper Recycling’s help, Orbus has maintained an ambitious recycling program that separates its recycled waste into categories, bales much of its show display waste, and repurposes used cores and rolls.

Orbus uses steel and wood stands to reinforce its fabric displays.

“We started processing their bales of fabric and paperboard cores that no one else would recycle for them,” remembers Bill Krafcheck, National Sales Manager at Mid America Paper Recycling. “Currently, we recycle their cores, 12-ft-long butt rolls, and corrugated boxes from their inbound supplies. The cores are baled and sold to a mill, while the butt rolls of paper stock are exported. We also service some of the wood they use in the fabrication of show displays. The wood waste is ground up and reused as landfill night cover. Recycling the wood diverts it from being thrown into dumpsters and taken to a landfill.”

Orbus produces fabric and paper backdrops, banners, signs, and exhibits widely used at trade shows, outdoor promotions, and retail displays.

Mid America Paper Recycling picks up the waste in its drop trailers and processes it in its Chicago facility. Communication and support are essential to keeping customers like Orbus coming back, Krafcheck mentions. “We listen to customers, find out how they can benefit from recycling, and get more value from their recyclable materials. We then find the right sources for repurposing their waste, which involves research, strategizing, networking, and much more. We are always looking for sources to handle difficult-to-recycle items like wood supports and rolled materials. Sharing information and best practices is as important as following up. We monitor their progress and determine if anything else can be done to improve their operation.”

Orbus generates a lot of paperboard roll cores in the production of its displays.

Orbus recognizes the world’s natural resources are limited and considers environmental awareness a must. It wants to underscore its sustainability mission to embrace eco-conscious practices for a healthier, greener future. “It’s truly inspiring to witness Orbus’ evolution towards greater eco-consciousness,” explains Vice President of Marketing, Natalie Whited in a recent company press release. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but even more excited to continually implement more green practices in years to come.”

For more information on Orbus, visit https://bit.ly/4bmMjn4 .

Talk with the Mid America Paper Recycling sales team and assess your recycling operation. Visit https://www.midamericapaper.com .

Recycling Innovation: Keeping it All Together

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:19:10 GMT

April 25, 2024

Recycling Innovation: Keeping it All Together

A large label incorporating a re-ordering QR code clearly indicates how to use the code.

Baling wire is an essential component in the waste recycling industry. Widely used to efficiently secure bundles of recovered scrap materials, readying them for storing, transport, and recycling, baling wire is a necessity; we can’t seem to have enough of it on hand. But with Mid America Paper Recycling’s innovative new ordering system, bale wire is available immediately when you need it.

“We’re making the reordering process easy,” says Don Gaines, Chief Executive Officer of Mid America Paper Recycling. “We are developing a system with our bale wire solutions provider in which a scannable QR (Quick Response) code incorporated in each drop trailer will allow customers to re-order bale wire automatically,” Gaines says. “The goal is to synchronize the QR code to the customer’s exact location and account so the customer can just scan the code, and a shipment of bale wire will soon be on its way.”

Mid America Paper Recycling furnishes various types of baling wire via the easy-to-use reordering system. Using QR codes will allow baling equipment operators to quickly signal Mid America Paper Recycling when they need more baling wire, explains Seth Mote, Regional Sales Manager at Olympic Wire & Equipment.

“There are no forms to fill out, no spreadsheets, and no worries about running out,” Gaines says. “We place a QR code that stores the customer’s balling wire data on each pallet of baling wire so that customers can re-order the wire automatically. The code is placed on the middle box on the bottom layer of a pallet, and can be scanned with a smart phone camera. This way, it will remind the baler operator to reorder when they are close to reaching the last box. The scan connects to a network that alerts the Mid America team to contact us and fill the reorder. From start to finish, it takes less than 30 seconds to initiate the reorder alert.”

This timely communication is especially helpful in preventing a recycling operation from completely running out of wire and facing a potential shutdown. A shutdown could lead to unnecessary and costly expediting fees. “It’s a great concept,” Gaines notes. “It cuts downtime, and keeps everything running according to schedule.”

Versatile and compatible with various types of recycling equipment, including vertical and horizontal balers, auto-tie balers, compactors, conveyors, and other waste management systems, (see Mid America Paper Recycling’s earlier blog entitled “Wired for Baling”), baling wire and ties were originally used in the mid-19 ^th century to secure bales of hay, straw, and other agricultural materials. Now, bale wire and ties have become such an integral part of the bale bundling process, it must be kept fully stocked in the user’s warehouse. Without compacting loads of recycled material into dense, easily stacked bundles, recyclers might not be able to move their materials easily, safely, and cost-effectively.

Baling helps divert waste material that would otherwise likely end up in a landfill. Made from steel or iron, baling wire needs to be strong and durable to withstand pressure and tension during transport, storage, and handling in scrap yards. It also must withstand rough weather and help ensure that bales can be easily and neatly moved to and from recycling facilities. The wire tightly compresses and secures bales of various waste materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, and more, into a denser load, preventing the bales from shifting, unraveling, and scattering, which reduces accidents and injuries. Loose or unsecured bales can pose significant hazards to workers and equipment. Using either a horizontal or vertical baler to compact the bales and securing them with bale ties saves time and warehouse space and cuts transportation costs. Properly baling recyclable materials ensures they will contribute directly to landfill diversion.

Wide selection

Mid America Paper Recycling provides a full complement of high-quality baling wire in various gauges, including single- and double-loop bale ties and wire, stainless-steel, high-tensile strength galvanized carrier wire, stump wire, and black annealed auto-tie wire. Fully annealed wire is heat-treated to make it stronger, more break-resistant, and more durable. Galvanized baling wire is coated with zinc, which helps protect it from rust and corrosion over time, and makes it ideal for use in outdoor applications where the wire may be exposed to the elements. The most common gauges are 12- and 13-gauge but 11- and 14-gauge wire are also available. Manual balers use single-loop bale ties, while auto-tie balers take 50- or 100-lb. coils of wire. Two-ram balers require high-tensile baling wire fed from a stem or stump.

Consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need. The weight of the bale helps determine the gauge or thickness of the baling wire that best fits the application, and it’s also important to measure the full dimensions of the bale.

Every bale needs to be secured and compacted with baling wire, which prevents the bale from shifting, reducing

the risk of accidents and injuries during handling and transportation.

“ Mid America Paper Recycling keeps tabs on wire prices, which can fluctuate based on changes in the scrap and wire rod markets,” Gaines points out. “We're a volume purchaser of baling wire and can get the best pricing available for our customers’ needs. We offer a wi de selection at the right price. And now, a quick scan of the QR code on each skid will ensure a fresh supply will arrive as soon as possible.”

Consistent, quality baling wire requires manufacturing facilities to produce it using quality measures and monitoring practices, quality procedures, and experience. Trucks shipping the bales are often open flatbeds, so having strong reliable wire helps keep everyone on the road safely and avoids transporting an unstable load and being fined.

To learn more about the baling wire QR code reordering system and baling equipment, contact Mid America Paper Recycling today to address your recycling concerns ( 773- 890-5454 ).

Reducing Kraft and OCC Waste With Bunzl Distribution

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 22:28:11 GMT

April 8, 2024
Reducing Kraft and OCC Waste With Bunzl Distribution

Mid America Paper Recycling recently welcomed a new national supplier, Bunzl Distribution USA, LLC, which needed product destruction services at more than two dozen of its facilities. Based in St. Louis, Bunzl Distribution supplies products including outsourced food packaging, disposable supplies, and cleaning and safety products to food processors, supermarkets, non-food retailers, convenience stores, and others. A leading supplier in North America, with worldwide sales above $12 billion and more than 190 warehouses in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the Caribbean, and parts of Mexico, Bunzl Distribution, focuses on finding ways to protect the environment and make better use of natural resources.

Bunzl Distribution needed help with disposing of kraft paper padding and OCC base inserts made at 14 of its facilities across the country. Used for e-commerce shipments by a well-known e-commerce customer, the materials were stacked on more than 1,000 skids and stored in Bunzl Distribution’s warehouses. Bunzl Distribution, needed help and fast.

When custom-made kraft paper padding (above) used for e-commerce shipments

had to find a new home, Mid America Paper Recycling found

a way to divert them to paper mills instead of landfills.

“We first started talking with Jake Meszaros at Mid America Paper Recycling in early December 2023 to review the scope of the project and determine if they could work with all 14 of our branches,” recalls one Bunzl Manager. “After finding them online, I contacted them and within minutes, they began working out all the details .”

Like Mid America Paper Recycling, Bunzl continuously searches for ways to enhance and upgrade its sustainable business practices and procedures to make a positive environmental impact. “We worked with Bunzl to develop an inventive strategy to significantly reduce their waste and keep the material out of landfills,” remembers Jake Meszaros, National Sales Manager at Mid America Paper Recycling, who took the call. “We shipped the inserts to recyclers that baled the material and then shipped the waste to various paper mills across the country for pulping and reuse. We got great feedback from Bunzl, which was a first-time customer.”

Overstock overhaul

Launched at the end of January 2024, the project involved one of Bunzl Distribution’s major customers, which was left with over $1 million in seasonal overstock inventory. The customer had to either dispose of the overstock or continue paying storage fees. “They chose to recycle the large amount of kraft padding and inserts, which were custom-made for them. But we couldn’t find a way to reuse for them within our customer base.”

The corrugated inserts and padding stacked on pallets were produced at several of Bunzl

Distribution’s facilities across the U.S. Easily reusable, they were shipped to paper mills

that pulped them for reuse.

“Meszaros then met with Bunzl Distribution’s operations team to review the scope of the project. When obtaining approvals, the large Bunzl Distribution customer required that a certificate of destruction be produced for each shipment. Bunzl Distribution and the Mid America Paper Recycling team coordinated with the individual Bunzl Distribution branches and recycling facilities that could accept the waste, produced the certificates and Mid America Paper Recycling then provided the delivery details.

“Mid America Paper Recycling confirmed it would produce the certificates and ship all of the paper waste bales to paper mills where it could be pulped and reused,” the Bunzl Manager remembrers. “ They were amazing. This was a large project with so many locations and people involved. Mid America Paper Recycling and I coordinated with the teams at each location, determining where the waste at each branch would go. The project went smoothly, considering the many branches and recycling centers we were dealing with. Some branches had several truckloads of the kraft and corrugated waste.”

All total, 1,769 pallet loads were transported. “This was a huge win for our company overall and especially for our branches, which are already tight on space,” the Bunzl Manager adds. “ We would absolutely work with Mid America Paper Recycling again. They handled the material safely and we had no negative feedback from our drivers who delivered the product to their sites. They were top-notch and wonderful to work with. I loved the clear, concise information and attention to detail they provided. They went above and beyond for the scope of this project, and it turned out to be a huge success. They were a pleasure to work with and took care of all the details from start to finish.”

From sourcing products ethically and responsibly to consolidating them in an environmentally efficient way, this is just one of Mid America Paper Recycling’s many “green” sustainable partnership programs that make a difference in the environment. “It was great to get such positive feedback from a first-time customer,” Meszaros summarizes. “Our ultimate aim is to promote partnerships like this and keep recyclable waste materials out of landfills.”

Essential Company Roles: Controller Kathleen Stark

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 20:02:37 GMT

March 1, 2024

Mid America Paper Recycling Controller Kathleen Stark has been at her job for a year now. Part of the company’s executive team, she joined Mid America Paper Recycling after a 26-year financial career as a controller, auditor, and other financial management roles with companies including McDonald’s, Tiege Hanley, and LRAP, among others.

“My job is to protect the bottom line, understand how the market drives our top-line growth, and how I can help provide information to the team to reduce costs,” Stark says. “I work closely with Don Gaines, our CEO, as well as attend weekly Sales meetings to better understand the drivers of the business. Also, I manage the company’s day-to-day financial operations and monthly close processes.”

A certified public accountant, Stark is passionate about accounting and finances. Providing financial insights to the leadership team as it continues to grow and add value to the recycling industry, as well as understanding business best practices, are essential to Mid America Paper Recycling. “I manage certain projects that vary from financial analysis to payment reconciliations for customers, to strategic and projection roll forwards,” she says.

Her typical day includes new areas of review that touch all aspects of Mid America Paper Recycling. “There absolutely are growth opportunities within the recycling segment, and my job is to provide insight into which growth opportunities can provide the most impact on the business and support the Sales team with information to go after those opportunities. Continued growth is always top of mind as well as how to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.”

A new experience

That’s a pretty critical role. “I haven’t worked at any other recycling company,” Stark points out. “But in the accounting world, debits and credits are the same, no matter what type of company you’re with. Working for a recycling company, specifically a commodity brokerage company, has been a new experience for me. I continue to learn and challenge myself while keeping the basics of accounting at the forefront. The other great part about working for a recycling company is that I work for a company doing something for the environment. Mid America Paper Recycling helps companies take care of their waste in a way that’s beneficial to everyone. I’m proud to be a part of a company like this.”

She adds that the people are what she likes best about the company. “Everyone here is passionate about Mid America Paper Recycling. Its 97-year longevity as a family-run business differentiates it from other recycling businesses. Mid America has been around this long because it does things right, and knows how to treat suppliers and customers. The organization continues to have great leadership. When I came on board, I felt one of Mid America Paper Recycling’s greatest assets is its seasoned people who have worked their way up in the organization over the years. We formed a group that works on management training where we select a book to read each month, and we meet regularly to talk about ideas. We also started a new program to facilitate collaboration outside of daily tasks. By working to build stronger managers and a more collaborative team, we are helping the business move forward. This could be in the form of process improvements, open communication alignment of goals throughout the team, and overall improved support for the Sales team.”

Stark is most impressed with Mid America Paper Recycling’s ability to move the recycling industry forward. “One thing I am most impressed about is the Waste Audit. The Waste Audit Survey is offered free of charge on our website to anyone who wants to find out how their company’s recycling operation is doing. Once a company completes the Survey, it receives a detailed report about the status of its recycling operation and the metrics to benchmark against. They find out the opportunities to improve, what issues they should address, how to begin the improvements, and if using recycling equipment will be effective. It’s something Mid America Paper Recycling started a few years back and shows how driven it is to help manufacturers and other companies recycle.”

If you’d like to learn more about Mid America Paper Recycling and our quick, free Waste Audit, call 773-890-5454 or visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit .

Baling Equipment Checkup: Maintenance and Service

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 18:52:21 GMT

Quality baling machines can provide years of reliable service life if they’re maintained and serviced regularly. You wouldn’t drive a car for years without a service; why risk the health of your baler equipment?

An automatic baler can handle a large load of recyclable waste without much manual labor to prepare and tear down loads. Balers improve baling rates, which allows you to achieve recycling targets and make more money. Automatic balers also bundle waste tightly, which keeps them compact and more organized while keeping the warehouse neat. Compacting bales using either a horizontal or vertical baler and securing them with bale ties streamlines the recycling process, saving time and money in the long run by reducing the volume of recyclable materials, transportation costs, and the use of warehouse space.

“Baling systems provide more productivity and profitability,” says Michael Schwinn, Vice President – Sales & Marketing – at American Baler Co., Bellevue, OH. “Handling recycling materials is typically handling the scrap end of the product or the packaging process. Balers are the most effective method of handling waste material. Automatic [horizontal] balers can be 10 times more efficient than compactors or vertical balers.”

Finding a baler for the size and scope of your recycling operation isn’t always easy, but Mid America Paper Recycling can help businesses review their current recycling processes and suggest baling equipment, such as systems from American Baler, which can maximize their total expense and revenue.

Jerry Fick of Great Lakes Recycling Services, a Grant Park, IL-based waste management services firm that also services and sells new and used recycling equipment, recommends regularly and properly maintaining the equipment to prolong its useful life. “If buying a new baler, be sure to look for one that can process your expected volumes. Running large volumes of recyclable waste creates the need for high-performing horizontal baling equipment.”

Photos courtesy of American Baler

“Higher waste volumes often justify the investment in a baler because there’s better cost per use,” Schwinn explains. “The more production needs you have, the more important it is that all system components be synchronized. Higher valued labor typically means you can justify a system with automatic tying. Materials that are difficult to bale, such as large cardboard pieces, require a larger infeed, an infeed conveyor, or a pre-shredder. But regardless of the volumes and waste sizes, buyers want to ensure the material is easy to load into the baler and the bales can be easily tied (manually or automatically).”

Schwinn adds that producing heavier bales saves on baling wire costs. “Wire costs can be one-third higher if you’re making a 1,200-pound bale versus a 1,600-pound bale and you bale 200 tons a month. The same applies to smaller vertical balers but those must factor in both baling wire and the added labor costs of manually tying off the baler more.”

Care and cleaning

Both experts advise learning about the machine’s safety features and about the machine’s computerization (if applicable) and human-machine interfaces. Keeping the baler well maintained is vital, Fick adds. “Remember to follow the manufacturer’s manual that came with the machine and hire an experienced repair technician or mechanic when repairs are necessary. It’s a good idea to perform a daily cleaning routine of the system and stay on a recommended schedule.”

Schwinn agrees. “We suggest that customers perform daily and monthly checkups. Making repairs or adjustments should be the first level of service. Find out how easy it is to keep systems with automatic bale tying cleaned and aligned and find out how easy it is to purchase parts.”

Keeping the equipment optimized means keeping it clean, he notes. “Keeping a clean work area is safer and more productive. A clean baler helps you observe the start of a potential problem. A drip of oil at the power unit might easily indicate the need to check fittings and tighten a hose fitting, for example. If a power unit has material and dust covering it for weeks, you might never see the drip until it becomes a major problem.”

Schwinn says that today, customers look at scrap-handling equipment differently than they did pre-COVID. Despite issues with the supply chain, the changing market conditions for recyclable materials, less in-house labor, and other recycling concerns, “customers want equipment that assures scrap is handled just once and most efficiently. Fewer bales mean greater production per employee. Companies are replacing older baling equipment because if they don’t, they fear they might lose a valuable maintenance technician. Automatically baling your waste materials will provide you with top value for the material, regardless of commodity price swings.”

If purchasing new baling equipment, plan ahead, the experts advise. With high demand for hydraulic and electrical components, lead times on baling equipment purchases are usually about 40 weeks, depending on the manufacturer.

No doubt, baling equipment helps many recyclers increase their revenue, Fick states. “A baler is a wise investment. Balers make the materials ready for the market.”

Mid America Paper Recycling can help you determine your baling equipment needs. To request our free, quick, Waste Audit Survey, go to https://bit.ly/2OI2o0Z.

Safe Trailer Loading Procedures

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:16:47 GMT

Feb 1, 2024

Safe Trailer Loading Procedures

Results from our recent Waste Audit Survey indicate that 48 percent of respondents do not use specific trailer safe-loading patterns. Practicing the proper loading procedures for waste bales encourages the safety and well-being of others, and ensures the weight of the load is maximized.

A shipping department that is loading trailers should practice these processes: Stack waste bales squarely to facilitate safe off-loading and storage; turn the last rows of bales lengthwise, preventing the bales from falling or shifting against the trailer door during transit; position the last row of bales to be no more than two bales high prevents toppling and safe unloading. In addition, proper loading patterns reduce the likelihood of light loads, which may incur additional charges from the mills.

“Most mills require incoming loads of waste to weigh 40,000 pounds (or 20 tons),” explains Mid America Paper Recycling CEO Don Gaines. “If the loads are underweight, they will assess fees that can add up quickly. That’s why we always advise and caution companies about weight requirements for shipping trailer loads. Paper waste suppliers should aim for hitting the 20-ton or 40,000-pound weight target, regardless of the type of paper waste they’re shipping.”

Above all else, the most important factor is safety. With all the activities in a warehouse and production facility, operators and drivers must move quickly and efficiently to increase product throughput. Their safety is of utmost importance during these transfers of recyclable materials. Therefore, having procedures in place helps the staff load and unload trailers safely.

In addition, balancing and evenly distributing the weight of the entire load avoids running with too much weight at one end of the trailer or the other, which could affect the vehicle’s stability and braking performance. Drivers should also know their state or provincial vehicle weight regulations and their truck’s unloaded axle weight.

We also advise placing larger bales under smaller ones and low-density bales on top of high-density bales to balance them. Do not place any pallets or loose pallets on mill trailers. Trailers must weigh 40,000 to 45,000 lb. Weight bales on a scale will eliminate guesswork and provide accurate weights, Pirkle points out. Mid America Paper Recycling can custom-develop loading patterns for the best results. “We can also determine if certain types of equipment would facilitate their recycling operation,” adds Gaines.

Mid America Paper Recycling provides safe loading pattern procedures, which include inspecting the trailer to see if it’s safe and clean and checking the bales themselves to see if they are sturdy and properly secured. Remember to check for weaknesses in unsupported sections of the floor and walls to help avoid collapse when a forklift enters a trailer.

When it comes to reporting cargo weight, being a reliable shipper also builds trust on the receiving end. When everyone uses safe loading and unloading practices, everyone wins.”

These are just a few of the benefits Mid America Paper Recycling’s Waste Audit can offer. To assess and upgrade your recycling operation, take our quick, free Waste Audit Survey. Visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit.

Delivering Superior Sales Service

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:29:31 GMT

What is it like selling at Mid America Paper Recycling? We asked National Sales Manager, Marty Leibforth, for his perspective and how he sees the future of the industrial recycling industry.

Marty Leibforth, National Sales Manager, has been in sales at Mid America Paper Recycling for 15 years. What’s it like to be a national sales manager in the recycling industry?

“Excellent customer service is the backbone of what we provide. Our customer service team delivers the customers’ voice to our staff members on an hourly basis to ensure timely, customized responses to their needs as they arise. This communication and support are essential to keeping customers coming back to us as we solve their needs year after year.”

The knowledgeable, experienced sales team is often compared with a group of air traffic controllers, finding available recyclables, scheduling pickups, cutting purchase orders, and scheduling transportation to the pulp and paper mills. Leibforth agrees the sales role involves directing, sourcing, strategizing, and much more.

“We listen to clients, ask questions, provide them with key information and research new technologies to find successful solutions. We conduct Waste Audits, analyze the results, and tweak customer processes to enhance their revenues. Once a new customer is 'onboarded,' the Customer Service Representative (CSR) team and I then oversee the steady flow of their recyclables,” Marty adds. “Our goal is to innovate, improve recycling operations, and develop new approaches to recycling challenges. Our specialty is recycling difficult-to-recycle waste items and finding the highest financial value return for them. We have the financial and asset resources of a large company, but we have the maneuverability of a smaller boutique company.”

That’s not to say there are no challenges. “It’s difficult to market contaminated or out-of-spec supply, but we do it,” Leibforth points out. “We feel we are helping to change the recycling industry by constantly educating ourselves and our customers on new recycling technologies, practices, and processes. We are always on the lookout for ways to handle new plastic grades.”

Changing the thinking

Leibforth and the sales team frequently encounter businesses that still view recycling as a nonessential output of core production. They may view their recovered waste as something for the landfill. “When we encounter that reaction, we let them know it costs about the same to recycle their waste as it does to landfill it. We have various service programs tailored to many limited constraints. I consider it my goal to walk the floor of the operation and put myself in the business owner's shoes, looking for the financial bottom line of my customers. Educating customers and illustrating the advantages of saving them money, opens their eyes. They can't believe the recycling volume growth they see. That growth is the priority, given environmental and corporate image enhancement opportunities as well as the advantages of meeting new financial goals.”

Leibforth says the difference between Mid America Paper Recycling and other recycling companies is the excellent results. "We focus on growing our customer service staff and its expertise, which substantially impacts business growth and what we can offer suppliers. Today, we have the financial resources to participate in growth opportunities with our national customer-partners.”

The sales team faces recycling industry issues such as limited recycled content in finished products, a lack of recycling legislation, and financial incentives to retain material ownership. “A major challenge is limited participation in the recycling process,” Leibforth notes. “There are also issues with inadequate safety within the infrastructure to ensure contaminant-free quality. So we talk with customers, enlightening them about new processes, sharing new information and best practices, and discussing relevant experiences and insights. Managing customer expectations and their needs requires planning early on. No one can control or predict specific revenue levels or the market pricing index, but we meet quarterly with our customers to review their processes and solve problems accordingly.”

It’s so gratifying when a customer is especially pleased, he relates. “We work tirelessly to build trust with our customers, ensuring their satisfaction, which retains their business. We provide ongoing follow-ups and fact-finding services for additional growth opportunities. Follow-up is critical. Monitoring a customer's progress builds trust and strengthens the relationship. The results provide referrals that effectively grow our business."

To talk with the sales team and assess and upgrade your recycling operation, visit https://www.midamericapaper.com . Take our quick, free Waste Audit Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit .

A View from the Plant at Mid America Paper Recycling

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 10:25:58 GMT

Dec. 11, 2023

A View from the Plant at Mid America Paper Recycling

Alan Surdyk, Plant Manager at Mid America Paper Recycling, and his team work to keep the recycling facility as efficient and effective as possible. Working as a sales representative for Mid America Paper Recycling in 2003, Surdyk became Plant Manager in 2004. A member of the Mid America family that has owned the independent brokerage, processor, and exporter of recovered paper for four generations, Surdyk manages the plant team and is on the front lines with it every day. He’s charged with running several operations, ensuring that high-speed sorting, baling, cutting, and compacting systems are operational, as well as organizing load logistics and coordinating shipping and receiving among other things.

“Alan has done a nice job of working with our teams running waste materials through the plant in an efficient manner,” says Don Gaines, Chief Operating Officer of the company. But how does the team handle all of these used materials, including several grades of paperboard, corrugated, SOP, SUS, DLK and more?

The secret sounds cliché, Surdyk says, but it’s true. “It’s the people on our team. I have been operating the plant for over 20 years, and many plant personnel have been working for Mid America Paper Recycling much longer than that. With so many companies now wanting an ‘all-in-one’

recycler that not only accepts various grades of paper, but also metal, plastic, and glass, it takes the valuable experience and knowledge our team has to know how best to process everything we handle.”

Alan Surdyk, Plant Manager.

Gaines echoes the assessment. “Our experienced team helps deliver quality fiber to consuming pulp and paper mills and provides detailed information that we use to help educate our suppliers.” The goal? “We want to Grow the Worth of Their Waste,” he explains.

A typical day in the plant starts at 6 a.m. when Mid America Paper Recycling’s fleet of trucks hits the road. The team picks up material from local customers using more than 125 truck trailers. “We also receive loads from all over the country,” Surdyk points out. “Our plant team then unloads the trailers and separates the materials into 51 different grades before weighing them.

“We then process the various recyclables and ready them for outbound shipping, often by baling, or compacting loads of the material,” Surdyk explains. “Once enough paper is baled to make a full load (the equivalent of 42,000 to 56,000 lbs., depending on the grade and type of material), we then ship the load to paper mills all over the country – and sometimes around the world.”

So many grades of paper look and feel alike that the plant team must communicate with each other, stay transparent with suppliers to educate them on proper sorting methods, and strive to achieve the highest possible return on recyclable waste. “That’s why educating our customers is very critical,” Surdyk notes. “When we help our customers achieve recycling success, it is a win-win for them and Mid America Paper Recycling. It makes me happy to be a part of a team that is always looking for bigger and better ways to operate. If you’re not changing and upgrading, you are being passed up by the competition. The changes also include evolutions in our paper sources. We are always looking to create new partnerships with suppliers and buyers.”

While it’s a dirty, gritty livelihood, Surdyk finds plenty of ways to keep the crew motivated. “It’s a challenge many companies face,” he admits, “and we are no different. We treat the crew to lunch when they do a good job. Sometimes I’ll provide different clothing or gift certificates to show my appreciation. At the end of the day, it comes down to how everyone is treated. The crew wants to know that someone has their back. They also want us to know when they have done something well. Communicating positive messages, and providing small incentives is often my approach.”

Zero-waste initiatives

Presenting a clear pathway for fiber recycling includes Mid America Paper Recycling’s zero-waste and service goals. “Both service and zero waste in our industry are not considered ‘extra,’” Surdyk says. “If we are not providing top-tier service, someone else will. If we are not doing everything in our power to recycle items instead of landfilling them, someone else will. We regularly wow our customers by providing a service that doesn’t just meet their expectations, it surpasses their expectations.”

Too often, people get comfortable with the status quo, he admonishes. “If you do ‘what you have always done,’ it can lead to a lack of growth. We are always upgrading. We recently added some new machinery to the plant, such as our new American Baler baling system, and a few new forklifts. This equipment is streamlining things and helping us to be more efficient. We are always looking at new ways to position our plant team as well. We evaluate labor-intensive processes, and whether we need two people or one to perform certain tasks. We have always re-evaluated the plant processes to utilize labor in the best way possible. Another example might be whether we need to begin transport on trucks at 6 a.m., or should we start them in the middle of the night to avoid traffic and reduce freight costs? There are many other examples. We must constantly try new things and innovate. Otherwise, someone else may pass us by.”

Teamwork and good communication are vital to the plant's operation

Surdyk acknowledges the recycling company and its customers and supplier-partners face challenges daily. “The materials we recycle are commodities. That means pricing can change and change often. It’s difficult to explain to a supplier that an item they were paid for over the last year is now something we must charge for. Also, packaging is not always recycle-friendly, so we must adapt and handle certain items in the best way possible. It all goes back to our zero-waste goals of making great efforts to find the right home for tough-to-move items. This is why educating suppliers is crucial. Making them aware of the challenges we face helps them understand how we can help them turn a non-desirable item into something that has value and can generate revenue.”

As the year winds down, the plant crew expects to complete installation projects, such as adding new warehouse heaters and updating some of the recycling equipment. “We are also always training new employees to support others in different positions,” Surdyk summarizes. “Currently, we are training an employee to unload trailers. And the team is always coming up with new ideas for improvement.”

Reviewing his 20-plus years of experience in the plant, Surdyk recalls many innovations. “The plant operations are always changing. When I first started here, things were quite different. There were many manual functions. We have automated quite a bit, and I’m proud of the improvements we have made. They start with three things: experience, communication, and flexibility.”

To assess and upgrade your recycling operation, take our quick, free Waste Audit Survey. Visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit .

Mid America Paper Recycling’s Exclusive State of the Commodities Report for 2023

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:34:34 GMT

Dec. 4, 2023

Last year's recovered corrugated and waste paper market prices could be moving out of their slump as the markets show glimmers of change. According to Fastmarkets’ PPI Pulp & Paper Week’s recent pricing survey and market report, Old Corrugated Container (OCC) prices rose in several U.S. regions this year, with a year-to-date average now at $54, up 86 percent or $25/ton since January. In addition, the market pricing run-up for U.S. OCC continued into November 2023 as pulp and paper mills took in tons to ensure enough raw material inventories through the Thanksgiving holiday.

For the last eight months, domestic OCC prices increased by $5/ton (FOB) seller’s dock in every region except for the West Coast. The national average for OCC now sits at $75/ton FOB at the seller’s dock, up from $33/ton in March. That’s welcome news, even though the high prices of 2021 and early 2022 have not returned. But are seven or eight straight months of small increases creating solid optimism in the recovered paper marketplace?

Not necessarily. While demand for U.S. OCC is on a bit of an upswing, there are still a myriad of issues and economic hindrances in the industrial recycling market. Mid America Paper Recycling’s Chief Executive Officer, Don Gaines, considers the current recycling market still fluctuating and unsettled. Demand for finished products has decreased due to consumers adjusting their spending habits. The export market continues to remain soft.

Gaines says he hasn’t heard anything from customers in the paper business that gives him any solid indications of an inflection point yet. “Where is the overall market today and where do we see things going? That's the million-dollar question.” He points out. “The recycling market this fall is still creeping along. The market will likely continue this way into next year. We talk with a lot of the pulp and paper mill buyers and hear that the paper markets are just kind of getting by, kind of waffling a bit. Some of the biggest paper mills are saying they see flatness in the market.

Slower production

Many mills in the U.S. had market-related downtime this summer, along with scheduled maintenance outages. Overall, U.S. industrial production, which includes production at pulp and paper mills, fell in October. This time last year, OCC orders and pricing were in their considerable decline. The recovered bulk-grade prices plummeted in August 2022, both domestically and in export markets. Recent reports indicate an uptick in recovered paper generation in the last weeks of October and early November 2023 ̶ the first notable increase in supplies all year. This comes as U.S. corrugated box shipments increased somewhat during the second and third quarters of 2023, compared with the first quarter’s slow pace.

So, Gaines is cautiously optimistic about the current commodities market. “We don't really see a lot of immediate growth,” he points out. “In the near term, we’re closing in on the holiday season, which, for the consumer markets, is often a better time of year. But this waffling back and forth is the reality right now.”

Slower scrap generation is part of the picture causing increased pricing according to Pulp & Paper Week . Many mills will take downtime or slow down for the holidays, and though they aren’t experiencing the tremendous drop they suffered in 2022, “the market still seems to be a bit weak and could easily continue through the first quarter of 2024,” Gaines adds. “But we also hear that if the mills can get through the first quarter of 2024, they'll be in a much better position. Right now, the crystal ball is not clear.”

Granted, he says, since the beginning of 2023 through October and in certain areas through November, scrap paper and corrugated pricing doubled and gained a lot of strength, “which is great, but it’s not where we all would like it to be. Remember, the market for these waste materials started the year at a low number. Now, the recycling world might need to either pull back or at least take a breath of air. Maybe it's retracting a little before it surges again next year. That’s the hope, but the crystal ball isn’t providing a definitive answer just yet.”

Like last year, the current corrugated and paper waste markets remain difficult to predict due to ongoing fundamental stresses at the mills, printing, and paperboard converting companies, and points along the supply chain. Higher fuel prices, significant inflation, and fewer e-commerce home deliveries to consumers caused by an uncertain economy are also contributing factors.

Glimmers of improvement

Despite the uncertainty, many of the numbers continue to move in the right direction, albeit slowly. The overall macroeconomic market trend statistics show signs of improvement. “We are working closely with the paper mills as much as we can,” Gaines says. “So, there’s good reason to be hopeful.”

Coping despite the market turbulence, Mid America Paper Recycling itself has experienced some bright spots amid the storm. “We have been aggressive in terms of finding new leads and sales,” Gaines notes. “We are also maximizing our marketing efforts, developing new projects and products to offer. We are always pushing forward and have steadily grown our recycling business. Even though the market imploded last year by over 81 percent, we saw our transaction volumes, and tonnage actually go up. Things continue to change, but we continue to value our people and attract and retain quality talent. There are some really talented people out there to be found and we recently found some of them. That’s a big reason we’re so successful.”

There are other positives, such as the upcoming capacity startups on sellers’ radars, including Pratt Industries’ new facility in Henderson, KY and Total Fiber Recovery in Chesapeake, VA. Both above mill owners expect their mills to consume OCC and Mixed Paper from recycling facilities.

Education, Support Waste Audit Assistance

Will there be a soft landing if inflation numbers cool and federal interest rates stay where they are? Major containerboard and paper and board mills reported production rates at mid-80 percent, for the second quarter in a row. Company leaders in recent earnings calls touted a better start to their runnability and an increase in bookings for orders. Going forward, do these factors translate into some positive benefits for recyclers of paperboard, corrugated, and plastics?

“This sounds good,” Gaines says. “I would say the trucking world, which was booming for several years, is now severely challenged and as the freight market has retreated so has freight rates. The decreases have some benefits in the recycling world. We are very much freight-driven, where we are picking up and moving loads from one place to another, so that's good news for sure. The freight pendulum is beginning to swing slowly back. There’s a bit of calming out there.”

Gaines adds that Mid America Paper Recycling always helps to educate customers on effective recycling methods and supports them during the highs and lows of these market pressures. “It’s part of our mission to share our recycling industry knowledge and expertise on how to best handle material, how to best bale material, and how to best ship material. We are watching the markets closely and regularly and help our partners prepare for the changes taking place. Everyone reads the tea leaves differently, so we want to be there for our partners despite the fluctuations, and continuously innovate. We want to implement new techniques that allow us to recycle more material, generate more revenues for customers, and allow them to improve. There are many ways we can help our partners add value. A key to it all is through education.”

One way Gaines suggests to improve a recycling operation’s, waste collection processes, sorting, and more is to take Mid America Paper Recycling’s free, quick Waste Audit Survey. “Our Waste Audit Survey determines what our customers are starting with, what they can improve, and helps us find ways to help divert a lot of materials they might be throwing in landfills. The survey points to what is working well and what areas may need improvement. Sometimes, we can help them with equipment that can better do what they need to do, bale loads more productively, or help handle certain waste materials more efficiently. Our Waste Audit is a key benefit they can use to provide in-plant training initiatives and streamline processing and handling while avoiding costly dumpster fees.”

In these times, Gaines advises talking with Mid America Paper Recycling. “If the markets improve, there’s even more reason to work with us,” he says. “You can depend on us to serve you the right way.”

Take our free less-than10-minute Waste Audit Survey today. To learn more, or talk with us about any market concerns, visit www.midamericapaper.com and click on www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit .

Rockin’ and rollin’ with tricky waste materials

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:24:05 GMT

Nov. 15, 2023

Rockin’ and rollin’ with tricky waste materials

Mid America Paper Recycling works with its partners to support their growth and recycling success by saving them space, time, and money. That often means providing them with innovative ways to meet their recycling challenges with paperboard, paper, corrugated, plastic, and even wood waste at a profit. We find homes for some of these trickier paper stocks, board grades, and other difficult-to-handle materials, clearing valuable space in their facilities and also making the spaces safer.

“Large rolls of converted paperboard material can be considered no longer good for a variety of reasons,” explains Jake Meszaros, National Sales Manager. “We use creative methods to get them sold. For example, we had a good cleanout of recyclable roll materials at a converter of corrugated products and protective packaging in the Northeast. They needed to remove preprinted kraft rolls and rolls of recycled kraft linerboard averaging about 50 inches in diameter and as high as 80 inches from inventory because they were obsolete, damaged, or were no longer the sizes the company was running. We were able to clear a lot of space in their facility and did a lot with those rolls.”

Space, time at a premium

The manufacturer’s main concern was saving valuable floor space and maintaining a safe work environment. “But their storage room for roll inventory continued to grow until it was too crowded, which can pose safety issues,” Meszaros remembers. “The equipment operators were maneuvering in tight spaces because they couldn’t move around the warehouse properly and as safely as required. It was a short-term challenge we knew we could resolve.”

With Mid America Paper Recycling’s help, the manufacturer was able to make room in the space and increase revenue by exporting the paperboard rolls to India to be recycled and reused as a paper product again.

Another obstacle was finding time during the manufacturer’s busy shipping schedule to load the rolls onto shipping trucks. “We helped them decide on a day each week when they could commit to loading one truck, and found a dependable, trustworthy carrier that could work with that schedule and keep the program running smoothly,” he adds. “This has been working well, without interruption, for three months now. We have already worked through their large-diameter roll inventory, and next, we’ll start handling smaller roll diameters in that sequence.”

Another bonus, the manufacturer was also able to start recycling its used wooden dieboards (hardwood die-cutting boards paperboard converters use) with Mid America’s help. “I don’t know of many companies recycling these boards,” Meszaros notes. “They’re costly to landfill and only a few at a time can be shipped in an open-top container.”

Mid America Paper Recycling found that the Northeastern manufacturer could load more volume of the dieboard waste materials on a dry van and dispose of it at a reduced cost per ton. “And we are sustainably recycling the wood, not landfilling it,” he adds. “Bit by bit, piece by piece, we are reducing their environmental impact. The Earth needs more environmental impact reduction than ever, so streamlining the manufacturer’s operation also improves its sustainability efforts. We have a good relationship with this manufacturer.”

To help you assess your difficult-to-recycle materials and upcycle your dieboards, contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454 or visit https://www.midamericapaper.com /.

Pratt Industries Opens Sixth 100-Percent-Recycled Paper Mill and State-of-the-Art Box Plant

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:54:41 GMT

Sept. 19, 2023

Mid America Paper Recycling at Pratt Industries--LH

Pratt Industries Opens Sixth 100-Percent-Recycled Paper Mill and State-of-the-Art Box Plant

Mid America Paper Recycling’s CEO Don Gaines and David Surdyk, National Sales Manager, enjoyed the grand opening of Pratt Industries, Inc.’s $700-million, 1.1-million-square foot paper mill, and corrugated box production facility on Sept. 14. The technologically advanced paper mill in Henderson, Ky., which is equipped with a new corrugator, will save the equivalent of 25,000 trees each day – that’s more trees than are in New York City’s Central Park – according to the company. The plant is a 100-percent-recycled facility.

Don Gaines, CEO of Mid America Paper Recycling, (left) talks with

Anthony Pratt, Executive Chairman of Pratt Industries (right).

“This is a very proud day for our company because this investment represents a major part of my recent pledge to the United States Ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, to invest $5 billion in recycling and clean energy infrastructure in the U.S. over the next 10 years,” said Pratt Executive Chairman, Anthony Pratt. “This will help reduce landfill, cut methane gas emissions, and create green-collar American manufacturing jobs as championed by President Biden.”

Pratt has also built six of the last eight paper mills located in America – all producing only 100-recycled paper. “This factory will employ 325 Kentuckians in well-paying, green-collar, manufacturing jobs,” Pratt said. The company now operates 72 factories across more than 25 states, and has created 12,0000 American “green” manufacturing jobs, making it the largest Australian employer of Americans, added Pratt.

Mid America Paper Recycling shares the same interests as Pratt Industries to help our suppliers close the loop and recycle their used corrugated and paperboard boxes. This helps increase their sustainability and helps the environment.

Says Surdyk: “Pratt has multiple mills, boxmaking plants, and recycling centers to support their mills. They are unique because in recent years, they have started new paper mills from the ground up. They are also unique in their ability to use a high percentage of Mixed Paper to make boxes.”

Landfill avoidance

The new paper machine in Henderson is more than twice the length of a football field, and will produce 1,500 tons of 100- percent-recycled paper every day, saving the equivalent of over 25,000 trees every 24 hours. The paper will then be made into corrugated boxes at Pratt’s converting plants across the country, including the new Henderson facility on the same site. Every ton of recycled paper manufactured in Henderson will save more than 3.3 cu. yards of landfill, 7,000 gallons of water, 4,000 kW. hours of electricity, and 1 ton of carbon dioxide. Twenty percent of the mill’s output will come from discarded paper and Old Corrugated Containers (OCC). That’s where Mid America Paper Recycling comes in. Mid America Paper Recycling carefully sources, sorts, and ships loads of quality recycled OCC to their mills, so it can be profitably recycled instead of ending up in landfills.

“We are transforming America’s recycling and manufacturing sectors through these initiatives,” Pratt emphasized. “We’re actually in the landfill avoidance business which is good for greenhouse gas reduction as well because as things decay in the landfill, they produce methane gas which is 84 times worse for climate change than carbon dioxide,” stated Pratt. “So recycling is an important weapon against climate change.”

More than 700 guests attended the facility opening, including Gaines and Surdyk. “The mill is so impressive,” Gaines remarked. “The plant recycles a wide range of materials that are collected in its residential, community, commercial, and industrial recycling programs. Recycling various types and grades of paper is essential to building a circular economy.”

“Don and I enjoyed the open house,” Surdyk adds. “From a mill tour to the opening ceremony featuring speeches from Pratt owner Anthony Pratt, Ambassadors of Australia to the U.S. and the U.S. to Australia, and Lonnie Ali, as well as a reception to catch up with many familiar industry faces, the day was all made possible by a fantastic and generous host.”

Experienced in working with client partners with a national and international footprint, Mid America Paper Recycling prevents corrugated and other paper waste from ending up in landfills and helps its partners earn revenue while they enjoy further progress in meeting their sustainability goals. Just like we do for clients with our paper and plastic recycling services.

To get a consultation and learn how Mid America Paper Recycling can help you better reach your recycling goals, talk to us at 773-890-5454 .

Keys to Recycling Plastics at the Highest Value

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 22:07:50 GMT

August 21, 2023

Keys to Recycling Plastics at the Highest Value

As the demand for recycled plastics content is changing and the economics are still not where they could be, challenges in plastics recycling continue to mount. Plastics create a massive waste management issue, the sheer volume of which is unlike any other supply chain. But there are opportunities out there, and Mid America Paper Recycling is trying to get a handle on what they are and how to optimize them. Analysts confirm that almost all plastic can be recycled or reused. Other positives for recycling plastics are driven, in part, by commitments from brand owners to incorporate recycled content in their products. Yet the U.S. recycling rate remains limited because of a lack of access to recycling, sortation issues, challenging plastic product constructions, and insufficient recycling capacity.

Also, 2023 has brought economic pressures and market volatility, high energy prices, the war in Ukraine, increased climate change, and more efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Plastic prices from May to July 2023 reportedly have declined by roughly 30 to 55 percent.

“Scrap demand is low due to a lack of manufacturing demand,” says Jake Meszaros, National Account Manager at Mid America Paper Recycling. “The popular grades, such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, and polystyrene have dropped exponentially in value and demand. We hear buyers have higher inventory levels and it continues to drive prices down. Supply has overtaken the market, so there are fewer orders available. And with high interest rates, we see limited purchasing. We also see market instability continuing into next year. We hope that changes with increasing corporate and governmental sustainability improvement goals.”

“Businesses today have sustainability goals that task them to push hard for improved plastics recycling,” echoes David Surdyk, National Account Manager at Mid America Paper Recycling. “Shareholders and investors demand it. Society is asking for it. Our environment needs it. Companies are investing in technologies to increase the ability to recycle plastics. So, we are investigating opportunities to be part of the solution. We are focused on meeting the demand for high-quality plastics customer-partners can use to make new products. For example, we are ramping up a project with a company that processes Number 1 to 7-grade post-consumer and mixed-grade industrial plastics. They will use high-end sorting technology to separate their grades so that as little as possible ends up in the landfills.”

Marty Leibforth, National Account Manager for Mid America Paper Recycling, thinks changes are needed for plastic waste to one day be easily recycled. “I still believe the future is positive for industrial plastic recycling, but currently, the segment faces some serious headwinds. As 2023 started, Mid America Paper Recycling and the plastic industry were poised for robust growth as key industrial partners were investing in significant plastics capacity. Currently, like the overall economy, the plastics segment is under heavy strain. Rising oil prices and high housing costs will likely not be abated this year. Another contributing factor is the unstable economy in China, with lowered growth projections expected. The China economy is never as transparent as we’d like, but from a greater distance, it is reducing consumption and under close watch.”

What’s more, different types of plastic are often combined in manufacturing processes, which makes recycling the finished products much more difficult. Considering these issues at the design stage could facilitate disassembling products into waste fractions that do not contain residues of other materials.

“Many plastic products are manufactured in ways that make the plastic content difficult to separate and recycle,” Leibforth continues. “This is why plastics are often incinerated, which is a major waste of valuable resources. We are faced with difficult-to-recycle multilayer plastic grades,” Leibforth adds. “But we have extensive knowledge of plastic processors that have the technology to recycle some of the more complicated multilayer constructions.”

Resolving the issue will also take new product designs and innovations in waste collection and sorting processes, which will require specific expertise and extensive materials knowledge, Surdyk notes. “Plastics can be complicated. Certain grades cannot be recycled with other grades. And plastics can have barriers.”

More support is needed from packaging converters, brand owners, and policymakers to ensure success. High-quality scrap plastic often has a value that can replace an expense with a profit. Tapping into new handling processes, technologies, upcycling and other ways to divert plastic waste from landfills, brands will be able to achieve their recycling commitments, Surdyk says. “Our offerings help increase recycling rates and revenues while decreasing landfill usage and costs.”

Leibforth points out that for years, businesses transitioned to plastic packaging. “As more research is done and investments are made, package development using advanced innovative technologies will only continue. This industry also needs knowledgeable and experienced recycling solution providers like Mid America to guide the way toward prompt and responsible daily service at competitive prices.”

Mid America Paper Recycling can not only help with the collection but with advice about what to consider when sorting plastic waste and also with sorting commingled plastics, Meszaros adds. “Sorting used plastics into different categories improves the chances of it being recycled because each type of plastic has unique properties that affect its color structure and melting point. In addition, tapping new technologies that can complement mechanical plastics recycling will encourage companies to achieve their recycling commitments.”

Mid America Paper Recycling’s supplier-partners and industrial-consuming partners have made tremendous advancements in improving their sorting capacities, Leibforth says. “This trend must continue. Additional sorting automation is essential as labor scarcity/increased wages still pose challenges.”

Filling a void

With an extensive supplier network, Mid America Paper Recycling can find the right kind of recycled plastic to suit specific needs and furnish the training and guidance to recirculate the plastic content in end-of-life products and use it to manufacture new products. “Our network reach, supplier efforts, and source separation abilities are the key to recycling at the highest value,” Leibforth says. “One of our goals is to divert plastic waste from landfills while also helping reduce the cost of landfill fees. Many of our suppliers have a zero-carbon footprint requirement and we take that responsibility seriously. We have no incentive to landfill waste, which many waste-hauling competitors rely on. Our sophisticated data-reporting software can’t be surpassed. We have made a point to educate our valued suppliers and raised their environmental expertise of what is possible. Our suppliers expect and deserve a single recycler that has the knowledge to competitively recycle all of their plastic, paper, and metal materials.”

“Plastics collection rates need to and will increase,” Surdyk summarizes. “Businesses are investing large amounts of time and money into the research and development of recycling plastics more easily. Institutional investors and shareholders require the companies they invest in to be more environmentally responsible. The government is also becoming more active. And education about recycling plastics continues to help. All of these efforts are having a positive impact on the recycling rate of plastics.”

To take our quick, free Waste Audit Survey, visit bit.ly/30Egszs . Contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454 to discuss how we can help you streamline your plastics or paper recycling processes with a customized solution tailored to you.

Proud to be an association member

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 21:56:38 GMT

July 14, 2023

Proud to be an association member

As a member of the Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA), Mid America Paper Recycling shares its experiences in paper waste recycling and learns about how it can make a difference with members of the printing industry, including post press and printing vendors.

Combining three strong and successful industry associations into one, the Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA), Pewaukee, WI, is positioned to best advocate for and provide services to printers and graphics companies in the three-state area of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. The region accounts for combined annual shipments of nearly $19 billion, according to the Printing Industries of America’s most recent Print Market Atlas.

The GLGA got its start from the founding of its original associations. The Printing Industries of Wisconsin is the oldest, with roots dating back to 1886. The Printing Industry of Illinois/Indiana Association (PII) merged with the Printing Industries of Wisconsin (PIW) in 2011 to create the GLGA, which now represents 13 percent of the total print market in the U.S.

Currently, there are more than 350 member companies, which include printers, converters, post-press companies, equipment manufacturers and dealers, suppliers, ink and paper providers, recyclers, consultants, educational institutions, and firms that offer professional services to the printing industry.

“We became a GLGA member in January 2021,” recalled Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle. “I had been part of the Printing Industries of America in my previous career, and always found the networking and camaraderie of the members was top shelf. We believe that Mid America Paper Recycling can serve the printers of the GLGA, so we thought it would be a good place to invest our time.”

Focused on delivering both local and national solutions to its membership the GLGA aims to help members:

• Increase sales

• Improve member profitability

• Educate about current industry issues

• Leverage industry resources and job availability

• Foster strategic alliances and Buying Programs

• Act as a government advocate

• Provide ongoing communications and networking

• Provide expert technical resources and industry research

• Develop and recruit quality employees

• Promote printing and emerging technologies

Mid America Paper Recycling is proud to be a member of the association, Pirkle said. "The GLGA provides the latest information in printing technology and services to this group. They not only help shape their industry, but provide members with helpful tips, connections and valuable group buying-program discounts and rebates on the products printers commonly use. As a service provider to the industry, we feel aligned with what the GLGA is working to achieve for those members who generate scrap paper and who are seeking ways to grow the worth of their waste."

Who’s eager to start? GLGA members get ready to enjoy a favorite event of the year.

A great round of golf

GLGA’s most popular outings are its golf events, which included its Indiana Golf Outing in June at the Plum Creek Golf Club. “That event was handled very well,” Pirkle mentioned. “The GLGA does a great job with these events.”

The golf events also included the GLGA’s Tenth Annual Chicagoland Printers Scholarship Outing on July 19, in Bensenville, IL, which Mid America Paper Recycling sponsored. The proceeds from the Bensenville outing support scholarships for deserving students in Illinois seeking continuing education in the graphic communications field. Since its inaugural golf outing in 2013, GLGA has awarded 97 scholarships totaling more than $176,500. An August golf event is planned for Aug. 9 at the Lake Ripley Golf Club tournament in Cambridge, WI, with a day of fun, food, prizes and printing camaraderie.

Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle enjoyed a GLGA golf outing in Indiana in June.

“In addition to the golf outings, we also enjoy the GLGA’s great social events,” Pirkle added. “We attend a few of these each year. The networking and conversations are great for us. We have a good relationship with the GLGA, and want to continue building upon our mission with those who participate in the GLGA in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.”

A scene from the Indiana golf outing.

Courses off the green

GLGA President Joe Lyman said the GLGA has also introduced online learning for members through a new partnership. The GLGA has licensed more than 50 on-demand desk-side courses and educational tracks specifically created for the printing industry. Online, the popular Talent Report (for HR) and Short Attention Span webinar (for sales) are held every month and are free for members. Attendees can learn about plans for the Academy for Workforce Development, which will act as a walk-through of registering for and navigating through the GLGA Academy. It will also help individuals understand the value of the GLGA and expand on the association’s future plans to use to educate the next generation of printers throughout the three-state region.

GLGA President Joe Lyman

In mid-July, the association also provided a Talent Report from MRA for a current review of what’s happening in today’s printing and graphics world with an emphasis on talent. “Based on input from CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders from MRA’s 3,000+ member companies, 1,000 roundtable participants, and subject matter experts, the Talent Report is designed to keep us aware of new trends and best practices,” Lyman said.

These are only a few of the activities the GLGA is involved with. In the fall, the group transitions back to indoor events and continues its webinar program, Lyman adds. “We are planning another Women in Print Networking Lunch, and are already a looking ahead to our annual holiday parties in November and December.”

To register for these and get additional information on the GLGA , visit https://glga.info or call (262) 522-2210 .

Mid America Paper Recycling helps businesses review their current recycling processes and suggests new, more efficient ways to recycle fiber and paper waste materials. Let us help you with your recycling needs. Visit www.midamericapaper.com, contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454, or request a free, quick, Waste Audit Survey at https://www.midamericapaper.com .

Recycling Solutions for Paper Mills, Packaging Converters

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:25:20 GMT

June 21, 2023

Recycling Solutions for Paper Mills, Packaging Converters

Mid America Paper Recycling is investigating various recycling solutions with our new partners at Cascades Sonoco. A joint venture between Cascades Inc. and Sonoco Products Co., Cascades Sonoco is an industry leader in innovative packaging solutions. And their Dry-Tech™ roll wrap and roll headers are a big reason why. Used widely by paper mills, Dry-Tech’s roll packaging moisture barrier system protects products in transit and storage and ensures customer satisfaction throughout the paper, printing, and converting supply chain. The Dry-TECH™ system has been tested and proven in extreme field trials and in years of real-world use.

Cascades Sonoco says rolls have emerged undamaged after spraying with water, as well as being submerged for 24 hours. In addition, customer data has shown year-over-year water damage claim reductions of more than 80 percent. The protective product can be easily implemented within an existing wrap line, with minimal downtime and disruption. Best of all, Dry-Tech is recyclable as OCC (Old Corrugated Containers).

Dry-Tech paper roll wrap and headers feature a unique barrier that protects paper rolls in transit and storage, handling, and distribution.

Cascades Sonoco’s FlexSHIELD® barrier paperboard coating is the first fully compostable product that provides polyethylene-like protection at an economical price point. Adopted by the leading natural and organic food supermarket chains in North America, the aqueous-based treatment is designed for use in paper roll, cup, and folding carton applications where scoring and folding often present major challenges. Products treated with FlexSHIELD are FDA-, CFIA- and EUR-compliant for direct food contact. Thus, it can be used to help prevent the leakage of liquid in to-go containers. From hot liquids to freezing temperatures, and everything in between, FlexSHIELD PRO also guards against grease and oil and is microwave safe. It runs at your desired speeds on your preferred converting processes.

In mill trials guided by Cascades Sonoco’s technical experts, rolls have emerged undamaged after being sprayed with water, as well as being submerged for 24 hours. Compostable, recyclable, and repulpable, FlexSHIELD can be applied on various paper substrates, including liners, cardboard, chipboard, and SBS.

“Given the increasing demand for paper-based take-out containers, and in light of many cities banning expanded polystyrene containers (the white polystyrene foam food containers you see so often), FlexSHIELD offers a unique, functional and viable option for making paperboard take-out containers much more environmentally attractive given their compostability,” said Sandy McArthur, director of sales and marketing, Cascades Sonoco. “During the development of this product, we had numerous companies tell us if we could solve the cracking issues with a water-based solution, we would really be on to something the market has been asking about for a very long time. Many companies have been attempting to solve this complex technical challenge for years, and we are extremely gratified to have reached this milestone. We are excited to make FlexSHIELD Barrier Coating available to the entire market.”

“You never know when you’re going to be able to help businesses, suppliers, or partners,” says Mid America Paper Recycling’s President Paul Pirkle. “This was a case where networking with Cascades Sonoco at a recent conference allowed me to provide some great information about their product to one of our suppliers about FlexSHIELD’s recyclability. We try to visit and exhibit at tradeshows and attend industry conferences to learn about new products like this. It’s a great way to meet new contacts and refer what we’ve learned to our staff, our clients, and our supplier-partners.”

For more information about Cascades Sonoco’s products, visit https://www.cascades-sonoco.com/ . To evaluate your recycling operation and help streamline your waste material processing, take our free, quick waste audit at bit.ly/30Egszs .

A Purpose to Repurpose Under One Roof

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:30:01 GMT

June 13, 2023

A Purpose to Repurpose Under One Roof

Diverting post-consumer and post-industrial waste otherwise destined for landfills, Continuus Materials upcycles paper and plastic waste into composite roof covers.

Mid America Paper Recycling has discovered a unique way our friends at Continuus Materials’ plant in Des Moines, Iowa, are taking discarded paper/plastic raw materials and upcycling them into high-performance, engineered building products like Everboard™, a high-performance composite roof covering. Harnessing the power of circular thinking, Continuus Materials upcycles millions of pounds of discarded paper/plastic that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills.

Motivated by envisioning a world without waste, Continuus Materials produces Everboard by transforming post-industrial and post-consumer plastic and paper that would otherwise pile up in landfills into a highly resilient and infinitely recyclable roof cover board. The company says Everboard delivers decades of protection. Built with durability, the roof board is simple to install and is easier to work with than most gypsum-based roof boards. 

Mid America Paper Recycling is always looking for ways to recycle paper and plastic items into something reusable. Continuus Materials accepts assorted paper and plastic waste like low-density polyethylene film, high-density polyethylene bottles, mixed paper, and paperboard cartons from a wide range of supply channels that meets its exacting standards. Soon, Mid America Paper Recycling will furnish it with homogeneous materials. The raw material is then sorted and the Des Moines plant shreds it before using pressure to press and form it into the long-lasting Everboard roof board product.

“For every 1,000 square feet of Everboard roof cover board that we produce, 2,000 lb. of post-consumer and post-industrial paper and plastic are diverted from landfills,” the company explains. “Everboard can be fully-recycled into new roof cover board, which is circularity at work.”

Recognizing sustainability isn’t about going it alone, Continuus Materials met Mid America Paper Recycling at an industry conference last fall. Like Continuus Materials, Mid America Paper

Recycling develops recycling solutions with partners ranging from small businesses to large multinational corporations. “We are always coming up with new value-creation insights we share with our clients and supplier-partners,” says Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle. “With our national reach and vast industry connections, we can assist businesses in diverting tons of their waste from landfills, and we can help you, too.”

The work the two companies do is important: Continuus Materials estimates that 10 million tons of it are dumped in oceans each year. At least 90% of the trash floating in our oceans is made of plastic. More than 380 million tons of plastic waste is produced worldwide every year, but less than 9% of it gets recycled.

Mid America Paper Recycling markets assorted waste materials to buyers, saving them time, and can help them earn money on their waste, which can transform paper and plastic recycling from an expense to a revenue stream. “Like Continuus Materials, working with us helps our business partners meet their goals on the path to sustainability.”

To learn more about Continuus Materials, visit https://www.continuusmaterials.com . To help you assess your dieboard upcycling opportunities, contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454 or visit https://www.midamericapaper.com .

Driving Innovation in Midwest Landfills

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:27:58 GMT

Driving Innovation in Midwest Landfills

Midwest Companies produces cost-effective road materials for landfills consisting of dieboard wood waste with help from Mid America Paper Recycling.

The old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” is nowhere more apparent than in the world of recycling. Midwest Companies, a Hampshire, IL-based manager of commercial and residential waste and recycling, consists of four companies that all have one main goal: keeping construction and demolition waste out of the country’s landfills. Midwest Companies provides disposal of railroad ties, wood waste, waste transportation, and other environmental services. Partnering with Class I, Class II & Short Line freight carriers, railroads, commercial and industrial companies, Midwest contracts with businesses across the U.S. to provide recycling services for out-of-service wood products, including used dieboards, components converters rely on for die-cutting cartons and shipping cases. Die-cutting boards form the basis of a flat or rotary cutting die into which the contours of packaging are inserted. Midwest Companies uses dieboard waste materials to manufacture TIEROC, a sustainable landfill aggregate that helps packaging converters and other wood-related businesses in meeting their sustainability goals.

Wooden dieboards used in the package converting industry to produce corrugated shipping boxes and paperboard folding cartons are often landfilled. This wood waste can often pose a potential environmental and/or safety risk. Midwest recycles the dieboards it receives from Mid America Paper Recycling using a patented technology that grinds the boards into pulp, resulting in a cost-effective alternative to traditional landfill disposal. “Tons of dieboards are all in need of recycling services,” explains Greg Kutschke, Vice President.

Mid America Paper Recycling began working with Midwest about a year ago and transports recovered dieboards to Midwest Companies in semi-trailers on an as-needed basis. “Mid America was looking for a way to recycle their expired dieboards when they contacted me,” Kutschke remembers. “I explained that we were already providing this recycling service for some years now. And we discussed how their dieboards could be recycled into a sustainable solution.”

Paul Pirkle, President of Mid America Paper Recycling said it was a real win-win situation. “We provide them with used dieboards from packaging converters,” he points out. “The boards find a new home after they’re collected and ground up with other out-of-service wood products (the metal parts are removed) to produce Midwest’s TIEROC product. This is helping us find more outlets for our hardwood dieboard recycling business.”

Mid America transports dieboards to Midwest Companies in semi-trailers on an as-needed basis. The used wood is sent through machinery that grinds it up with other wood waste materials as feedstock before being sent to TieEnergy, the company that uses a proprietary grinding process to create TIEROC. TIEROC is a biodegradable road aggregate substance used as a base for landfill roads to provide a smooth method of transport for landfill trucks, preventing them from getting stuck and causing landfill inefficiencies and wait times. This gives the wood waste a second usable life as a permeable road material that allows for efficient maneuverability within landfills.

Midwest Companies also provides its wood-grinding and recycling services as a mobile unit that can visit a site. Roads made from TIEROC last as long as the landfill needs them, not only benefitting the converters, but the landfills themselves, and the environment by diverting tons of wood waste from landfills. Mountains of this wood waste are in need of recycling services, Kutschke says. “I estimate we have received over 80 tons of dieboard waste so far that we recycled as a sustainable solution.”

A true partner

Recycling is not just a slogan or motto at either Mid America Paper Recycling or Midwest Companies, but a foundational principle. “It’s really upcycling,” Kutschke, explains. “TiEnergy works with customers to responsibly recycle and repurpose these materials, which promotes sustainability and the circular economy.

Importantly, recycling old wood materials into TIEROC—TiEnergy’s proprietary substance used to support landfill transportation—reduces hazards and is economical.”

The small investment of turning dieboards into TIEROC provides a single-source solution and an ongoing investment return. Recycling converter dieboards also opens doors to new marketable opportunities. It solves challenges for converters who want to save space by removing the boards from their operations and remediating and disposing of them properly. With Mid America Paper Recycling’s help, this makes the process happen with a financial benefit.

“We have been working with Paul and the Mid America Paper Recycling team for over a year now, and it has been going very well,” Kutschke says. “Their scheduling and delivery process continues to improve and become seamless. Their team is very responsive and a pleasure to work with.”

Wood is one of the most sustainable materials in the world. Repurposing saves space, promotes safety, and dramatically reduces landfill waste.

“Midwest Companies works really hard for us,” Pirkle sums up. “They have communicated well and actively help us move both easy and difficult loads their way. We are looking forward to continuing to provide them with dieboard waste for years to come.”

For more information on Midwest Companies’ services, visit https://www.tienergy-usa.com and https://www.mwcompanies.com . To help you assess your dieboard upcycling opportunities, contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454 or visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/ .

Will Pulp and Paper Mills be Open to New Packaging Materials?

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:26:15 GMT

Will Pulp and Paper Mills be Open to New Packaging Materials?

According to a presentation Mid America Paper Recycling attended at the February 2023 Southeast Recycling Conference (SERC), some pulp and paper mills or mill companies are more open to new packaging types than others. Some obtain new pulpers and upgraded cleaning and screening systems to help them handle an increase in “strong fibers,” or packaging that takes more time to break down.

So said Susan Cornish, President of sustainable packaging research consulting firm Insight + Action, during her presentation at SERC. One strategy to make mixed paper more palatable is to mix it in loads of Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) to result in a “hard pack” mix, which causes new package materials such as foodservice substrates to blend in better.

“The U.S. has many batch pulpers with old-style detrashing that could be upgraded to

continuous systems,” Cornish says. “Other mills say absolutely nothing will change their perceptions. And others point out that while packaging with coatings can be handled to a certain degree, doing so increases the cost, and can slow production.”

Most new mill projects in the U.S. will have stock prep systems that can handle mixed paper. The systems are capable of handling a wide range of fiber-based packaging materials. And there are opportunities for yield improvement and energy savings, Cornish adds. More sophisticated quality measurement systems for recovered paper are being developed.

Other mills, like Metsä Fibre’s Kemi bioproducts mill, for example, set for start-up in late 2023 in Kemi, Finland, will be ready for the future. Metsä Group’s pulp mill will make resource-wise make use of wood, raw materials, and side streams of production. No fossil fuels will be needed in production, the company reports. Metsä Fibre will sell renewable energy in the form of electricity, wood-based fuels, and heat from the mill to external customers.

Mid America Paper Recycling learned a great deal at the SERC presentations. Thanks to Susan Cornish for information on her presentation. For more from Susan Cornish and Insight + Action, visit insightplusaction.net.

Mid America Paper Recycling helps businesses review their current recycling process and suggests new, more efficient ways to recycle fiber and paper waste materials used to produce new packaging and other products. Let us help you with your recycling needs. Visit www.midamericapaper.com , contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454 , or request a free, quick, Waste Audit Survey at https://bit.ly/2OI2o0Z .

Paper and Packaging Sustainability Observations from SERC

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:50:18 GMT

March 20, 2023

Paper and Packaging Sustainability Observations from SERC

She pointed out that if five percent of plastic packaging was replaced with paper packaging, we would consume 1.5 million tons of paper. Paperboard capacities may increase by 12 million tons globally over the next four years.

“The questions are these: How quickly will consumer behavior shift to renewable packaging materials?” she asked. “Is there sufficient fiber from sustainably-managed forests to support growth in pulp and paperboard? If pulp demand increases, would pulp pricing increase so much that it would decrease the rate of plastic replacement?”

In addition to the widespread use of paperboard in e-commerce, paper, and molded fiber are seeing applications in the manufacture of bottles, bowls, paperboard wraps, shipping case inserts, multipack container holders, pouches, and more.

Thank you, Susan, for a most informative presentation. For more from Susan and Insight + Action, visit insightplusaction.net.

Mid America Paper Recycling helps businesses review their current recycling process and suggests new, more efficient ways to recycle fiber and paper waste materials used to produce new packaging and other products. Let us help you with your recycling needs. Visit www.midamericapaper.com , contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454, or request a free, quick, Waste Audit Survey at https://bit.ly/2OI2o0Z.

Baling Equipment Advantages, Part 2

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 05:56:45 GMT

March 8, 2023

Baling Equipment Advantages, Part 2

The second in our two-part series about baling equipment efficiencies, trends, and updates, this discussion with Mike Schwinn, Director of Sales & Marketing at American Baler Co., Bellevue, OH, describes Mike’s world in the baling equipment market. American Baler Co. provides a large line of baling solutions for warehouse/distribution, corrugated and packaging manufacturing, and general recycling as well as a wide range of other industries. The company’s equipment includes manual-tie and auto-tie single-ram horizontal balers and two-ram auto-tie balers for both low-volume and high-production applications.

The DC6343-830 (above) bales open-top boxes.

“In ‘Baler World,’ we are seeing some big market changes. For most equipment manufacturers, lead times are now more than 50 weeks – almost an entire year. Commodity pricing is down for OCC (Old Corrugated Containers), and the labor shortages continue. These factors are creating more of a need for high-performing baling equipment. Our American DC6343-830 baler for open-top boxes features new Lexan tier guards that let the customer view the waste material traveling through the system. Our balers can also be built with side-load feeding hoppers that direct the load to the baler from the floor. And we make narrow-body balers. All of these changes make today the perfect time to evaluate how you handle recycling materials.”

The baler above features an overhead trash line and a side-loading feed hopper that directs loads to the equipment from the floor.

Along with the increase in equipment lead times for a new baler, Schwinn says demand is also higher because of the expansion in e-commerce and the need to get products to consumers faster. “This has led to more packaging materials, such as corrugated – both on the boxmaker’s end and the post-consumer usage end. The high lead times require equipment buyers to make plans in advance to ensure their equipment arrives when they need it.”

Above, the narrow-body PAC4029-8T30 baler works with corrugated packaging waste trim.

Other factors

Supply chain issues also continue to figure prominently in today’s market, he adds. “PLCs, specialty steel products, and hydraulic components are in great demand for all types of industrial products, which also impacts baling equipment manufacturing lead times and shipment times.”

And commodity pricing is down. “The price for OCC (old corrugated containers) dropped 71% from 2022,” Schwinn explains. “This means businesses are either seeing their revenue or rebate for recycling reduced, as the costs for renting a compactor and waste hauling fees have increased, both of which can put a big squeeze on their recycling programs.”

Labor shortages remain an issue, he says. “Everyone we talk with says they can’t find people who want to work. So, another important reason to buy a baler is that it provides the best way to get the job done. In the past, companies bought used equipment and relied on a good maintenance person to keep it running. Today, either there is no maintenance person or they have their hands full with other tasks. Employers then realize they must update their recycling equipment sooner versus later.”

Mid America Paper Recycling can help businesses review their current recycling process and suggest baling equipment, such as systems from American Baler, that can maximize their total expense/revenue picture. “Instead of sending recyclables to a waste hauler with several pickups a week, they can use a baler that can increase their revenue and eliminate container switchout fees,” Schwinn emphasizes. “With change comes opportunity. Now is a good time to review your recycling and waste reduction plans and make sure you are maximizing revenue and decreasing your costs.”

For more information on American Baler’s equipment, visit www.americanbaler.com . To help you determine your baling equipment needs, contact Mid America Paper Recycling at 773-890-5454 or request a free, quick, Waste Audit Survey at https://bit.ly/2OI2o0Z.

Baling Equipment Efficiencies You Can Use Right Now

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 22:52:43 GMT

March 7, 2023

Baling Equipment Efficiencies You Can Use Right Now

Baling equipment can streamline your waste-handling processes, especially if your facility generates many tons of recyclable waste per week. Just ask Mike Blais, Regional Sales Manager at Maren Engineering Corp., a leading provider of baling systems located in South Holland, IL. Maren is now part of Komar Industries, a leading designer and manufacturer of industrial waste compacting and recycling processing systems, which acquired Maren on Feb 3.

Blais says there are many benefits to using automatic baling equipment. Manufacturers who automate the bundling of their recyclable loads of paperboard, fiber, and corrugated waste can handle and transport waste material in a neat, compact, and cost-effective format.

“It’s always important to shop around for the right baling equipment,” Blais says. “Selecting a baler that’s too small or too slow will lead to inefficiencies while a baler that’s too large or fast can waste money, increase energy costs and require a longer return on investment (ROI). We offer many baler configurations and work with each customer individually to ensure they get a model that’s right for them. Specially designed shear blades are one feature clients rely on in our ProPak series. The shear blades prevent jamming when baling Old Corrugated Containers (OCC).”

Automating with help from Mid America Paper Recycling can make a big difference in your recycling efficiency. An industrial-quality paperboard baler can reduce scrap material volume by as much as 90 percent, depending on the baler model. Taking Mid America Paper Recycling’s Waste Audit Survey can assess how much waste your company is producing. Then we can help you select the baler that’s right for you.

Despite the changing market for recyclable corrugated waste and continued supply chain issues, Blais says baling equipment is a wise investment. “Even as the market for corrugated isn’t what it was during the pandemic, investing in an industrial baler best suited to the manufacturer’s recycling operation is more cost-effective than having waste hauled to a landfill. Baling is especially beneficial if the business produces a lot of waste. You pay quite a bit to have recyclable waste hauled to a landfill – even if it doesn’t have much current value, you’ll save thousands of dollars annually baling instead. You’ll also save quite a bit of space storing the corrugated waste at your facility.”

There are other cost advantages to using automatic balers. Tighter, heavier bales also help meet trailer load packing requirements, Blais notes. “Loose, light bales may not meet the requisite 20-ton (40,000-lb) weight requirement set by most pulp and paper mills. If the bales aren’t tightly compacted, they could topple in a trailer, which isn’t safe. Shear-bladed balers provide bales with perfectly flat tops, so they stack well and don’t wobble.”

Saving on bale wire usage is also important, considering the high steel prices today. “Wire savings is an advantage,” Blais adds. “If you make a lot less bales per week, there is a great savings in bale wire costs when you make fewer bales.”

Equipment updates

Baling equipment continues to improve with technology updates, and Maren Engineering’s equipment is no exception, Blais adds.

Selecting the right baler size and output for your facility that has the features you need saves on labor and labor-intensive processes in the long run, Blais points out. “It can increase safety because it eliminates using box cutters to cut up shipping boxes into smaller sizes the facility can work with.”

Most balers today feature new technology that can handle various recyclable waste. They have more memory and conveyor controls that allow the operator to select upper or lower photoeye activation.

“They allow users to make a tighter, heavier bale, which saves on labor costs and shipping costs. They come with sophisticated operator interfaces, computerized controls that provide machine status graphic displays, and remote interfaces. Our WS Legacy Series extrusion balers include models with feed hoppers as wide as 45 inches and can be used in various industries, so they’re versatile.”

Maren Engineering’s new A-frame model

Maren’s AI60W A-frame-style model with replaceable double-edge shear blades, for example, is a newer design that makes wider bales measuring 45 in. w and 40 in. tall, at weights up to 2,500

lbs., Blais says. “The automatic-tie horizontal machine designs prevent jams, provide less cleanup, longer-lasting constructions, easier servicing, and heavier bales. New technology simply produces better quality bales.”

To help you determine your equipment needs, request a free, quick, Waste Audit Survey from Mid America Paper Recycling at https://bit.ly/2OI2o0Z.

Improving Overall Recycling Effectiveness is an All-Hands Effort

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 19:27:28 GMT

February 6, 2023

Improving Overall Recycling Effectiveness is an All-Hands Effort

When reviewing a large sampling of our Waste Audit Surveys taken over this past year, we found that more than 50 percent of respondents said they have no one specifically handling recycling, which probably means these businesses are not recycling as much as they could be. Many said they have no formal program in place for capturing and diverting recycling waste.

Encouraging employees to participate in recycling programs can be a great way to foster a sustainable and environmentally conscious workplace. Mid America Paper Recycling can show your company how to take ownership with a customized recycling program that doesn’t require much extra effort. Here are six quick tips for getting your plant employees on board with recycling:

1) Lead by example: Start by setting a positive example and demonstrating the importance of recycling to the entire company, and how recognizing high-quality waste materials and managing those materials can reduce company costs and even generate revenue. These priorities will encourage your employees to follow suit. A great way to kick off this initiative is by taking our Free Waste Audit . By auditing your recycling program, you and your plant personnel can determine what you’re doing right and where improvements are needed.

2) Make it easy: When we review the results of your facility waste audit, we discuss easy ways to involve the whole team to establish effective processes, training, and support for a continuously improving recycling program. Manufacturing operations can produce thousands of tons of pre-consumer, high-grade recyclable paper, production trim waste, and paperboard waste annually, which is valuable. This material can generate revenues, as opposed to being a waste item you’re paying to dispose of by a trash hauler. We can help you ensure that recycling bins are readily available and clearly labeled and that the process of recycling is straightforward and convenient to everyone, on all shifts. We also use our extensive industry connection base to find buyers for this material.

3) Educate your employees: Mid America Paper Recycling can help you educate your staff about the hidden benefits they can discover in their recyclable waste. We’ll provide information and training on the dozens of different grades of waste paper and types of board, the benefits of recycling and sorting this material, and why it's important to reduce plant waste.

“Our Waste Audit is a continuous improvement plan that sets goals and objectives for a continuous improvement process, identifying where waste is generated,” states Mid America Paper Recycling’s President Paul Pirkle. “We then establish key collection procedures and set objectives that continually improve the waste stream’s revenue contribution to their business.”

4) Create a recycling culture: Make recycling a part of your workplace culture by promoting it through company communications and organizing events that emphasize the importance of sustainability. Starting with a few steps to simplify and amplify the impact of the company’s eco-friendly initiatives and some encouragement can make a difference. Having one team member setting goals can help prioritize activities for preventing waste and expanding recycling programs. We may suggest relocating recycling bins to prominent locations, making them easier to access, providing helpful directions, and ensuring there are enough bins to handle the amount of waste generated.

5) Provide incentives: Offer incentives for employees who actively participate in recycling programs, such as rewards or recognition. This can motivate employees to make recycling a part of their daily routine. With our help, the staff recycling leader can monitor progress using the benchmark established in the waste audit to identify specific activities that can help the company reach its recycling goals, and regularly communicate with the rest of the staff about their role in recycling, which can reduce the amount of waste generated and increase participation. Mid America Paper Recycling can provide you with reporting that effectively benchmarks and monitors your recycling operations so you can create more company awareness of the recycling objectives, identify where the waste is generated, and set goals that will improve the waste stream’s revenue contribution to the business.

6) Get feedback: Ask employees for their opinions and feedback on the recycling program, and make changes as necessary to make the program more effective. Evaluating collection procedures and bin locations is one idea that can dramatically improve your recycling results. Ask your team for their input on the best bin locations. Ensure everyone knows what can and can’t be placed in recycling bins, especially those on the 2 ^nd and 3 ^rd plant shifts. By implementing these strategies, and talking openly about them with everyone, you can encourage your employees to actively participate in recycling programs and help create a more sustainable and eco-friendly workplace.

Mid America Paper Recycling can help you get started on improving your recycling processes by taking a free, quick survey -- https://bit.ly/2OI2o0Z . To learn more about Mid America’s Waste Audit, visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit.

Mid America Paper Recycling's Exclusive State of the Commodities Market Report for 2022

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 21:07:28 GMT

December 12, 2022

Mid America Paper Recycling's Exclusive State of the Commodities Market Report for 2022

The change in recycling industry expectations since the start of 2022 is dramatic. The corrugated and paper waste markets are unfolding and difficult to predict due to ongoing fundamental stresses at mills and along the supply chain. There are signs of hope, however, and recycling resiliency is key to riding out the turbulence from recent market events.

Recessions can be defined as “high-pressure exercises in change management. To navigate one successfully, businesses must be flexible, resilient and ready to adjust.”

After two years of solid pricing of old corrugated containers (OCC), recovered secondary fiber, and other recyclable commodities, the industrial recycling market is suffering a confluence of multiple factors including an economic downturn. But what worked 20 years ago to deal with recessions won’t work today. In the last 90 days, prices of OCC declined by $90 a ton or 70 percent, according to Fastmarket’s Pulp & Paper Report in October. How did we get here, and why did it happen so quickly?

Just about every industry was impacted in some way by COVID-19, but pulp and paper really has had a pretty crazy ride. Disruptions in the supply chain caused slowdowns everywhere, but the difference for pulp and paper was consumer demand, which skyrocketed while demand for many other products dried up. This was fueled by more people ordering products online, compounded with dramatic increases in retail delivery services. The paper mills seized on this opportunity and quickly built up capacity to create more of the paper liner board and medium to make all those cardboard boxes. Mills added new machines, and older machines were converted, updated or modified to make brown paper instead of white, which was declining, all with the aim of increasing capacity and inventory dramatically.

When Covid eventually subsided, online sales growth didn’t just slowly return to normalcy, it dove to normalcy, dropping from a year-long average of almost 50% to single-digit growth in just two quarters just as people began returning to big-box stores and other retailers, thus impacting home deliveries. Demand from pulp and paperboard mills declined rapidly and was further weakened by lower consumer demand due to inflation. The downturn affected pulp and paper mills across the country and the globe. As of Oct. 22, the average national price for OCC was $38 per ton. Mills were slow to react to the decrease in demand resulting in a glut of recycled fiber as prices dipped to unforeseen levels. Some mills told Fastmarkets earlier this year they were turning away OCC tons.

“The industry experienced a fairly strong economy going into the pandemic,” says Mid America Paper Recycling’s CEO Don Gaines. “But now, everything is different.”

Along with the low demand for recycled paper materials, prices began rising on practically all consumer goods, including food, vehicles, general merchandise, construction, energy, utilities, transportation, and much more. As inflation and lending rates rise (the country experienced 9% inflation in June, according to Specialty Print Communications), adding to the volatility of the recycled paper market, prices of mixed paper, another component of packaging, fell to a national average of $0 per ton.

“It’s a challenging market, to say the least,” admits Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle. “Mills are not able to do what they did in the past. The post-COVID landscape changed everything. Amazon is making financial adjustments and the mills lack the orders allowing them to consume the materials.” Amazon pulled back on expansion plans for its fulfillment network, which affected 66 active or planned U.S. facilities, according to MWPVL International, a consulting firm that tracks the e-commerce giant’s logistics footprint. The company’s cancellations, closures, delays or pauses impact 24.6 million square feet of ground-level space for fulfillment centers, delivery stations and other types of buildings across 28 states.

Prices paid do not cover costs across the supply chain, and processing and shipping to end users costs much more this fall. Additionally, third-quarter 2022, big-box sales also slumped, as did e-commerce platform giants’ cash flows, causing major employee layoffs.

In 2020, supply chain disruptions and spiking demand dramatically increased prices. In 2022, the market rapidly returned to normalcy.

Additional market pressures

Supply chain issues continue to impact the pulp and paper markets in several ways. Delays, congestion, low transport container availability, labor shortages, and competition for transportation capacity from other commodities have resulted in higher transportation costs for pulp producers and longer delivery times for pulp buyers. The global economy is facing substantial headwinds from inflation, rising interest rates, the war in Ukraine, and changes in consumer behavior related to the pandemic.

Inflation means less purchasing power, which has impacted the price of recycled goods. “There are also gas, food and nonfood price hikes, higher interest rates and a changing housing market,” Pirkle notes. “Everything is happening at the same time. Housing starts are slowing down, insulation and drywall markets and any industry that uses paper, are all slowing down. We have not seen this level of rejection of recyclable materials into paper mills before. Everyone thought the recyclable paper materials were rather recession-proof, because everyone needs paper and boxes. Right now, the market is turning on its ear.”

Flooded with OCC, the domestic market usually would go overseas, and mills and recyclers alike are deciding whether to pay increasing warehouse costs to store the material or send it to a landfill. Consequently, many mills are switching paper grades, initiating conversion investments, or taking downtime if they have substantially high inventories. Some are closing. In other cases, recycled fiber suppliers that have been dependable partners for decades are being turned away, Gaines says.

“Still, the mills are filled with intelligent, savvy people,” he counters. “If demand for one type of paper drops, and the market rises for a different grade that the mills can produce on the same machinery, they switch production. And if the mills cannot make the products in demand, they scale back production, take downtime or make products that are in demand.”

How We’re Helping Partners Respond

While the financial news is sending shockwaves through the market, Pirkle emphasizes Mid America Paper Recycling’s support of its clients and supplier-partners will never falter. “We have unwavering financial strength,” he says. We will use it to deal with these market pressures. Although the industry hasn’t experienced these compounded market pressures before, we are sensitive to the effect the downturn is having on our partners and customers. While these markets dictate the prices we can economically pay for your materials, and the forces impacting the markets are beyond the recycling industry’s control, we want you to know we take our commitment seriously, in both strong and weak markets.”

The market is going to recover, Pirkle emphasizes. “We know it will. But at what cost in the interim? Even some new mills are coming onto the scene, but are doing so reluctantly because they invested in fiber at a time when prices were much higher.”

Mid America Paper Recycling wants you to know it is in no way immune to any of the recent economic tribulations, Pirkle points out. “We are closely watching the situation, monitoring economic trends and are gearing up to be ready when market conditions change and demand climbs. And they will change. We are here to help you plan around such market changes and help reduce expenses, make things easier wherever and however we can.”

Gaines says in the past, paper pricing has usually fluctuated enough to withstand the market swings of a downturn. “Recycling markets often resemble elevators that move up and down and back up again in a recession, and commodity prices ordinarily have been able to withstand the swings. This time, things are a little different,” he explains. “There was just so much capacity of recyclable paper waste being built up earlier this year, that suddenly, changes were made to some orders and then to more orders. The mills began to double up on supply chain needs. Then suddenly, pricing got too low for them to bring that material into their facilities.”

“We want our network to understand what’s really happening in the market,” Pirkle adds. “Things are constantly changing. Mid America Paper Recycling is taking steps to deal with these economic changes, developing risk mitigation programs, finding more ways to stay strong in a weak economy and helping you keep your recycling operations moving. We’re here to educate our supplier-partners and customers about the best recycling practices, to do the right things. We are encouraging them to stay resilient, and preparing them to make more money in good times by saving and spending properly now in tough times.”

Mid America Paper Recycling is developing projects to cut indirect costs and other expenses, examine and manage recycling operation cash flow and rethink existing processes to survive in this weak economy.

“These businesses, mills and people we work with every day are intelligent and savvy,” Gaines notes. “We will all find ways to move forward. If they find a need in the Southeast, they go to the Southeast. If it’s in India, they’ll go to India. Everyone is adjusting to this new market and new realities. Providing them with the superior service and recommendations they have come to expect, we also want to help them strategically, to try different initiatives together until the market comes back, and aim to help them stay strong.”

Careful planning and remaining as nimble as possible through this period is important, Pirkle points out. “We are encouraging everyone to be as flexible as possible for the rest of 2022, into 2023. We’ll strive to provide timely communication about market conditions. We’re all competing for a smaller slice of the pie right now, but are here to help suppliers adjust their operations and be ready for more changes that may occur. We’ll continue to find every available warehouse to help move material, reorganize and find alternatives to traditional outlets. We’ll look under every rock for opportunities for our clients,” Pirkle notes. “With large waste inventories in storage, it is especially crucial to practice the best safety initiatives and find ways to improve storage safety. We are recommending key tactics that will help buyers, sellers and producers to be ready for all these various outcomes. This is a good time to bring us in and have a direct conversation with our team.”

Our Waste Audit Survey Can Help

To improve waste collection, sorting, operating safety and more, taking Mid America Paper Recycling’s Waste Audit Survey can really help, Pirkle points out.

“Our Waste Audit Survey may uncover a need for an easier way to move stored waste material to another location, more efficiently bundling that material, or streamlining the sorting process,” he says. “Continued education about recycling best practices and ways to reduce costs is essential. Our quick, free Waste Audit Survey assesses a business’s overall recycling process and provides a baseline for action. We can then determine if recycling improvements and safety options are needed and find ways to decrease indirect costs from their waste stream. It’s great information they can use to better divert waste, avoid expensive dumpster fees, provide new in-plant training initiatives to benefit their operations and more.”

Stronger Together

Like many recyclers, Mid America Paper Recycling is in the business of change, transforming old materials into new products, Pirkle summarizes. “Recycling itself is a way to stay resilient, and remains essential for the health and well-being of our planet. Our long-lasting relationships and close contact with customers and supplier-partners are more important than ever that will make us stronger together.

Analysts say in later 2023, the markets will improve and demand will catch up. We know there is resiliency in the mills, in our suppliers and our customers. Mid America Paper Recycling is a recycling company you can trust. We are here to address your concerns, help you cope, assist the mills with their inventories, and see the market changes through together.”

Now more than ever, it is worth your while to take Mid America Paper Recycling’s Waste Audit Survey. Visit www.midamericapaper.com and click on www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit

Waste Audit Survey Question: What Your Company Throws Away

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 19:51:48 GMT

Waste Audit Survey Question: What Your Company Throws Away

Our Waste Audit Survey found many operations throw recyclable material in their dumpsters when they could be getting revenue from recycling it instead.

Responses to our recent Waste Audit Survey indicated that 17% of those surveyed have no equipment to help them recycle. One-third put all their trash in a dumpster, and regularly pay waste haulers to pick it up. These respondents may not have the information they need to recycle efficiently, or may not have a solid, goal-oriented recycling program. What’s more, a lot of businesses do not currently work with a recycler. But Mid America Paper Recycling can help them move forward to create a more sustainable business with a first-of-its-kind program that effectively benchmarks, monitors, and upgrades a company’s’ recycling operations continuously. “There are proper tools for the job,” explains Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle. “Dumpsters, compactors, gaylords, tubs, balers, et al, are all equipment types used by companies in their recycling processes. Using these tools effectively is critical. The best practice is advising a company in those ways to best manage their generated waste so they can reduce their costs while increasing their revenues.”

Q10: What materials are generally disposed of in your dumpster?

Mid America Paper Recycling’s recycling programs guide your employees on proper recycling techniques and encourage them to commit to sustainability. “The main purpose is to educate everyone in the company about the benefits of recycling and provide them with best practices to reduce their waste and increase its worth,” says Paul Pirkle President of Mid America Paper Recycling. “We collaborate closely with operators to help them identify where their waste is generated, establish key collection procedures, and set objectives that will continually improve their waste stream’s revenue contribution to the business.”

There’s value in paper waste

“Many of the materials thrown in a dumpster can be recycled,” Pirkle explains. “We can help these firms develop a company-wide recycling program that diverts valuable recyclables from the dumpster. This waste instead can be baled and recycled, which drives revenue, costs will decrease as the frequency of use of the dumpster decreases. Recycling reduces the indirect costs associated with dumpsters and turns waste into a product that has value.”

Independent companies across the country have many recycling service options available to them and may have only recently placed an emphasis on recycling, Pirkle points out. “We can turn their mindset toward recycling, where they learn good recycling habits that will help them grow for years. We can help them transform from a cost center to a profit center. We give them a sustainable process of sorting, organizing, and managing their paper waste. Using gaylords, totes, and the right baling equipment can also reduce labor, save space, and keep waste under control.”

Generating revenue

Pirkle points out that one manufacturing operation can generate hundreds of tons of industrial paper and plastic waste annually from their operation. “This waste can generate significant revenues for the company” he says.

“While most operations have no communication with their waste hauler, 22% of our Survey respondents say they’re not informed at all about when their recycler will make pickups. And 44% say they receive ‘average service ‘while only 14% say they receive ‘excellent’ service. We visit our clients regularly to see how they’re doing and continually suggest improvements that can be made to their operation,” Pirkle adds. “We not only report to the accounting departments to reconcile what has shipped, but we report through our business intelligence platform to work with our customers’ operations team so that we can directly impact the manner in which they work. This process encourages relationship building and allows our customers to benefit from our 96-year history through continual education. This process ensures they take all the proper steps to recycle their waste effectively and economically. Our Audit Process can help these operations realize significant revenues.”

Small to large companies can streamline their waste recycling methods, reduce labor, time, and expenses with help from Mid America Paper Recycling. “No company is too small or too large to have a sophisticated recycling program,” Pirkle explains.

“We provide them with a score and a taxonomy [classification] level of their recycling effectiveness. We then let them know what they’re doing well and how they can improve,” Pirkle mentions. “They learn the capabilities of baling machinery and how to maximize its efficiency, while we arrange for their baled waste to go directly to a paper mill. These improvements streamline their recycling process, so they reduce the number of dumpsters pickups, while reducing their indirect costs and hopefully provide a new revenue stream.”

Focusing on continuous improvement

Businesses that take the Waste Audit and partner with Mid America Paper Recycling will benefit from the increased education of how they can better manage their waste generation within their facility. This can improve their recycling processes and uncover new revenue streams by getting a solid handle on recycling.

Request a free, quick Waste Audit Survey today—visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit .

A Thank-You Message from Mid America Paper Recycling

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 22:06:37 GMT

Oct. 20, 2022

A Thank-You Message from Mid America Paper Recycling

Mid America Paper Recycling would like to give a big thank-you to all of the people who helped us during a building fire over Labor Day weekend. The Chicago Fire Department responded in the middle of the night to help us, along with several employees, including Plant Supervisor, Jaime Garcia, Plant Manger, Alan Surdyk, CEO Don Gaines, and President, Paul Pirkle. We wish to thank many of our recycling partners, contractors and service providers who also responded immediately and throughout the holiday weekend to help us. We will never forget your selfless acts of kindness

We thank the 120+ firefighters and Chicago Fire Chief, as well as the Chicago Police Department which arrived in no time, thank goodness. And many thanks go to our dear friends from Lakeshore Recycling (now called LRS), including Alan Handley, John Larsen, and Michelle Moore who dispatched large roll-off containers and a Bobcat that were critical in clearing our facility of the damaged materials. Dubak Electrical , our electrical contractor, fed power to critical equipment so that we could get back up and running by the start of the following work week. Thanks so much for all of your help.

Two Mid America team members, Alan Surdyk and Jaime Garcia , who arrived quickly and immediately helped pull out damaged waste materials, helped clear pathways and coordinated with other arriving plant team members Gustavo Salgado , Diego Ramierez , John Furczon , and Rogelio Gutiérrez . They all worked hard and never thought of the late hour or long day. The teamwork that was displayed by our team was nothing short of incredible.

We are equally grateful for fire-suppression provider United States Alliance Fire Protection , which quickly came onsite to assess the number of heads that needed to be replaced and did so quickly so as to bring fire suppression service back to our plant. We also appreciate the fantastic work of our over door provider, Door Systems , which restored our dock-door operations so we could operate out of all but one of our docks.

Thank you to ADT Security Systems , which repaired and restored our facility’s security system, and our financial professionals, GCG Financial/Alera Group , our property/casualty/health insurance brokerage firm, which jumped into action, even answering a call in the middle of the night. And ATI Restoration did a fantastic job securing the building with a full mitigation strategy of boarding up windows and doors that were damaged during the fire. Also, thank-you to LawDog Security & Investigations which placed a security guard on our premises until such time that our security system was back online.

We cannot forget to mention our information technology and custom business network provider, Bob Hirtzer, owner of Tier2 Networks , for his response to our team to get our internal computer and phone systems transitioned to employees’ homes while repairs commenced.

Can-do attitude

We are so proud of the MAPR team for taking quick action to get back to business. From communicating, advising, and volunteering to help wherever possible, each person and group listed above responded to our call without hesitation with a can-do attitude. It has been awe-inspiring to witness things quickly fall back into place because of their take-charge frame of mind. They went above and beyond for us, to say the least.

Due to all these companies and individual efforts, we were back up and running by Tuesday after the Labor Day weekend with little drop-off in capabilities. The first responders, our friends, and staff got there in time to assist us in the very early morning of a holiday weekend. We think that is amazing.

In a time of need, our company will remember their selfless acts always.

Sincerely,

Don Gaines, CEO

Paul Pirkle, President

The Surdyk Family

Rating Your Recycling Effectiveness

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:44:25 GMT

October 14, 2022

Rating Your Recycling Effectiveness

Taking the Waste Audit can set you on a path to recycling success.

Taking Mid America Paper Recycling’s free Waste Audit Survey can be used to assess your recycling operation, review the indirect costs associated with it, and reach your sustainability goals. By auditing your recycling program, Mid America Paper Recycling can determine what your recycling operation is doing well and where improvements are needed.

In August, Mid America Paper Recycling reviewed the results of several Waste Audit Survey responses gathered from 64 manufacturing firms. Over 56% of the respondents feel their recycling effectiveness is only halfway to where they would like it to be and more than 93% believe they still have some ways to go in delivering the recycling effectiveness they are after.

Q7: Your company’s recycling effectiveness (your overall percentage to have zero waste)

“We can use the results of waste audit surveys like these to develop a custom recycling plan, which presents the value of a company’s waste streams,” explains Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle. “Companies that have completed our Waste Audit Survey give us the opportunity to visit and tour their facility to validate the findings of the survey.”

Working with Mid America Paper Recycling on a Waste Audit provides businesses with recycling tips they might not think of and an array of services, such as:

The development of a strategic, efficient recycling plan based on continuous improvement methods
A partnership, advice, and counseling on zero-waste initiatives
Providing ways to reduce indirect waste disposal costs and maximize revenue contributions
Providing paper mill-direct insights that will pay the most for your paper waste
Offering smooth, transparent plan execution with regular reporting and communication
Generating analysis, recommendations, and training on equipment needs
Coordinating organizational, logistics, volume, equipment/labor, financial and service goals, transforming your waste stream into a value stream

“As a fourth-generation, family-owned company, Mid America Paper Recycling can help increase recycling productivity and effectiveness in an operation, turning its waste streams into revenue,” Pirkle continues. “We can help advise staff to increase recycling efficiency with a program that effectively benchmarks, monitors and upgrades their recycling operations continuously, create more company awareness of the recycling objectives, identify where the waste is generated, establish key collection procedures and set goals that will improve their waste streams revenue contribution to the business,” Pirkle says.

“By conducting an Audit and visiting their plant, we show them how to recognize high-quality waste materials and manage the materials to generate revenue. We can also determine if certain types of equipment would facilitate their recycling operation.”

Industrial Recycling ‘Runs Like Clockwork’

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 20:06:34 GMT

August 18, 2022

Industrial Recycling ‘Runs Like Clockwork’

Industrial recyclers in the U.S. are efficiently moving the economy toward circularity. Get in on the opportunity to be a part of this system.

While residential recycling has its share of challenges, industrial recycling runs like clockwork, according to Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) Chief Lobbyist Billy Johnson. In addressing the House Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change in June, Johnson said the U.S. recycling system isn’t "broken," as some may suspect. Instead, it is strong and getting stronger. In fact, he said industrial recyclers and commercial sources provide the bulk of quality recyclable materials. Such materials usually travel through recycling infrastructure without incident and get recycled into clean, high-quality, commodity-grade products used worldwide as sustainable substitutes for virgin materials.

ISRI Chief Lobbyist Billy Johnson

“About 80 percent of the recycling industry comes from commercial and industrial materials that tend to be cleaner,” Johnson added. “The other 20 percent comes from the residential and municipal side of recycling. It does have problems and challenges, but it’s not broken.”

Johnson testified about four House bills in a session called “No Time to Waste: Solutions for "America’s Broken Recycling System." Addressing four different areas of the U.S. recycling infrastructure, the House bills include: H.R. 8509, the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act (RCAA); H.R. 8183, the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act (RIAA); H.R. 1512, the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act; and H.R. 2238, the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act.

Johnson explained that recycling is not only essential to help combat climate change, conserve natural resources, and save energy, but for industry, it makes good business sense. “Recycling employs more than 164,000 people in every congressional district in the U.S. and contributes over $117 billion dollars in economic activities a year; these numbers tell the story of a vibrant industry,” he said in a recent article from Scrap News .

“Recycling [also] requires market demand,” he added. “If there's no end market, then these materials won’t be recycled and used again in manufacturing, regardless of the volumes collected. Collection without market consumption isn’t recycling.”

There is plenty of market demand for industrial waste, according to Mid America Paper Recycling. The Chicago-based recycler works with various industrial markets and networks in paper, metal, and plastics waste as well as several other types of waste materials reused and recovered via industrial sources every day. Mid America handles a growing list of recyclables and scrap, such as corrugated waste from container converters, fiber cores from display manufacturers, an array of paper waste from printers, document shredding services, and direct mail companies, metal from parts manufacturers, plastic from blow molders, and waste materials from freight companies, fulfillment centers, and many others.

Using effective communication and exceptional customer service, Mid America offers more efficient, cost-effective, and revenue-enhancing methods to handle these materials.

Clean material counts

As Johnson pointed out to the House Subcommittee, successful recycling also requires minimal contamination. Sold according to specific grades, recycling materials' value and marketability are directly related to quality. “We fully understand there can be high-quality waste materials that some producers may not be recognizing, and can assist them in getting the best rate for them,” explains Mid America's President Paul Pirkle. “Some material suppliers may have a quality grade of waste they don’t recognize as having value. We can help them find an outlet for that waste that will increase their revenue while reducing their costs. And at the same time, we can recycle it more efficiently."

That’s why as Johnson said, it’s so important for manufacturers to review their product designs with recycling in mind in the first place. “From electronics and consumer packaging to vehicles and other products, it’s imperative to design products and packaging for recycling,” Johnson told the House Subcommittee.

“We help our partners grow the worth of their waste materials by finding the best ways to repurpose it, divert it from landfills and transform it into new products economically and efficiently,” Pirkle explained. “It may not even be a conventionally recyclable material (see our blog post from June 20, 2022 ), but it may divert several tons of solid waste from landfills if it can be reprocessed and reused.”

Take the first step to get started on an evaluation of your recycling operation with Mid America’s quick, free Waste Audit Survey .

Mid America Paper Recycling offers a benchmarking waste audit, consultation services, documentation, quantification and presentation of the specific and overall values that can be realized from customer waste streams. To learn more about Mid America’s wide range of capabilities, see our news page, our collection of blogs and visit www.midamericapaper.com .

For more information about the ISRI, visit https://www.isri.org.

Die-Cutting Boards Can Be Recycled Instead of Landfilled

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 06:43:56 GMT

June 20, 2022

Die-Cutting Boards Can Be Recycled Instead of Landfilled

Many packagers recycle their corrugated and paperboard waste. But can package converters that make corrugated shipping boxes and paperboard folding cartons recycle their hardwood cutting die boards? One packaging converter has done so, which streamlined its operation and improved its sustainability efforts with an item often considered “unrecyclable.”

Custom carton/corrugated packaging converter and designer Batavia Container Inc., Batavia, IL, recently worked on a project with Chicago-based recycler Mid America Paper Recycling to divert several tons of solid waste from landfills, channeling the hardwood boards instead to a recycler for reprocessing and reuse.

According to The Packaging Association of Canada, more packaging manufacturers are implementing practices such as lightweighting, downsizing, recovering materials and recycled content, composting or recycling in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy, and waste and improve their companies’ economics and work environments. This is being driven by an understanding that most recovered materials can replace virgin materials, resulting in landfill avoidance and potentially huge energy savings.

An essential component required by the die-cutting industry, die-cutting boards form the basis of a flat or rotary cutting-die into which the contours of packaging are inserted. Then, the cutting and creasing rules are positioned and finally the appropriate rubber coating is applied.

Family owned Batavia Container relies on dieboards daily. The company converts folding paperboard cartons and corrugated shipping cases at three manufacturing facilities – one in Batavia, IL another in Bedford Park, IL, and a third in Itasca, IL. The plants print and die-cut consumer and value-added specialty packaging, point-of-purchase displays, slotted corrugated shipping cases and offer custom packaging design and corrugated manufacturing.

Running out of room

Batavia Container’s production facilities were storing wooden dieboards for so many customers, they were running out of storage space. “We have purchased, utilized and disposed of thousands of cutting dies over the 60-plus-year history of the company,” points out Paul Mansour, Director of Account Development at Batavia Container.

“As it is, the life of a cutting die can range from a one-time use for a custom point-of-purchase display to regular use hundreds of times. They can last for 10 to 20 years.” The question is, how to dispose of obsolete dieboards, which is an industry-wide issue, Mansour affirms. “Our industry typically puts obsolete and old cutting dies in a dumpster, and the contents ends up in the landfill.”

Mid America Paper Recycling team members often visit manufacturing facilities and are asked if they recycle die-cutting boards or know how to recycle them on a large-scale basis. “We have been investigating recycling dieboards for some time. We are often asked if we can recycle the wood,” notes Paul Pirkle, President of Mid America Paper Recycling. “Batavia Container asked if we could possibly recycle their dieboards. We knew there had to be a market for the obsolete boards. They are a substantial amount of waste. We began asking reprocessing vendors if they would accept obsolete dieboards and found a recycler that can repurpose them.”

In late 2021, Batavia Container decided the time was right to initiate the dieboard project. With assistance from Mid America Paper Recycling, Batavia Container was able to recycle tons of the obsolete dieboards, repurposing the waste into lawn and garden mulch and other wood-based products.

“We worked with Mid America to have the old tooling recovered and to reuse both the dieboard wood and the metal,” Mansour remembers.

The project took place in November, 2021. Mid America arranged to pick up the tooling from Batavia Container using in its own trailer, and hauled them to a processor. “The processor used a familiar recycling process but it’s new for this kind of application,” Pirkle explains. “The boards were sent through a high-tech wood chipper that can separate the metal tool from the wood. The resulting wood chips can be reused as mulch and other wood-based products.”

Recycling the dieboards also allowed Batavia Container to free up valuable floor space at its converting plants and reduce labor. Most importantly, “preventing old cutting dies from ending up in a landfill will help all of us,” Mansour summarizes.

“Tons of the material were recycled in one trip, versus disposing it in a dumpster week in, week out, through the year,” Pirkle points out. “The savings can be potentially significant, just in indirect costs alone. Dieboard wood is hard. It stays in the ground for years and take a very long time to decompose.”

Pirkle says the manufacturing operations of a typical paperboard converter or containerboard plant can generate thousands of tons of pre-consumer, high-grade recyclable corrugated, fiberboard, production trim waste and paperboard waste annually. If recycled, this waste can generate significant savings and perhaps revenues for a company.

“There are several challenges and shortcomings in dealing with recycling, labor and waste transportation,” he continues. “Dieboards are recyclable materials. Landfilling them doesn’t meet anyone’s environmental goals or boost revenue. Repurposing the boards instead provides a significant value-added contribution to sustainability.”

Note: This article first appeared in the July 2022 issue of Cutting Edge

Magazine: https://www.webcuttingedge.org/

Mid America Paper Recycling, a fourth-generation leader in the recycling industry, provides robust environmental solutions and value for partners ranging from small businesses to large multinational corporations. Its program features a benchmarking waste audit, consultation services, documentation, quantification and presentation of the specific and overall values that can be realized from customer waste streams. To learn more about Mid America Paper recycling, visit www.midamericapaper.com .

MAPR blog—Employee Safety

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Thu, 19 May 2022 15:35:21 GMT

Updating Employee Safety When the Heat is On

Obviously, some work environments are more dangerous than others, and "safety first" is more than just a saying. At Mid America Paper Recycling, one of our main Behaviors to remember is “Dedicate Yourself to Safety.” We try our best to stay cool in the heat, but it can sometimes be a challenge. Being proactive about safety is a must, by intervening, correcting, or speaking up about any health and safety issues.

As temperatures continue to rise in the spring and summer months, often at record-breaking levels, our changing climate affects millions of America’s workers in the pulp and paper, printing, plastics manufacturing, metals, recycling and scrap industries who are exposed to tough and potentially dangerous heat. The U.S. Department of Labor urges employers to safeguard all workers; they deserve protections.

Mid America’s plant operations struggle to stay cool in the high heat. There is always more to do when it comes to plant safety, explains Mid America’s plant manager, Alan Surdyk. “But we always remember that safety is first. Our plant can get quite hot in the summer, so we try to be aware of all our safety procedures and watch out for others in the heat as well.”

Our partners and suppliers in the pulp and paper industry are also exposed to many different hazards. But heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related workplace hazards, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). To help address this threat, OSHA implemented a nationwide enforcement initiative on heat-related hazards. The agency’s safety message comes down to three key words: Water. Rest. Shade.

Contributors to heat-related illnesses include physical activity, high air temperatures,

Humidity, sunlight, heat sources (such as ovens or furnaces, heat-absorbing roofs, and road surfaces), air movement, clothing that hampers the body's ability to lose excess heat, such as protective gear, individual/personal risk factors, (pre-existing health conditions and lifestyle).

An employer with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish a complete heat illness prevention program. OSHA suggests:

Providing workers with water, rest and shade.
Allowing new/returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize, or build a tolerance for working in the heat.
Plan for emergencies and train workers on prevention.
Monitor workers for signs of illness

Even one injury is too many, as most safety experts say. When enhancing safety in the pulp and paper industry, it’s important to plan ahead, assess the risk and use the right equipment. To ensure everyone’s safety, employers must be keenly aware of the primary safety guidelines for employees working in the pulp and paper industry, and plan if the team is working in high heat conditions. Manufacturing environments with hot local heat sources, like furnaces (e.g., paper products), warehousing, boiler and electrical rooms, outdoor delivery/shipping areas and many others are often cause for heat-related illnesses.

Heat stroke is considered the most severe of heat-related illness. Workers suffering from heat stroke experience mental dysfunction such as unconsciousness, confusion, disorientation, or slurred speech. Cool these workers immediately and call 911.

Companies should ensure their workers are aware of all safety procedures, including heat protection, and that the work environment is safe. The rules must apply to everyone, and each breach in following the rules should be addressed. OSHA's Occupational Exposure to Heat page explains what employers can do to keep workers safe and what workers need to know - including factors for heat illness, adapting to working in indoor and outdoor heat, protecting workers, recognizing symptoms, and first aid training.

And as Alan says, “We talk about the importance of doing the right thing--always. Safety is always the right thing to remember, and assisting others is one of our 2022 focuses. We are a company that focuses on continuous improvement and helping each other stay safe so we can then better WOW others. Let’s all stay safe at work this year!”

MAPR blog 4/27/2022—Areas We Serve—LH

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 16:20:30 GMT

MAPR blog 4/27/2022—Areas We Serve—LH

Serving You Across the Country

Did you know that our recycling and sustainable solutions and programs are available to industries way beyond Chicagoland? We provide recycling and brokerage services to all major cities and suburbs across the U.S. Our 90+ years of experience and established relationships can help improve your revenue stream with a nationwide network of buyers and suppliers of paper, paperboard, and plastics to help you grow the worth of your waste.

Some of our service areas include:

California

Los Angeles

San Diego

San Francisco

Sacramento

Colorado

Denver

Colorado Springs

Aurora

Fort Collins

Georgia

Atlanta

Augusta

Columbus

Savannah

Illinois

Indiana

Gary

Indianapolis

South Bend

Fort Wayne

Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Des Moines

Dubuque

Iowa City

Michigan

Detroit

Kalamazoo

Lansing

Grand Rapids

New Jersey

Newark

Jersey City

Paterson

Elizabeth

Ohio

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Dayton

Columbus

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

Allentown

Erie

Wisconsin

Milwaukee

Green Bay

Racine

Madison

We cover a lot of ground. We currently serve companies in 45 states. We visit production facilities across the country, assessing recycling operations to find the right recycling solution for our client partners that aligns with their specific growth opportunities while supporting the environment. We’ve helped municipalities and companies ranging from small businesses mid-size firms to multinationals in the Fortune 500. Materials managers aren’t always aware of how much more revenue they could be collecting from their recyclable waste. Remember, we have over 95 years of success recycling assorted grades of paper and corrugated.

We’re available everywhere to add value to your recycling operation by proactively educating, serving, and presenting a clear pathway for fiber recycling that lessens the use of natural resources, increases corporate and personal growth, reduces costs, and promotes safety.

As a proud and independent family-owned company, we are mission oriented. We strive to address your needs for sustainable manufacturing while maximizing revenue and decreasing recycling costs. Strong and stable, we bring our market expertise, extensive buyer/supplier network and knowledge of more than 50 paper grades to your application, evaluating your operation and its execution, developing new strategies to save you time and money.

We recycle everything from hard and soft papers, fiber cores, printed, unprinted and misprinted bleached board, printed bleached plate stock and other material grades as well as assorted plastics.

Our suppliers are varied. They include many types of waste generation of paper, corrugated, plastic, wood and metals. And we also process over 50 grades of paper at our own facility, operating high-speed balers, shredders, and guillotines.

Our training programs will help your team improve safety and capture the most value possible using the same solutions we’ve used. Let us show you how to streamline your own materials processing.

3865 West 41st St., Chicago, IL 60632

MAPR Blog--Light Load Charges

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 15:34:37 GMT

MAPR Blog--Light Load Charges

April 13, 2022

Don’t Come Up Short: Avoiding Light Load Charges

Recycling logistics teams must meet new challenges motivated by transportation costs savings and ecological efforts. Optimizing trailer load pack patterns can help.

If there was ever a case where weight loss was a problem, this is it: Right now, like everything else, logistics and shipping costs are quickly rising for paper waste suppliers that ship bales of their recyclable paper waste mill-direct. Trouble is, trailer loads of the recyclable paper waste that don’t hit the requisite 20-ton (40,000-lb) weight requirement set by most pulp and paper mills get slapped with what are called Light Load freight charge backs.

These charges can add up, and hinder recycling operations from delivering real value to customers. Monitoring them regularly, as well as the weights of trailer load waste is a must. That’s why Mid America Paper Recycling advises its supplier partners to be as accurate and efficient as possible when baling their paper waste. It can make a powerful impact on the bottom line, explains Mid America’s President Paul Pirkle.

“It’s worth reviewing any light load charges passed on by the paper mills,” Pirkle says. “Light load charges are usually assessed when a supplier’s load of paper waste -- regardless of the type of paper -- doesn’t weigh the required 40,000 pounds (or 20 tons) most mills require. The charges can be a significant drain on profitability, and can have been avoided with better visibility into the loading process.”

For example, if your mill-direct freight cost to ship a load of recyclable paperboard weighing the standard 20 tons is $1,000, and the load weighs 19 tons (or one ton less than the acceptable standard), a charge assessed to the Light Load would be $50 ($1,000 divided by 20 = $50). That charge will be assessed on a per-ton basis for every load weighing less than 20 tons. If your trailer load is two tons short, a Light Load charge would be $100.

“We always caution companies about weight requirements for shipping trailer loads,” Pirkle explains. “Paper waste suppliers should focus on hitting the 20-ton or 40,000-pound weight target, no matter what type of paper waste they’re shipping. Otherwise, they will be charged back for any loads weighing less, divided by their cost of shipping the load into the site. With freight costs increasing in general, these charges are intensified.”

Increasing baling efficiency

There are several reasons a load can be underweight. Mid America advises suppliers to examine their truck loading patterns with a couple of “smart” solutions that will boost the efficiency of loading operations and maximize bale weights. By working smart, you can increase cube efficiency in the trailer, higher accuracy, worker safety, and customer satisfaction with Mid America Paper Recycling’s assistance.

There are a few important considerations suppliers can use with underweight trailer loads, Pirkle says. “Check to make sure that you are regularly maintaining your baling equipment with the recommended preventive maintenance and also confirm that your baler is achieving the best bale compression possible per the manufacturer's specifications.”

Bales weigh between 900 and 1,500 lb. Most baling systems available on the market are easily able to compress (or densify) a bale of paper waste material into a tight, compact unit weighing 1,250 lbs. or more.

“If your bales weigh less than 1,000 pounds, they can be too light and could cause an entire trailer load to be short of the target weight (40,000 lbs.),” Pirkle says. “The baler is one of the first things we look at when we hear that trailer loads are under weight. Examining the baling procedures and inspecting the baling equipment to ensure that it’s properly maintained are important. Make sure the equipment is working properly and operating with the correct compression.”

Second, if the baler(s) is working properly, and the loads still aren’t hitting the target weight, check the loading pattern. In the haste to get a trailer on the road, bales of paper waste might be loaded incorrectly.

“Loading patterns are the next thing we look at,” Pirkle mentions. “Share what your bale patterns looks like. We will then confirm that the correct pattern is being used and that the bales are being properly, and safely, loaded into the trailer so the bales will be received by the mill properly.”

The chart above shows a trailer loading pattern Mid America custom developed for a supplier. It is imperative to load the last two bales in the truck perpendicular to the other bales for safe unloading.

Optimizing pack patterns

A standard 53-ft.-long truck trailer should hold 36-39 bales, Pirkle adds. If that checks the box, and the bales weigh what they should and are being loaded into the truck according to the correct pattern, what if they still come up underweight?

“Then, we look at the rest of the operation,” Pirkle replies. “In instances where we visit the supplier’s site to determine the cause of the light loads, we check their baler’s performance and re-examine the loading pattern. We may also find something else within the operation that might need correcting. In most cases, we’ll be able to improve the loading pattern design for more efficiency. We also have the supplier post diagrams of scaled drawings of the pack pattern and loading instructions for easy reference whenever they need it. We then load a trailer using the new format, to see how many bales will fit.”

Mid America may suggest that suppliers invest in a scale to ensure they’re getting accurate weights, Pirkle points out. “Light Load charges can be completely avoided. Checking the loading pattern and ensuring your baler is well maintained will ensure that you are continually turning waste streams into profit streams.”

MAPR Blog-Midwest Sealing Products

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 19:41:35 GMT

It Pays to Review Your Overall Recycling Effectiveness

March 2, 2022

Client Profile: Midwest Sealing Products Gets ‘Krafty’ Recycling Paper Scrap

Midwest Sealing Products, Inc., a custom die cutter and manufacturer of gaskets, located in Buffalo Grove, Ill., works with many industries including commercial lighting, automotive and transportation, fluid transfer components, heat exchangers and compressors.

Midwest offers a wide range of gasket materials including the top brands in the gasket industry. Along with its manufacturing capabilities, it meets the varied application requirements of its diverse customer base thanks to years of experience with various materials and manufacturing processes. This is what makes Midwest instrumental in the design, development and engineering stages of various products.

Recycling is important to the company. “We recycle the scrap that remains after parts are cut, so our scrap ranges from metal to fiber, foam, electrical insulation, plastics, paper and much more,” explains Controller Myra Antman. “But we mainly recycle virgin kraft papers used in the automotive glass industry. We decided to use Mid America Paper Recycling to recycle the kraft paper scrap because they offered us a more efficient and more cost-effective process to handle these materials. Their communication and customer service have been exceptional.”

Antman says equipment and supplies from Mid America are easily obtained, and pickup and payment for recycled materials are prompt. “We had a very poor experience earlier with a recycler that was often difficult to reach and difficult to communicate with. They also cost us a lot of money. We contacted Mid America a few years ago. We were pleased with Mid America’s presentation.”

Mid America understood that Midwest Sealing was recycling quality paper, Antman adds. “They were very aware of the quality of this paper, and let us know they would be able to help us reduce our costs and continue recycling it more efficiently.

Today, our recycling operation runs more smoothly as a result. Mid America provided us with a trailer and the materials necessary to transfer the paper scrap from our work stations to the trailer. We have a bailer, but currently do not have the people power to take advantage of bundling the paper in order to recycle more. Mid America understands this, and has been supportive of our efforts.”

Follow-ups, feedback and reporting

Mid America provides regular reports on the amount of kraft paper it picks up from Midwest, and follows up on a regular basis to get any necessary updates and provide a current recycling status of things, Antman notes.

Mid America’s Waste Audit can help build on existing recycling procedures that waste buyers and sellers are doing well, and examines the steps they may not realize could be improved. Producers taking an audit get helpful feedback on their recycling “health” along with helpful tips and steps to increase their recycling revenue. In fact, the results of a Waste Audit can be used to explore various areas of growth, reduce labor, handling and material costs and separate recyclable materials for the right buyers at the right price. This helps a recycling operation increase its revenue generation for highly valuable waste streams.

“The kraft paper scrap is a constant in our operation, though we work with many other materials, including cork, rubber, fiberglass and assorted textiles,” Antman continues. “At this point, we don’t generate enough of any one of these other materials to start a true recycling program for them, but we generate enough kraft waste to be able to have Mid America recycle it. If we were to generate enough of other recyclable scrap materials, we would definitely contact Mid America for more direction.”

To learn more about Mid America’s Waste Audit, visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit .

It Pays to Review Your Overall Recycling Effectiveness

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

It Pays to Review Your Overall Recycling Effectiveness

Jim Concannon, Operations Manager & ISO Representative at Orbus Exhibit & Display (photo, left), knows all about paper and polyester for use in display manufacturing. In fact, Orbus, a Woodridge, Ill.-based leading wholesale supplier and manufacturer of displays, trade show exhibits, graphic products and signs and other event solutions is immensely focused on the use of paper and plastics in its growing business. It is also committed to environmental preservation and its impact on Orbus employees, customers and the communities where it operates. The award-winning company recycles polyester fabric, assorted grades of paperboard, paper, aluminum, steel, electronics, and various types of plastic, aiming to demonstrate its best practices, year after year.

But its paper roll and tube recycling processes were “cutting Orbus to the core.”

Concannon met Bill Krafcheck, Mid America Paper Recycling’s Business Development Manager, in 2021 when Orbus needed an outlet for recycling paperboard cores rolled with waste paper. “Bill revisited us soon after our initial meeting, to discuss picking up both the empty paperboard tubes and our paper-rolled cores,” Concannon remembers. “We liked their approach. After the visit, Orbus started using Mid America within a few days.”

Earlier, the Orbus recycling department spent time and labor cutting the display roll cores and tubes into thirds before placing them into a compactor. “That created a slight safety risk,” Concannon says. And after compacting, a recycler picked up the core and paper bundles, at a cost to Orbus.

“Now, the cores and tubes go directly into a MAPR-supplied truck, he points out. “We no longer spend time cutting and compacting the paper-wrapped cores and empty tubes. Mid America takes them as is, secured to skids. The cores and tubes no longer need to be compacted, so there are fewer paperboard hauls, and less expenses. The cores no longer need to be cut, so we are also saving on labor costs.”

Prompt, interactive service, reports

Concannon is also pleased with the communication, record-keeping and check-ins Mid America has provided to Orbus. “Bill visited us twice to see all of the items we recycle. And we communicate with Mid America by phone and email regularly, often responding the same day. They are very transparent with us. Bill met with our team and worked out the logistics of our processes. If there are any concerns, he gets back to us with a solution. He even visited our Las Vegas site to see if Mid America could help us with our recyclable materials there. ”

Unlike Mid America, many companies do not receive regular recycling reports from their vendors about the specific amounts of commercial/industrial waste tonnage they generate, the scrap pickups performed and the revenue generated from the waste. In fact, a 2019 Mid America survey of waste producers showed 50 percent of the participants never get such vendor feedback, while more than 8 percent don’t really know the primary source of their commercial and industrial recycled waste material. Mid America’s services also include providing weekly reports on the tons of waste shipped, and can document the amount of waste baled, loose, skidded and all three.

Concannon says Orbus appreciates the follow-up and Mid America’s continuous recycling improvement services. It is critical to Orbus to receive current and updated information about the status of its recycling processes. “Orbus manages with continuous improvement in mind for all our shop and office processes, including waste and energy reductions. The more useful ideas we get from Mid America, the more we divert from landfills.”

Waste Audit feedback

Mid America’s Waste Audit helps build on the recycling procedures waste buyers and sellers are doing well, and examines steps they may not realize could be improved and put to better use in their recycling operations. Audit takers receive helpful feedback on the “health” of their current recycling programs and ways they can increase their recycling revenue. In fact, the results of a Waste Audit can be readily used to explore various areas of growth, provide recycling tips to reduce labor and separate your recyclable materials for the right buyers at the right price. This helps build your recycling operation into a robust revenue generator that presents the specific value of your waste streams.

“Our recycling system is very effective, but we may want to use the audit to continuously improve our processes,” Concannon adds. “Mid America is the only recycling vendor that provides a quarterly report documenting “by product recycled,” including tonnage, revenue or costs. They also supply an environmental impact statement. Orbus is registered to ISO 14001 for environmental management. These reports provide documented evidence of our progress in reaching our company goals.”

Interested in more details about our Waste Audit survey and program? Visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit .

Mid America Waste Audit and Survey blog

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 19:11:20 GMT

Mid America Waste Audit and Survey blog

Have you taken our Waste Audit Survey yet?

There aren’t many truly free services in business that can help increase revenue, but one from Mid America Paper Recycling does exactly that. One of the largest independent brokers, processors and exporters of recovered paper in the Central U.S., Mid America offers a first-of-its-kind initiative focused on tracking and increasing the value of the recycling waste streams generated by large commercial printers and paperboard converters.

It’s a Waste Audit Survey, part of Mid America’s program that tracks and increases the value of the recycling waste streams generated by logistics firms, commercial printers, plastics and paperboard converters and others. The Waste Audit is also designed to educate Mid America’s customers and attendees about the hidden benefits of their recyclable waste.

“Our Waste Audit is a continuous improvement plan that sets goals and objectives that begin with a quick, free customer survey,” explains Mid America President Paul Pirkle. “We use it to tailor a continuous improvement process for each audit participant, identifying where their waste is generated, establish key collection procedures, and set objectives that continually improve their waste stream’s revenue contribution to their business. No other company offers as comprehensive and value-added a solution.”

Auditing your recycling program allows you to determine what you’re doing right and where improvements are needed. After Mid America audits your scrap and waste, it uses its vast industry connections to find buyers. That’s critical: the folding carton industry alone was valued at $128.28 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.4 percent in the forecast period from 2021-2026.

“One manufacturing operation in a containerboard plant can generate thousands of tons of pre-consumer, high-grade recyclable paper, production trim waste and paperboard waste annually, which in turn, can generate significant revenues for the company,” Pirkle point out. “Our Audit Process can help these operations realize significant revenues.”

Applicable to companies from small and newer businesses to established Fortune 500 firms, the innovative recycling management program benchmarks, monitors and continuously upgrades their recycling processes. This is what not only achieves their sustainability goals but grows the financial worth of their waste.

Simple Survey, Big Results

The process starts with a free Waste Audit Survey, which takes only 10 minutes to fill out but is comprehensive in scope. Serving as an initial “recycling health scorecard,” the survey results help determine how each customer captures and recycles waste materials, what’s working and what’s not. The responses are associated with a point scale and averaged into five categories to achieve a scale percentage, or the score. Mid America uses this score to maximize your recycling facility’s efficiency and safety, and update employee training procedures.

The audit taxonomy also assesses areas including:

Current operating procedures
Organizational goals
Frequency of recycling reports issued, reviewed and updated
Waste volumes
Staff training to maintain logistics, handling efficiencies
Revenues and financial goals
Level of service received
Equipment and labor involved
Continuous improvement objectives
Safety, preventative maintenance programs in place

After taking the survey, Mid America’s hands-on team of experts then develops and executes your custom plan with our specific financial goals in mind. This can improve the flow of waste through your facilities, eliminate cost streams and conserve and capture the most value possible.

As part of the process, Mid America also determines how loads of recyclable waste materials are shipped and how all of the steps within the recycling process can be improved to accrue more revenue per ton.

“Companies that have completed a Waste Audit with us have found that they can increase their revenues from paper recycling by up to 50 percent,” Pirkle emphasizes. “Continuous Improvement is so important today in many areas of an operation. The Waste Audit brings this same strategic concept to a recycler's current waste handling practices and builds a smart program that continuously improves the worth of their waste.”

To learn more about Mid America’s Waste Audit, visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit .

Waste Audit Insights with Bill Krafcheck

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 14:47:08 GMT

Waste Audit Insights with Bill Krafcheck

‘I was looking for another challenge and viewed recycling as an opportunity with a tremendous upside.’

Mid America Paper Recycling’s Business Development Manager, Bill Krafcheck, knows a thing or two about helping our customers turn the results of their Waste Audit surveys into wealth. Bill began his career in the printing industry, and later worked in production at an envelope manufacturer and print broker. Soon, he went into sales, eventually becoming vice president of sales there.

Bill joined Mid America in 2019 as Business Development Manager. Recycling appealed to Bill. “Finding solutions that work for our clients and making them happy is exciting,” he says. “Recycling is not a one-size-fits-all business; it has changing dynamics and a tremendous upside. Mid America’s team has a positive can-do attitude from the top-down that I really like. It’s infectious. Regardless of the situation or request, our immediate reaction is to see what we can do. We’re family owned, flexible and able to make things happen. And our service really is second to none.”

Uncovering worth, value.

Bill is especially skillful in assisting prospective customers who have completed Mid America’s Waste Audit Survey. He discovered that buyers and sellers do a number of things he can put to good use in the recycling business. For one, the survey provides feedback on the “health” of the current recycling program before Mid America gets involved. Bill is also adept at using the results of the Waste Audit to explore areas of growth for the company and make improvements to their recycling operations. “Mid America’s Audit program forms the foundation of our strategic business partnership with you and helps us determine what you are doing right and where improvements are needed,” Bill adds. “Using our vast industry connections, we use that information to find the right buyers for your recyclable materials and help build your recycling operation into a robust revenue generator that presents the specific value of your waste streams.”

From cash out to cash in

While the audit can be eye opening for those who take it, companies that have completed Mid America’s Waste Audit have been able to increase their revenues from paper recycling by up to 50 percent, Bill points out. After the audit is complete, Bill visits the audit participant’s business site to assess their recycling operation, determine where their waste is being created, how it’s handled, and where it goes.

“The inspection points out many things to the company they may not have considered before. There is such opportunity for improvement today. The chance to educate companies on new avenues and trends is tremendous and very fulfilling,” Bill points out.

During a walk-through of the site, he often finds discarded materials that are valuable, which are “obvious to me as a recycler as well as things would could be changed to make improvements.” Bill can spot items in the trash that should instead be recycled, and points out the high-value materials that should be separated from the rest of the heap. “Once we are in the operation, we find potential bottlenecks and limitations and then explore what’s possible to resolve them and create the best recycling solution.”

Even little things can make a big difference in transforming waste into high-ticket products that can be sold. “Paperboard and corrugated are not waste. They have value,” he notes. “The site visit is really the key,” he adds. “Most locations have multiple waste items that can be repurposed, such as OCC (Old Corrugated Containers), shrink wrap and even cores, plastic buckets, label stock, fabric ― you name it ― it needs to go somewhere. We develop the right solution for all of them. I currently work with a supplier that was ‘happy’ with his recycling processes until he wasn’t, when he couldn’t find anyone to take ‘difficult-to-recycle’ materials like butt roles of paper and fabric and fabric bales. We found a way to take bales he was paying to get rid of and pay him for them. That’s an incredible swing from sending cash out to brining cash in.”

After the visit, Mid America reviews everything with the company that was uncovered, and maps out a custom plan designed specifically for their operation, Bill explains. “This determines how much their waste is truly worth.”

Turning waste into sellable products

Next, Mid America’s exceptional account service team puts the plan into action. “Mid America’s Waste Audit opens doors and gets people thinking,” Bill says. “Every manufacturing business has waste products. Too many companies consider their waste to be just that. Waste. Once we get audit participants to think about their waste differently, the costs associated with its disposal and the chance of getting paid for it as a product start turning the wheels into motion. Questions start to flow: Can we cut our waste volumes if we separate it and get paid for it if it is baled? Can we get more for it if we fill a trailer with bales of it? Does our plastic film have value? What about plastic pallets? And so on.”

The Waste Audit Survey only takes about 10 minutes to fill out, but encourages people to start thinking, Bill says. “Most discover they don’t associate recycling with saving on trash payments. They don’t look at it as a secondary income stream that can grow and increase in value. Once we put our recycling program in place and provide the proper education and system setup, customers see the value of their recyclable waste increase and grows and the company prospers.”

For more details on our Waste Audit program, visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit

Enviro-friendly side hustle for the pulp mills?

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:58:18 GMT

Enviro-friendly side hustle for the pulp mills?

A study claims that pulp mill could harness the carbon dioxide they generate to produce enough synthetic fuels to power an entire country like Finland.

Inflation and the Corrugated Supply Outlook in North America

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 18:36:59 GMT

Inflation and the Corrugated Supply Outlook in North America

Strong consumer demand for retail goods and myriad supply chain issues boosted prices, which analysts say will affect many containerboard mills and businesses next year.

U.S. retail sales continue to reach new highs, primarily driven by food retail and e-commerce. Rabobank reports the total U.S. retail sales rebounded to more than 10.7 percent in the second quarter of 2021, compared to the same time period in 2019. The surge was which accounted for as much as 16 percent of the total share of retail spending.

The pandemic prompted the acceleration in consumers’ e-commerce spending, making it one of the most important demand drivers for corrugated packaging. Even as global economies have rebounded and physical retail has recovered, e-commerce remains strong, Rabobank notes, maintaining a 13-percent share of retail sales, substantially higher than in pre-COVID times.

The significant need for containerboard production has also been driven by resilient retail consumption and the fast recovery of industry production. But as we blogged earlier, retail inventory concerns have caused by supply chain disruptions as well as plant shutdowns. Logistics issues have led to low of sales-to-inventory ratios across all industries in the U.S.

It will take time to fill the inventory gaps as retail demand levels off. This, the analysts claim, will exacerbate an already tight paper packaging market, which is expected to continue into mid-2022.

Rabobank says containerboard shipments are up 7.7 percent and 6.2 percent in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Linerboard operating rates were above 100 percent in March 2021, staying above 95.7 percent on average during the first six months of the year, compared to rates of roughly 88 percent in 2019. These high operating rates coupled with input cost inflation have created tight demand.

Mid America’s President Paul Pirkle agrees, several such supply side, recycling and pulp and paper mill challenges have surfaced with COVID and the e-commerce boom. These have resulted in changes in material usage, screening, collection and recycling in different parts of the market, as well as the future expectations of the market. Recovered paper (RCP) prices are soaring, and the price of papermaking chemicals, such as corrugating starch, have also increased. Collecting and sorting RCP, primarily old corrugated containers (OCC), during the global pandemic, reduced availability.

Light in the tunnel

Pirkle sees these factors continuing to pose a hurdle for the availability of recycled fiber in the short term. "Domestic demand for OCC will continue to increase and the export market will rebound down the road. The increased demand will create an imbalance between supply and demand, which will drive prices for recovered fiber higher."

Prices are projected to be higher than at pre-pandemic levels, according to Rabobank. About 70 percent of containerboard capacity consists of recycled grades, which means there is a growing uptick in demand for recycled fiber.

Pirkle concurs with pricing and supply projections starting to normalize gradually in mid-2022 as demand levels off and more capacity comes on line in the next three to five years. More details are available in the November/December 2021 edition of Corrugated Today at https://nvpublications.com/corrugated-today/

20/20 Foresight Podcast with Grey Owl Co.

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 12:54:23 GMT

Leading the Way, Recycling Style

Mid America Paper Recycling’s President Paul Pirkle recently sat down with Earl Ameen, CEO of The Grey Owl Co., an Austin, Texas-based “resultant” strategy firm, to participate in Grey Owl’s 20/20 Foresight podcast. The presentation gives CEOs six questions to answer in nine minutes about being a CEO, and offers insights on their vision, team culture, and ways they deliver results for customers.

Pirkle introduced himself and described what Mid America Paper Recycling is all about “Our brand identity is growing the worth of your paper waste, and helping our customers grow the value of the waste they generate more in more economical and efficient ways,” he said.

Ameen asked him what some of the best things are about being Mid America’s president, to which Pirkle replied, “We have the opportunity to set the recycling mission, vision and strategy for the company and executive them.” He followed with an analogy about his past experiences as an athlete, learning from his coaches who tried to expand his horizons and challenge him to do more, focusing on what he wanted to achieve in his future careers.

“To see our employees follow through on their missions and execute their wins and successes are the most important things for me,” he said. “That’s the most gratifying thing. Leading a team and facing the challenges on the road ahead is most rewarding. ”

Pirkle emphasizes that CEOs must clearly communicate all the time, which is difficult, but essential so that everyone is on board with what’s expected.

“Setting goals on how to move forward is and continuing to reinforce process steps is where the challenges come in” he added. I have based my career off two philosophies: one is continuous improvement, which basically is about finding a key for every lock, and one is about continuing to build your resume even if you’re not transitioning into a new role. Continually adding your achievements to your resume while you’re growing, learning, and benefitting from the work you do each day is a beneficial tool. If I can impress the importance of that, it would be wonderful for our employees and for me.”

How does Pirkle celebrate wins and accomplishments? “Right now, with the COVID-19 situation, we host events that are doable and find creative ways to acknowledge and celebrate and have some fun. It is so important.”

To view the entire 20/20 Podcast, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4IOshXbsSo

To view Mid America’s videos, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUFSXUAx-Rk&t=1s

Domestic mills experience overloads of recovered paper

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:39:39 GMT

Domestic mills experience overloads of recovered paper

More tons of recovered paper are being sold stateside than to export markets. So, this fall, there’s an influx of material inventories at some domestic paper mills. Recycling Today looks at the current state their operations.

Mid America Paper Recycling has been able to get through the COVID-19 pandemic relatively unscathed and has successfully been able to grow our business. Our collective “find a way” mentality allows us to get things done in all matters of recycling and figure out what we can do to make our clients feel great.

It’s no easy task, however, as many U.S. paper mills are meeting the global need for containerboard and packaging. Mills including Sonoco, Graphic Packaging International and International Paper are reporting strong seasonal demand for corrugated packaging for the rest of this year. With slow demand for exported recovered paper this month, especially from Southeast Asia, the buying period has resulted in more material recovery facility (MRF) operators, paper packers and traders of recovered paper trying to sell their tons to domestic customers rather than overseas buyers.

“Mills are pretty well-saturated,” says one MRF operator based in the Midwest. “Usually, [at] this time of year, they ask for extra tons to get through Thanksgiving, but nobody is asking for that.”

Some mills are looking for alternative supply sources to ONP, such as mixed paper or old magazines. And transportation costs continue to rise because of higher gas prices. While others say they see trucking opening somewhat, though it’s still challenging.

“It’s very challenging to get containers, bookings and trucking,” says one mill buyer overseas. “We might have good bookings, but then sometimes you can’t get the truckers because truckers are in high demand.”

Securing trucking continues to be problematic, the buyer adds, and he suspects domestic paper mills may start relying on rail rather than trucking where possible. “If you have rail and can get things on rail, that could be king. That’s just my opinion, but I think we’ll see more dependence on rail to rely on trucks less,” he says.

For more information, read Recycling Today’s full article at: https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/recovered-paper-inventories-filling-domestic-mills-november-2021/

Steps We’re Taking to Mitigate Recycling Supply Chain Challenges

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:34:25 GMT

Steps We’re Taking to Mitigate Recycling Supply Chain Challenges

The mounting challenges related to the overall supply chain, and the recyclable waste supply chain in particular, will no doubt have repercussions in the months and years ahead.

There have been raw material shortages, limited product availabilities, job losses, port shutdowns, shipping delays and production slowdowns and stoppages, mostly brought on by the COVID-19 virus. The situation has underscored manufacturers’ reliance on international networks of suppliers and logistics firms, as well as some of the weaknesses of an interdependent global supply chain.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, online shopping and e-commerce shifted into overdrive, significantly upping demand for corrugated shipping cases and creating potential problems (or great opportunities) for the corrugated industry and recyclers. According to the Fibre Box Association, the demand jumped 9 percent from March 2019 to March 2020, creating interruptions in recycling systems and shortages of raw materials. Paperboard and pulp mills are experiencing their own share of trickle-down issues, such as higher freight costs and constantly running at full capacity, as well as having to buy materials from smaller producers just to keep up.

Chinese restrictions on the import of recyclable materials have forced the U.S. to find new markets for recovered materials, often at a reduced value. And urgent orders issued for COVID meant that recovered paper from closed schools, offices, and stores, was reduced or no longer available.

Port congestion, trucking, freight

“Currently, the recycling industry’s larger challenges include the rising costs of freight, and logistical issues with lower availability of trucks to pick up and ship on time,” emphasizes Jake Meszaros, National Sales Manager at Mid America Paper Recycling. “We are also facing export issues with container ship and port delays, booking delays, increased ocean freight costs and a lack of available equipment in certain areas of the U.S.”

These and other supply chain factors have raised prices for recycled paperboard. Labor shortages have greatly impacted the trucking industry, which has especially affected recyclers’ ability to conduct business as usual, Meszaros notes. The American Trucking Association indicates that some 80,000 drivers are needed to alleviate the ongoing supply chain issues and offset trucking industry labor losses.

But moves to alleviate some of the problems are being developed and deployed. To ease the pressures at shipping ports, the Biden Administration is enacting a plan that will be able to redirect grant money to ports from other federally funded projects. More funds for ports and waterways will be available after President Biden signs the roughly $1-trillion infrastructure spending package Congress approved in early November.

And despite the rigors in meeting recycling demands , Mid America anticipates sequential improvements going forward in 2022 as it collaborates with its suppliers and customers to mitigate global supply shortages. It also plans to investigate new supply chain options over the coming months in efforts to reduce the bottlenecks.

The Mid America team believes coming up with the best possible ways to fulfill customers’ requirements during this unprecedented time is the first strategic step of the process, Meszaros explains. “We are combating these issues by diverting waste tonnage away from overseas buyers and selling them directly to domestic customers who have dedicated fleets,” he says. “We are simply reducing the number of monthly orders we take with overseas buyers. There are a few commodities that must ship via export, however, due to the nature of the material, but that’s a very small percentage.”

Mid America is also focusing on using its own trucking fleet within a 100-mile radius of its recycling plant in Chicago to avoid higher freight costs, Meszaros explains. Currently, Mid America operates trucks and trailers throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana that are used exclusively to pick up and deliver recyclable materials from its suppliers to customers, and direct to its Chicago recycling facility. “We are adding more pickups to our schedule than ever, due to the rising costs of working with outside carriers and 3PLs. Given the state of the fractured supply chain, it’s crucial that we reduce costs for all of our stakeholders, while at the same time ensure that we maintain competitiveness in the market.”

Mid America has built its reputation on creating long-lasting relationships with its suppliers and customers, transforming waste into value by aligning with its customers’ corporate sustainability goals and educating them on new or different recycling solutions that work for them. Addressing freight costs has become a clear focal point for the company, as freight carries the highest percentage of total costs of shipment (landed costs) to customers, Meszaros notes.

“That has prompted us to bring on additional customer support staff to tackle these logistical freight challenges so that we may continue increasing the overall value we provide to our customers. We are also investing in additional assets to better service the industry and our customer base, and to grow market share. There is much to do, but we are definitely meeting the challenges head-on.”

Wired for Baling

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 22:23:01 GMT

Wired for Baling

Bale ties and baler wire are much more important to the recycling process than we may realize.

Without compacting recycled material into dense, easily stacked bundles, recyclers might not be able to move their materials easily and cost effectively. That’s why most recyclers use baling systems. A baler can be used in most secondary commodity markets, including paper, cardboard, plastic, and ferrous and nonferrous metals and some plastics. Recycling equipment like a baler helps efficiently organize, store, and prepare scrap for recycling.

Perhaps just as important is the baling wire used to tie and secure the bales. Baling wire safely and neatly secures bales of recyclable material before it is moved on through the recycling process, preventing the bales from coming apart.

Baling wire may be taken for granted, but it’s essential and vital to the entire recycling process.

A plethora of types

There are a variety of different types and styles of baling wire used in the industry, and various prices to go with them. Some have black annealed finishes and others have galvanized or corrosion-resistant finishes, depending on the need and application. A coating may be used to adjust the surface properties of the wire to guard against corrosion, improve aesthetic appearance, and improve adhesion. Wire thicknesses and diameters are available in a range (typically 10, 11, 12, 14 and 14.5 gauges), and are selected based on the materials with which the wire will be used.

It’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need, emphasizes Jason Ramsey, President of Crawfordsville, Ind.-based Midwest Bale Ties, a leading manufacturer of bales ties and baling wire in the Midwest. Family-owned and operated, Midwest Bale Tie provides an assortment of quality wire products made from the best American-made raw materials. Its products are made from 100-percent U.S. steel, in 8- to 22- ft. lengths, and custom lengths.

“There are basically three types of baling systems: vertical or horizontal manual balers, auto-tie balers and two ram balers,” Ramsey says. “Each requires a different wire product. Manual balers use single-loop bale ties, auto-tie balers take 50- or 100-lb. coils of wire and two ram balers require high tensile baling wire on a stem/stump.”

Often coated in zinc to provide excellent cathodic protection, galvanized wire is sometimes referred to as “clean wire,” and tends to be a preferred choice because it resists corrosion and outdoor storage conditions. Black annealed wire is quite pliable, which is convenient when some baled materials re-expand after unloading from the baler, so having a little extra flexibility can help prevent the wire from failing. Lightly coated with oil to resist corrosion, black annealed wire works well indoors but can sometimes rust when the bales are used and stored outdoors. “It’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need,” Ramsey adds.

There are also low, medium and high carbon versions, and wire with uniform strength and elasticity, which reduces breakage and machine downtime. When the wire is produced via a metal drawing process, its properties change in terms of strength, ductility, fatigue, and shape. The combination of these elements results in a broad range of products.

Having the right size and specifications allows the customer to not over buy too large a size, Ramsey explains. “Baling wire is priced by weight. If a customer has too small of a product, they may have to use more of the lighter ties, which could be economically inefficient.”

Single-loop baler wire

Stump and stem wire

Quality and pricing

“As with most everything, especially commodities right now, baling wire has seen a drastic increase in price dating back to August 2020,” Ramsey points out. “Wire rod, which is what our baling wire is made of, is driving the domestic wire market right now. Scrap prices have leveled off in the last two to three months, but rod prices continue to escalate five to six percent, monthly.”

Ramsey cautions that not all wire is not created equal. “Wire is sourced from many different countries and continents, and the quality of any bale ties and/or baling products starts at the steel mill. How that steel it is treated throughout the forming process will make or break the product.”

So, what should buyers look for in terms of quality? American-made bale ties undergo stricter quality control standards than wire from other countries, and tends to be more durable. “Wire consistency is probably the best datum for quality,” Ramsey mentions. “If the wire has hard spots, that’s usually a result of a lower quality material, and it can break rather than stretch when being wrapped around a bale. This holds true for manual, auto-tie or two-ram baling.”

Another aspect is bale density. Density and bale sizing are important because they directly affect the use of baling wire. The old adage goes, the bigger the baler cylinder, the more the force, and consequently, the denser the bales. Bigger cylinders provide a denser, heavier bale, and yield fewer bales. That means less wire is used and there is less material handling, wear and tear, and semi loads to transport.

The baler also must use the proper number of wire ties – that number varies depending on the type of material being baled. If excessive wire is being used, wire costs could skyrocket. Many companies are now managing their wire through their baling machines’ automated tying features, which set the correct number of wires and spacing to properly tie off the bale.

Evaluate your baler wire

Thus, it’s wise to evaluate your bale ties and baler wire as part of your next waste audit. As Mid America Paper Recycling points out, if waste is compacted into neat bales before being sent to a sorting facility, it has a better chance of being sold for a profit. Wire ties securing those bales into safer, more easily sold units, allow them to be conveniently transported and reused, says Mid America President Paul Pirkle. “Baler wire is critical to a recycler or generator. Without it, the entire process stops at not only the generation spot but also with logistics to those that are producing tissue and toweling products and packaging materials. The greater the quality of baling wire, the higher the bale integrity, and better the movement of material through the logistics network.”

Specializing in customer service, Mid America Paper Recycling offers baling wire for sale and can recommend baling equipment tips, models, and other recycling equipment, tools and supplies. Available to answer any questions or address concerns, we would love to help provide you with additional baling assistance. Contact us today to boost your sustainable business (773- 890-5454).

There’s Value in Those Bales

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 22:55:11 GMT

Shipping its paperboard waste bales mill-direct turned Packaging Express’ recycling department from a cost center into a profit center with help from Mid America Paper Recycling.

There’s Value in Those Bales

Packaging Express, a growing manufacturing/converting operation in Colorado Springs, Colo., has streamlined its paper waste recycling operation, reducing labor, time and expenses, thanks a partnership with Mid America Paper Recycling.

Expanding opportunities

With three generations in the package manufacturing business, Packaging Express is a family owned and operated designer, printer and manufacturer of custom paperboard and corrugated packaging, shipping containers and point-of-purchase displays. In 2020, after more than 20 years in business, the company consolidated three locations and moved to a more spacious 94,000-sq.- ft. facility in Colorado Springs that has already capitalized on numerous efficiencies and process improvements. “We have experienced continuous year-over-year growth since our inception,” states Matt Davis, Packaging Express

Expanding opportunities

President and Chief Executive Officer. “Doubling our space last year allowed us to invest in new equipment and expand our sales force.”

Considered one of the last independent box manufacturers in Colorado, Packaging Express embraces a sustainable philosophy and uses recyclable and recycled materials in its manufacturing processes. Not only are its containers 100-percent-recyclable, in most cases it uses 100-percent postconsumer-recycled paperboard to make new containers.

President and Chief Executive Officer. “Doubling our space last year allowed us to invest in new equipment and expand our sales force.”

Like its p roduction volumes, scrap material generated from the company’s die cutters and other box converting equipment has also increased, which got Packaging Express to think about its recycling procedures. Every three weeks, it was delivering its scrap, which primarily consisted of graded Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), printed board and double-lined kraft (DLK), to a local recycler using its own drivers and trucks. On average, the loads each weighed approximately 20 tons.

“We leased a trailer to house the scrap, and unloaded the waste materials ourselves and drove back to our facility, which took time and labor,” Davis explains.

Then Davis discovered Mid America Paper Recycling. “Matt and I met in 2018 at a meeting of the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC),” recalls Mid America President Paul Pirkle. “Matt asked about our services, and wanted us to take a look at his operation. At the time, the recycling operation was doing lot of heavy lifting, and there were definite costs we knew we could address.”

The direct approach

Learning about the issues, Mid America evaluated the recycling operation, and developed new procedures that could add value and cut costs. “They found ways to capture as much recycling waste as possible,” Davis recalls. “We also installed a new, conveyorized two-ram baler, which was the key to jumpstarting our partnership with Mid America. The baler’s automatic conveyor infeed had an immediate impact on our processes, and began reducing the time spent feeding and baling our paperboard scrap from three of our highest volume machines.” Packaging Express began working with Mid America in the summer of 2019. Mid America recommended increasing the weight of the bales and revising the bale loading pattern to maximize the number of bales loaded into the trailer. Revising the load delivery process, Mid America suggested arranging for the paperboard scrap to be shipped mill-direct, or directly to a paper mill, which saves the time, labor and expenses of leasing a drop trailer.

“Mid America has helped us to better understand the capabilities of our new baling machine and how to get the most efficiency out of it,” notes Kirby Heck, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer at Packaging Express. “Mid America now works directly with the mill and arranges for a trailer to be staged at one of our dock doors. Our drivers no longer have to spend time waiting in line at the recycling center, and we save approximately $400 per load that was once delivered to the recycler. That includes the amortized cost of a leased storage trailer. Assuming we generate one load every three weeks, we expect to save $7,000 per year.”

Additional labor savings accrued when Packaging Express added a feeding system that automatically moves the paperboard scrap directly from its die-cutting equipment through a duct system into a separator that drops it onto the baler’s belt conveyor. Prior to having this system, all of the scrap from the die cutter had to be manually put into carts that were transported to the baler and manually loaded into the baler.

Focusing on continuous improvement

Forming a solid partnership with Packaging Express, focused on continuous improvement, Mid America visits packaging Express frequently to review the recycling program to see if an update or a change is needed, and seeks more ways to benefit the operation. “Mid America has been great to work with. They’re very attentive to our needs and continue providing beneficial insight,” Davis says. “They helped us get a solid handle on our recycling program,

educating us so that we completely understand the process. We now operate more efficiently than ever, and see the

relationship as a growing partnership. We’re in discussions with them regularly to get the best return on our waste. Mid America is a valuable resource for any company that has recycling needs.”

MAPR’s Paul Pirkle conference call with CELAB

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:05:50 GMT

MAPR’s Paul Pirkle conference call with CELAB

Mid America Speaks with Label Liner Recycling Consortium

CELAB (Circular Economy for Labels) was founded by companies in the self-adhesive label industry to create greater circularity for release liner and matrix products.

CELAB, Circular Economy for the Label Industry, is an ad-hoc industry coalition founded by companies in the self-adhesive label industry. CELAB strives to create greater circularity for pressure-sensitive label products by enhancing and promoting matrix and release liner recycling around the world. Empowered to reach across the entire supply chain and leverage the expertise of industry participants, more than 30 companies from around the world so far participate in the new consortium.

Focused on efforts to recycle silicone-coated label release liner and matrix, CELAB wants to foster regional initiatives as well as work with ISRI to certify these materials as recyclable products, much like Old Corrugated Containers and Double Linked Kraft paper.

CELAB often has teleconferences with industry members and packaging and labeling guests that seek and encourage best practices to build a more sustainable self-adhesive labeling industry. Recently, Mid America President Paul Pirkle spoke with some of CELAB’s members, which include companies up and down the value chain of the matrix and liner industry. Paul and members of CELAB’s North American branch discussed a variety of work streams and recycling capabilities that exist in different markets that might be able to accept silicone-coated pressure-sensitive label liner and matrix as well as the technical issues involved. They also explored the branch’s collaborative efforts interacting with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) to establish a silicone-coated grade and set guidelines for the material.

“There are challenges based on perception,” Paul mentions. “It is technically possible to recycle silicone release liner and it most likely is being recycled currently within various mix grades [grades, such as mixed paper, Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), and sorted office paper]. However, there are only a few mills that will accept silicone as is. What’s most important is understanding the mill and the pulper [involved], and matching that up with the proper paper grade. Then a mill can experience success with this product. It is for this reason that it would be good to grade the product, so the definition can be explored more thoroughly.”

Concerns about the potential impact of silicone residues on the end products (an example might be the production of textile fibers from recycled film), and the inherently lower price levels for raw materials entering these alternative markets were a few of the other aspects the group covered in the call.

Paul provided an overview of what Mid America does and its process of growing paper waste’s value and its mission and support for paper label processors to find ways to recover and recycle label release liner materials. As Paul answered questions, the group discussed the wide variance in label production processes and recycling capabilities in different markets. “Since some label substrates are more accepted by paper mills than others, mitigating label material waste can be more difficult than it sounds,” Paul noted. “Getting recycling right often requires more extensive packaging material changes than meets the eye, changes that are much more than skin deep. As a recycler, Mid America is researching options, solutions and outlets for effectively recycling this material going forward. It’s good to know there is more interest today in providing a sustainable solution for label release liner and matrix materials.”

And with more release liner recycling gradually taking place through suppliers, producers, waste management firms, chemical recyclers and others, CELAB sees more opportunities to facilitate collaboration with businesses up and down our industry’s value chain.

“We’re not only providing customer service and logistics as well as pick-up of recyclable materials, we inform customers of their many options to sending product to a landfill. There is a lot that can be done to improve internal processes, which in turn, improves their wastestream. We understand both sides of the recycling equation, so education can be a real game changer for our customers. Paper release liners and silicone backing papers are good fiber materials that certain customers want.”

CELAB member Brian Lawrence, Business Development for Circular Economy at Henkel Adhesives, said the consortium’s work is only in its infancy, as many packagers and paper mills are looking for more sustainable engineering adhesive solutions, especially solutions that can be recycled. “Finding those who can recycle release liner and label matrix materials, and matching them to those who can use it -- showing them what opportunities, material formats and options exist, could be a way to start the conversation as we identify potential solutions.”

Launched in 2020, CELAB researches the best practices of matrix and liner recycling, and shares its findings with recyclers such as Mid America, other associations and third parties, to accelerate exploration of new outlets for materials. Both Mid America and CELAB endorse a platform of solutions for pressure-sensitive label liner and matrix recycling that include classifying waste and reducing landfill waste.

CELAB’s member goals for 2022 include recycling 50 percent of all label liner materials, consulting with matrix recycling outlets and engaging with consulting firms to match industries with matrix waste. It also plans a pilot program in the European Union that, if successful, could roll out to other regions.

CELAB membership is open to all companies in the self-adhesive label supply chain who commit to its objectives and are willing to help support its work. For additional information on CELAB, including a full list of CELAB members companies and activities, visit www.CELABGlobal.org .

Need a recycling partner for your labeling products? For more information, contact Mid America today at info@midamericapaper.com .

Mid America Paper Recycling Letter from President Paul Pirkle:

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 16:50:37 GMT

Mid America Paper Recycling Letter from President Paul Pirkle:

Our New Normal

At this point, we really hope the world is turning a corner with the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope things are bouncing back, having experienced great challenges to the health and safety of our families, friends, businesses, and the economy. Despite all of the changes in how we live and work together, we hope that things are coming closer to business as we knew it a few years ago. And as always, all of us at Mid America Paper Recycling are committed to helping you and our recycling community navigate effectively. We appreciate your continued trust in us to serve your recycling needs and grow the worth of your waste.

Well into our “new normal,” we are working smart to provide the products and services our customers and suppliers depend on while being mindful of the health and safety of our customers, employees, and communities. We appreciate their continued partnership, as well as their understanding of the measures we have taken to serve them safely and responsibly.

Of course, safety has never been more critical to operating a business, and we have made safety a daily top priority as we look out for one another. Mid America regularly issues and updates safety documents for suppliers, customers and our internal organization to have and review, including the safety messages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Now halfway over, 2021 has so far been as a year of action, reaction and opportunities for U.S. paper mills, the recyclers and recycling service providers with whom they work. The many challenges of the past year aren’t exactly going away; they’re simply changing. There are, new issues in the now-expanding manufacturing sector, such as longer lead times, wide-scale shortages of critical basic materials, rising commodities prices and difficulties in transporting products. Yet at the same time, there is optimism in the recycling industry.

According to the ISM’s Manufacturing Business Survey ( https://www.ismworld.org ), the manufacturing index for new orders has grown for the past 12 months, and grew at a faster rate in May, than in April advancing 2.7 points to 67.0 percent. The production index fell four points to 58.5 percent, which points to continued growth at a slower rate: like the main index, production has grown consistently since April of last year, a full year of expansion. But there are difficulties with the supply of both labor and materials. Said one analyst, “business is good, but labor and raw materials are becoming very problematic, driving increases in costs.”

Even during our new normal, we remain positive and see positive signs for better tomorrows. We at Mid America Paper Recycling are focused on action and working with you to make you even more successful. We’d love to show you how we’re generating more value for our strategic partners. So, give us a call at 773/890-5454 ( https://midamericapaper.com/contact/ ), and find out why Mid America Paper Recycling is at the forefront of post-industrial paper recycling.

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Mid America’s Perspective: Meeting Mills’ Needs

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 23 May 2021 17:15:35 GMT

Mid America’s Perspective: Meeting Mills’ Needs

How is Mid America Paper Recycling meeting mill customers’ needs? One paper mill in the Midwest describes why Mid America is one of its top picks in dialing in the mill’s recycling needs.

When it comes to Mid America Paper Recycling’s (MAPR) sourcing strategies, its long history, experience, insight and relationships give it the tools it needs to grow “value streams” with its suppliers and provide its paper mill customers with reliable service.

A preferred mill supplier, MAPR understands paper mill operations, the equipment mills use. Key to its success, MAPR learns each customer’s particular “recipe” — the specific type of material customers prefer to convert into new products — and scours its top supplier sources for that blend to provide mills with the best quality material.

Customizing solutions for growth

MAPR designs recycling solutions for client partners that align with their individual growth opportunities. “For example, we meet regularly with the team at Kevin’s mill each quarter, setting goals and objectives with them,” explains MAPR’s President Paul Pirkle. “We then follow through to completion. We also review what we accomplished and what will move the ball downfield. This proactive communication is key to continually improving our customer relationships and is a differentiator.” MAPR works to make its customers successful, Pirkle emphasizes.

Finding just the right mix for each mill means score-carding, tracking, evaluating, organizing, following up, keeping a keen eye and much more. The MAPR team has its own internal material grading system and specifications on what each mill won’t accept. “We have a good idea of the quality this mill looks for from us,” Pirkle says. “When we go to a supply point, we assess all of the material available and factor in what’s best suited to each mill we supply, document those requirements, and that’s what we deliver.”

Regular communication with the mill team is important. For example, if MAPR finds a load of corrugated medium that’s “on the edge” of its customer’s quality standards, it sends photos of the loads for the mill to review first-hand. “Mid America’s good at idea sharing and streamlining its freight process and getting things dialed in,” Kevin adds. “We won’t accept incoming corrugated with a lot of contamination and comingled materials in it — much more than just corrugated — plastic bottles, paper cups, aluminum trays and other things from the larger recycling facilities. Mid America knows not to source certain recovery sites for us.”

Market impact on sourcing With the current market fluctuations in pricing and supplies, Kevin acknowledges that his company can be highly selective. “We’re on a quality kick, but these days, we’re especially aware of what comes in the door. China and other countries are very involved in the market right now, so our staff pays close attention.” Market changes are impacting supply because currently, there is less quality available, Pirkle notes. “We keep at it, presenting our mill customers with what will fit their quality expectations. If that falls off, then we hurt the trust we have built with them. We make a point to look out for their best interests when we are reviewing material from our suppliers.”

Contaminated loads primarily come from MRFs that process mixed waste, Pirkle explains. “Some MRFs have systems in place that will remove most contaminants [also known as clean MRFs]. If they don’t have those systems, we know our mill customers won’t approve of those loads. If the recovery facility is nearby, then we are allowed to ship the mill a trial load. That way, Kevin’s group can test run the material and see if it would be acceptable.” Many paper mills like Kevin’s appreciates such Mid America services. “Mid America has been a good partner,” Kevin affirms.

Quality ‘buckets’

The mill has a couple of main supplier groups Kevin categorizes into “buckets” in terms of quality. “We really don’t have to worry too much about Mid America’s supply quality. It’s kind of on auto pilot with them,” he notes. “They’re certainly one of our consistent providers. Quality raw materials plays the most important role in how we base a fair price. Mid America doesn’t dabble in lower quality, and that fits right into what we want in raw materials. I wish others would take the approach Mid America does. Certainly, other suppliers have quality management parameters in place. But Mid America is forward thinking by communicating with their supply base and mill customers. They’re out in front, leading the pack in terms of initiatives, transparency, being innovative and creating the next big thing.”

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Mid America Paper Recycling By The Numbers

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 09 May 2021 19:04:24 GMT

Mid America Paper Recycling By The Numbers

Formed in 1926, Mid America Paper Recycling in Chicago was originally named Advance Waste Co. and is today, one of the country’s largest privately held recycling companies. This infographic illustrates a few facts about us you may not be aware of, one of which is that we recycle more than 50 different grades and counting. To learn more, visit our main website page and especially check out the details about our free Waste Audit (https://midamericapaper.com/waste-audit/). Proud to offer this service, the waste audit is a proven process, based on continuous improvement methods, that creates a solid foundation for a strategic business partnership with you. There aren’t many free services in business that can help you increase your revenue. This quick and easy audit is just such a service.

May 2021 State of the Market, from Paul Pirkle, President of Mid America Paper Recycling

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 19:14:53 GMT

May 2021 State of the Market, from Paul Pirkle, President of Mid America Paper Recycling

Without question, global environmental and trade policies affect the recycling industry. Recovered fiber, often better known as recovered paper and board, is one of the most widely recycled materials in the world. Therefore, decisions made halfway across the globe impact paper and corrugated recovery firms, paper mills and, of course, industrial recyclers. Obviously, this can make things tough for the U.S. recycling industry

But lately, new and expanding capacity is on the horizon for recovered paper markets in North America. From 2018 to 2023, more than 5 million tons per year of new old corrugated containers (OCC), mixed paper consuming capacity and 1 million tons per year of recycled pulp could come online within North America, according to data compiled by the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC), Brattleboro, Vt. Some 70 percent of the volume of material recycled in the U.S. comes from commercial and industrial sectors, and that material tends to be cleaner and can be processed to higher grades with greater marketability. Such materials must be consumed, repurposed and converted into new products. At Mid America, we continue finding market demand for these materials every day.

Materials recycling is critical to the U.S. economy. Another key advantage in the U.S. is recycling’s importance as an economic engine and job creator. The recycling industry directly employs more than 164,000 Americans in jobs averaging $73,000 in wages and benefits annually, while generating $110 billion in economic activity and $13 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue, reports the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington.

We at Mid America Paper Recycling have been proving these newsbytes for years. The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) estimates that more than 40 percent of manufacturers’ raw material needs around the world are met through the recycling of obsolete, off-spec and end-of-life products and materials. We’ve known it all along. So Mid America Paper Recycling is taking steps to communicate more about our efforts, document our ideas and expand our communications reach, and we’re making progress on all these fronts, starting with new developments on our website and social media platform.

You’ll find more news from our “Waste Into Wealth newsletter, industry and company updates, recycling industry advancements, personnel profiles, trends, equipment updates and more, including more details about our focus on continuous improvement and our Waste Audit service.

Change is a constant in most industries, and we are especially in the business of change, transforming the old into new. We’re passionate about it and can’t wait to show you how we’re generating more value for our strategic partners. So, give us a call at 773/890-5454 ( https://midamericapaper.com/contact/ ) and find out why Mid America Paper Recycling is at the forefront of post-industrial paper recycling.

Strengthening the Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Crisis

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:22:26 GMT

Strengthening the Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Crisis

Staying agile and organized with added recycling supply chain challenges and other disruptions takes careful planning, flow management technology and timing.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has introduced new challenges across the business landscape. The worldwide disruption of business as usual due to the Coronavirus has substantially affected supply chains and the manufacturing industry’s ability to deliver product and drive revenue in the recycling and paper mills industries. But responding with a practical and an informed, proactive approach to scheduling, planning, and tracking loads throughout the chain can help navigate uncertainty and gain clarity in these changing times.

Resilience and readiness mean working with partners to provide business support and continuity. Strengthening your supply chain management or (SCM) — the wide range of functions required to plan, schedule, control and execute the flow of That’s because it means tackling big issues such as compliance, supplier relationship management, risk and disruption, responsible sourcing, and transparency.

But as the novel coronavirus outbreak has rapidly expanded over multiple geographic regions, undoubtedly main concerns are being raised about how it will affect the supply chain. In just a few months of the pandemic, disruptions became prevalent. According to the Centers for Disease Control, establishing a disruption preparedness strategy and ensuring that employees are safe is a must, as is regularly updating personnel on CDC recommendations. Employees should also be equipped with as much personal protective equipment (PPE) as possible and strive to maintain safe production facilities.

Recycled materials must leave the mills as safely and economically as possible — there are several integrated processes and steps to optimize incoming and outgoing material, information and capital. Supply chain optimization is one initiative that appears on the to-do lists of many businesses but is frequently sidelined. That’s because it means tackling big issues such as compliance, supplier relationship management, risk and disruption, responsible sourcing, and transparency. But as the novel coronavirus outbreak has rapidly expanded over multiple geographic regions, undoubtedly main concerns are being raised about how it will affect the supply chain. In just a few months of the pandemic, disruptions became prevalent.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, establishing a disruption preparedness strategy and ensuring that employees are safe is a must, as is regularly updating personnel on CDC recommendations. Employees should also be equipped with as much personal protective equipment (PPE) as possible and strive to maintain safe production facilities. Next, rethink existing strategies, determine vulnerabilities and address as many as possible to guard against supply and demand shocks as material supplies may continue to slow.

Transparency pays

Transparency plays an essential part in an effective recycling supply chain. Mills and their customers are beginning to expect transparency along with a firm stance on ethical practices. Maintaining clear, upfront views and visibility are proactive measures. According to data analysis firm Thomas Insights, maintaining supply chain visibility is a proactive and sustainable measure most businesses can practice in disruptive times. Knowing what the status of production and loads are during supply chain activity and being able to readily respond on this status while still meeting demand can strengthen your resilience when working to mitigate risks from disruption.

“We must continue to work diligently to make sure we are communicating and proactively communicating with one another and finding solutions,” says Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle. “What we do daily impacts the lives of many other people; we can achieve so much when we apply a positive attitude.”

Triumph with technology

Having a contingency plan in place means using technology to cope with and better manage production flow and supply chain issues to achieve as much continuity as possible. With the abrupt changes we’re all experiencing, supply allocation decisions can be made easier through thoughtful leadership and innovative leveraging of technology, Thomas Insights reports. Transportation management technology systems build more robust logistics within the supply chain that may help meet new challenges in demand planning, sourcing, production, inventory management, logistics, storage, and shipping. Using continuous improvement processes and reverse logistics technology can improve the tracking of pre consumer recyclable loads, finding the right high-grade recovered materials and timely pickup and delivery. Manufacturers can provide and gain access to data by joining supply chain information-sharing networks and investing in supply chain data management services.

Technology can also expedite accessing, capturing, analyzing, integrating, interpreting, and executing supply chain data in myriad ways. Knowing the status of production at the mills and/or at the supplier level and being able to readily respond to supply-side questions, concerns and issues while meeting demands strengthens supply chain resilience. An improved transportation network can help keep operating costs and the costs of purchasing, production, and throughput stable.

Risk management

Risk management forecasts and evaluates financial risks and identifies procedures to avoid or minimize. A supplier bottleneck, a cybersecurity breach, or disruption that the country is currently experiencing with COVID-19 affect the entire supply, with consequences that reverberate up and down the chain and ultimately impact an organization’s profitability and reputation. Over-concentrating supplier dependency in one area is a risk that can expand profoundly during times of economic uncertainty, Thomas Insights reports. Moving product or production across alternative sources better avoids the risks of over-reliance in one geographic location and instead apportions supplies through a diverse supplier base across different regions, the research firm adds. Supply managers can also mitigate risks by:

• Conducting an audit with documented response procedures
• Improving supply chain visibility
• Maintaining standards with an effective compliance program for suppliers – establish a continuous improvement program
• Staying informed and educated about relevant compliance programs
• Developing meaningful relationships and partnerships with critical suppliers using a structured Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) program to improve transparency
• Managing the risk of raw material price volatility with financial hedges, operational hedges, and price increase controls
• Improving supplier scorecards to ensure they are appropriate for individual suppliers rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach

Timing is critical

The recycling supply chain is complex and circuitous. Because of this, effective supply chain management requires change management and partner collaborations to effectively align with and communicate with all participants. That’s nowhere near as easy as it sounds, but relationship building is important. Providing additional efficiencies, benefits, higher profits, and lower costs takes two-way communication between recycling brokers, suppliers, and customers. Ask any paper mill.

“We want to grow [our base of] strategic partners we can call and work with,” says a recovered fiber operations manager from one paper mill/recovered paper recycling company. “When we ask them to deliver another 1,000 tons or need to sell off 1,000 tons and they say, ‘it’s no problem,’ that’s someone we want to do more business with.” Timing is crucial. “We try to match up our supplies when they come in when mill customers need them,” Pirkle notes. “That’s very tricky. Our teams are like air traffic controllers, matching supply and demand all day, getting the timing of incoming and outgoing tons right.”

Working smart

As the business landscape shifts in these uncertain times, recycling businesses and the mills that engage them are working smarter to recover valuable paper/fiber feedstocks. While manufacturers have long been reusing and repurposing scrap materials in various ways, finding untapped fiber sources and increasing “easy access” to clearly marked material drop-off bins and receptacles at the manufacturer, distributor and retailer level are worth the effort. Building managers can be your company’s eyes, ears, and voice. Build relationships with them that will help increase recycling and provide handouts to building managers who support recovery efforts (trash collection adds costs, but recycling doesn’t). These brochures can inform them about how the scraps, rejects, trimmings, and other “stuff” that ends up on the factory floor can be transformed into something valuable.

Keep such handouts as visual as possible — use colorful graphics wherever reasonable to convey recycling messages and exact drop-off locations in the building. And remember to follow city requirements, as necessary. There are countless reasons to strengthen the supply chain. Managing risk plays a major role, especially now. Even if your business has managed to avoid significant supply chain disruptions so far, 2020 will be remembered as a year of total disruption in the world. It pays to be prepared and organized.

How to Gauge Inbound Loads

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:39:51 GMT

How to Gauge Inbound Loads

Paper mills often struggle with receiving contaminated incoming loads of recycled content. One corrugated medium manufacturer in the Midwest offers insights about these issues, describing its scorecarding process for gauging inbound loads and helping create a cleaner material stream.

U.S. paper mills supply paper, pulp and paperboard to more than 5 billion people worldwide, generating approximately 500 million tons of paper year. Paperboard being a highly renewable resource, recovery is crucial. Corrugated has one of the highest recycling rates of recyclable materials. But as many paper and fiber mills know, too many contaminants in the mix can ruin an entire incoming load of what appears to be high quality used material and recycled board.

Mills often deal with household and retail contamination, which range from plastic bags and tape to medical waste and even garden hoses and bowling balls. Such unacceptable items can obviously clog and/or prevent mill machinery from operating properly, requiring costly stops or even shutdowns and equipment repairs.

The decisions in the field aren’t always easy. Mill sorters and inspectors must be quick to spot as many “troublesome items” in the loads as possible. This leads buyers to think about their program’s relationship with haulers, brokers, MRFs, and more.

So, what does that mean for recyclers and brokers? How can they minimize such issues? We asked Kevin, a Procurement Manager/Buyer at a corrugated mill in the Midwest, for a perspective on industry standards. He discussed the mill’s internal guidelines and best practices related to purchasing recycled material.

Converting 100-percent post-industrial-recycled paperboard and post-consumer Old Corrugated Container (OCC) #11 scrap, the Midwestern mill produces several weights of corrugated medium (also called fluting) sheet used in the production of “new” corrugated shipping containers. Its medium weights range in caliper, depending on customer needs. “We’re a 100-percent-recycled brown-paper mill,” Kevin says. “I spend most of my time buying the raw material from brokers and the municipal recovery facilities.”

With unpredictable gluts and scarcities of the single-stream mix and frequent price fluctuations, Kevin can attest there are many things to consider when receiving, sorting and processing raw materials (or not). “We buy material picked up by brokers and recycling plants and a few other outlets and buy bales of used corrugated from big box retailers,” the procurement manager explains.

His mill relies in part on industry guidelines from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. as a foundation of its standards. “Their guidelines include various paper grades and are acknowledged by all paper mills in the industry,” he notes.

A clean stream, quality considerations With many market changes on the supply side of the business in the last year, and more going forward because of the coronavirus, mills today have significant leverage and price scrutiny in what they accept. That means this and other mills in the Midwest can drive prices down on OCC and other materials.

“We’re in a pretty good space, considering the expansion of Amazon, e-commerce in general, and all the shipping being done where businesses need strong, durable containers,” Kevin points out. So how picky can the mill be? Traditionally, performance, cost and quality were the key criteria behind material selection.

They still are. But the changing times mean receiving very clean, high quality incoming corrugated loads is the new cost of doing business. “As the need for a cleaner stream becomes clear, we urge haulers and local programs to take additional steps to reduce contamination,” he says. “We have a good handle on what we bring in. In the medium business, that absolutely matters.”

Recycled-paper mills are no different than other manufacturing firms. “We have a quality control program for our materials and specs we need to hit,” Kevin points out. “Within those specs, there’s a certain contamination limit we want our supplier base to adhere to and minimize at all costs.”

Contaminant items to avoid:

Inner packing material
Foam pieces
Product cushioning
Dividers
Plastic
Tape.
Food waste
Wax coatings
Other substances

We don’t want any

There are a few headaches surrounding incoming material and the necessary front-end inspections and ratings the material receives. Most mills have quality control programs that dictate they issue lists of what type of recycled material they can accept from vendors. Usually presented to vendors during qualification, the requirements specify acceptable and unacceptable types, and amount of contamination, and what the mill avoids completely. Also included is a maximum moisture level accepted in bales and compacted materials (see sidebar chart).

“For example, we don’t want large amounts of plastic, tape, foam inserts, produce waste from retail produce boxes, food waste of any kind wax coatings and other substances, and more solid things like soiled linens,” lists Kevin. “We won’t tolerate any type of food waste and anything hazardous to our facility or our workers unloading that material as it comes in. We want to minimize those at all costs — we cannot process that material.”

Contaminants and commingled items can damage baling, cleaning and screening equipment, making the clean paper/fiber material in the loads unusable. Contamination can also injure personnel and waste haulers and cause other threats and hazards to human health and safety.

The mill’s processing systems are designed to eliminate many of the paperboard impurities in recycled material, but once those impurities exceed certain thresholds, they can really play havoc with machinery, Kevin confirms.

Given the global health crisis right now, along with hazardous and medical waste (medical devices, new /used syringes, bottles, swabs, etc.), one especially egregious pain point can end up in what looks like perfectly clean corrugated arriving straight from a distributor.

“Inner packing material, foam pieces, product cushioning and dividers, plastic pieces and other components shipped inside a container with the products. Sometimes, these are not removed before the loads get to us,” Kevin adds. “Too many pieces getting into our system could essentially shut down our equipment. We will send back that kind of material.”

Balancing, benchmarking the scorecard
The mill sees prices rise and fall with supply and demand, which affects quality. “We can always tell when something’s happening in the market, based on the quality of the material,” Kevin says. The mill negotiates prices based on supply location to the mill, quality of the fiber and freight costs.

Upon qualifying a new vendor, the mill discusses its quality expectations in terms of cleanliness and its pain points first. “Quality is discussed up front, as well as the types of sources we work with and those we stay away from,” Kevin adds.

Outlining its guidelines, the mill specifies contaminant limits in percentages and grades of A, B, C. The three letter grades designate A, a bale in pristine condition, (completely clean and smooth with no issues); B minor contamination; and C, lower quality with assorted contaminants, with grade C being minimized as much as possible.

If incoming loads exceed those limits, they’re subject to price downgrades; too many downgrades, and the loads are rejected. Too many rejections, and the vendor is banned.

The audit process
Buying material on a per-ton basis, the mill begins to take delivery from a new vendor with an assessment of the first truckload of material (roughly 20 tons) that arrives. To ensure the load meets industry standards as well as the mills’ own quality specifications, the recycling crew offloads and then separates a few bales to sample and split open (each truck contains an average of 30-40 bales), pulling out the contaminants and actively evaluating the material.

The crew weighs the contaminated material, after which a percentage of the contamination is calculated with the amount of clean material received, and the data is later recorded and relayed to the supply base.

“We photograph the contaminants and anything that looks sketchy,” Kevin notes. The information and photos are presented to the supplier, indicating the delivery did not meet the mill’s quality standards. “This audit gives us a Quality Management Benchmark,” Kevin reports. Although the process is tedious and time consuming, the data we get from it is very powerful.”

One problematic load isn’t cause for extensive action, he points out. “It’s when we get multiple offenses and have already had a conversation with them and have issued them a warning. We must uphold stringent quality standards. If the quality isn’t being addressed, and new deliveries coming in are still problematic, then we escalate a process leading to deductions, billbacks and, if necessary, ultimately rejection from our facility. After that, if the material from that vendor is still unacceptable, the entire shipment can be rejected and sent back. We then put the provider on high alert, which can be expensive for a supplier. We will no longer do business with a repeat offender.”

A ban doesn’t happen very often, Kevin says. It basically comes down to each mill’s internal standards – which are usually proprietary – and what it will tolerate, process and be able to use. “Every mill has its own set of specifications and tolerance level. Specifications beyond the industry standards vary, depending on the type of machinery, screening systems and cleaning systems in place.”

Kevin expects the mill will soon implement a more extensive scorecarding and tracking system for rising and falling contaminant levels, with individual reports that identify supplier trends and histories. “We’re working on compiling the audits into data that will allow us to regularly track and monitor problems, successes and so on, with measurable key performance indicators,” he says.

“Transparency is everything. Continuous feedback and engagement with our brokers and haulers solve issues. We also value partnerships, idea sharing with our suppliers and tips and extra value we can offer each other.”

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Safety Tips

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 20:17:16 GMT

Safety Tips

Feeling safe is one of the most important aspects of life. A safe house, a safe job, etc., are things everyone desires. To that end, there are prescribed procedures for almost everything we do, especially in the field of workplace safety.

“At the end of the day, the goals are simple:
Safety and security.” — Jodi Rell, former Governor of Connecticut

Obviously, some work environments are more dangerous than others, and “safety first” is more than just a saying. We’d think by now, everyone would’ve learned those two critical words. But did you know in the manufacturing sector, there were 22,040 injuries, and 49 deaths in 2016, and in transportation and warehousing, there were 23,490 injuries, and 46 deaths (according to the National Safety Council)?

Pulp and paper workers are exposed to many hazards and suffer numerous injuries each year. Injuries such as lacerations, being crushed by huge weights, being burned, or getting severely cut by a saw.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 10 fatalities and 2,840 injuries/illnesses in the paper manufacturing industry in 2018. To ensure everyone’s safety, employers must be keenly aware of the primary safety guidelines for employees working in the pulp and paper industry, and plan if the team is working from a ladder, catwalk, or roof.

Regulations like OSHA 29 CFR 1910, ASTM F739-12 for Permeation of Liquids and Gases and NFPA 2112-Standard on FR Garments, equipment improvements and the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment have resulted in the decline of critical statistics over the years. But even one injury is too many, as the premiere safety experts say. When enhancing safety in the pulp and paper industry, it’s important to plan ahead, assess the risk and use the right equipment.

Safety equipment

All workers should wear the required personal protective safety gear (PPE) while on the premises. Equipment must be kept clean and maintained, especially now with COVID-19. Wearing loose clothing or jewelry when on the job should be avoided. People with long hair must keep it tied back when working with moving machinery.

Risk assessment

To protect yourself and those around you, always be aware of what could go wrong and what you can do to prevent a potentially dangerous situation. Never take unnecessary risks and stay calm if you find yourself in a perilous predicament. Every company should conduct a risk assessment to identify and prevent work hazards.

Safety training

Safety training is essential when working in a plant. Employees must be aware of all safety procedures, especially as they pertain to their specific position. Special training should occur periodically to reduce the risks of accidents.

Emergency evacuation drills

Fire and other evacuation drills are an excellent way to help everyone understand the proper conduct in the event of an emergency. Employees should be familiar with all emergency exits and fire extinguisher locations and how to use a fire extinguisher. It’s also important to determine which machines should be shut down and which can be left running if a real emergency building evacuation occurs.

Working with tools

All tools should be kept clean and in perfect working condition. Any defects should be immediately reported. No tools should be left in a location not meant for storage.

Operating heavy machinery

Machinery should be in full working condition, equipped with all the manufacturer’s safety guards installed.

Any time a malfunction or defect is noticed, alert the maintenance department, and review the equipment’s instruction manual. Hazardous material handling continues to be an underrated risk in many industries. If you are not trained properly in the technical aspects of operating certain machinery, don’t use it. After work is done, remember to shut down the machines.

Maintaining Cleanliness

Especially during the coronavirus pandemic, keeping a clean work area does wonders when it comes to preventing accidents. A clean, organized area helps create a better, less stressful work atmosphere. Many factors should be considered, including proper ventilation and lighting fixtures.

Keeping a clear head

Production facilities can pose a lot of risks, so maintaining a clear head is mandatory. Working under the influence of drugs or alcohol should be forbidden. People who must take certain medications that have side effects should notify their superiors.

Companies should ensure their workers are aware of all safety procedures, and that the work environment is safe. The rules must apply to everyone, and each breach in following them should be addressed and/or punished. No employee should ever have to worry about working in unsafe conditions, because when it comes to factory work, the consequences can be severe.

Costly slips and falls

Slips, trips, and falls can impact the bottom line hard, and severely hinder goals of making a safer environment for a company’s most valuable asset: its employees. Adding anti-slip floor mats, coatings, ladder rungs, plates and tapes has been a sound practice for years and helps save lives. Such products should far exceed the U.S. Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration (OSHA) and Americas with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines and be extremely durable.

Some of the coatings available can handle an 18-wheeler driving over them 24 hours a day and protect the truck driver from slipping when gassing up in wet or slippery areas. Whatever the nature of the traffic or contamination making the surface unsafe and slippery, the right solution is out there. Secure ladders so that others won’t trip on them or lose traction while
pulling material off a truck when the doors are open on a rainy day.

Source of Injury/Illness in the Paper Manufacturing Industry

Harmful substances & environments 5%
Transportation incidents 4%
Overexertion & bodily reaction 26%
Falls, slips, trips 19%
Contact with object, equipment 46%

Source of Injury/Illness in the Paper Manufacturing Industry

Floors, walkways, ground surfaces 11%
Chemicals, chemical products 2%
Furniture, fixtures 3%
Handtools 5%
Vehicles 9%
All other 9%
Containers 14%
Machinery 23%

A thorough check of the entire facility by the in-house maintenance crew can be performed with minimal or no downtime. It’s effective at finding hotspots that may have been forgotten about or overlooked. Any areas, including a loading-dock diamond plate (a forklift operator’s nightmare), concrete ramps, slick grating or uneven walkways can be noted as well. Walking the area with the plant or operations manager on a regular basis is wise because they usually know where safety problems may be or may start.

Occupational Hazards

To create a safe and effective work environment, employees must be able to identify the occupational hazards that lurk around every corner. Even fiber dust produced during the papermaking process can pile up on the ground and cover machinery. When airborne, this dust creates an explosion hazard and can also cause respiratory problems if inhaled by workers (see related article in this newsletter).

Chemicals used in paper making can also be hazardous. To avoid injury, it’s important that all substances are labeled properly, and the appropriate PPE is worn to avoid exposure problems. Showers and eyewash stations should be clearly marked and located in each employee work area.

Ventilation is key: Hot surfaces and high temperatures within paper mills due to the friction and steam produced during the papermaking process cause heat stress. Without the proper ventilation, employees may succumb to heat stroke if precautions aren’t taken to properly ventilate the work area. Employees must be aware when working near sharp tools and surfaces, edges, and machinery. Blades and moving rollstock on machines can cause scratches, cuts, and even amputations. With most cutting occurring on the hands, it’s critical for employees to have proper hand protection. Ear protection is also a must to protect hearing if noise reaches high levels. It’s imperative that pulp and paper companies adopt preventative measures such
as purchasing low-noise machinery, noise barriers and adequate ear protection.

While these measures may require cost expenditure, it’s better to be proactive versus reactive. For more safety tips, see the National Safety Council’s website nsc.org.

Learn how our CEO Don Gaines Keeps a Laser Focus on our Mission and Values

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 20:44:50 GMT

Learn how our CEO Don Gaines Keeps a Laser Focus on our Mission and Values

For 38 years, Don has been at the helm of Mid America, one of the country’s leading independent recycling companies. Born and raised in Chicago, Don is just as comfortable in a production plant as he is in a boardroom. He has seen plenty of change and evolution at Mid America, which are inevitable in any healthy business, and appreciates that Mid America has

come a long way since its early days.

After all, recycling and being “green” are in Don’s blood, and he knows the business well.

Family owned for three generations, Mid America Paper Recycling was established by Don’s grandfather as a plant that recycled metals, textiles, and paper. “My father then grew the business, expanding the paper and metal recycling segments over several decades,” Don remembers. “I started out in sales, mostly trying to find new fiber supply generators and new mill outlets for all of our paper tonnage. Since then, I was tasked with every job function up through the ranks.”

Don was President of the privately held company until 2018, when Paul Pirkle joined the company. Don transitioned into the role of CEO as Paul became President. Walking the production floors and assessing the process flow of materials through customers’ plants, Don has gained extensive knowledge and insight into what can improve plant processes and what the Mid America team can do to help customers generate more revenue from their paper waste. In a highly competitive industry such as recycling, operations change rapidly every week, as Don can attest. So, he likes to keep an eye on the front lines.

Rolling with the punches

Currently, in the wake of the coronavirus, there is much disruption as customers and suppliers develop contingency plans to keep operating should employees become ill. No one could have predicted how quickly the virus would spread or how quickly the U.S. economy slid into a steep downturn. However, some companies are seeing surging demand for essential products and services. This has been Mid America’s experience. Now is a time when people count on the company more than ever.

“My days are especially full right now. There’s never a dull moment,” Don says. But he’s used to thriving under the pressure and maintaining a positive attitude. “We overcame a very large five-alarm fire back in October 1995, that totally destroyed our building and all of our equipment. Rebuilding a company from the ground up was quite the challenge. I am so appreciative of all the great suppliers and mill relationships we have. They were the best motivation to continue to rebuild all that was lost in the fire.”

With the current unpredictable business challenges, Don wears several hats. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he points out. “I have always been a positive person and am rarely rattled by negative parts of a day, week, or month. I really enjoy exploring and developing the various opportunities that come from wearing all those hats. I take great pride in seeing employees develop as they reach new limits. I treasure the opportunity to deliver real added value to suppliers and mill customers.”

Don continues to look forward on how the coronavirus situation might play out in the coming weeks and works with Paul and the team to decide what actions to take while staying safe and boosting productivity.

Working smart in uncertain markets

Has the business has changed dramatically over the years? “Definitely,” Don says. “Our plant and brokerage business have grown and expanded dramatically, with new equipment and technologies. The industry also saw exceptional growth in export markets. More recently, it witnessed their decline and the shift to alternate regions. Market cycles seem to be shorter now and all played out on a global landscape. Paper mills and the waste hauling industry continue to consolidate. Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic is the current challenge to many industries. Specific to the recycling industry is the continuing challenge to provide growing streams of high-quality clean fiber for consuming paper mills.”

Despite these and other trials, the company is working much smarter, Don observes. “These days, we have a better focus on communicating and delivering on our mission and core values. We have a great team of salespeople and customer service representatives, who with excellent oversight, are continuously working to WOW the supplier and customer.

Leadership and management at both the generation sites and the consuming paper mills must strive for continuous improvement, education and continuous communication and feedback — all of which are part of our core mission. They

are essential elements to real improvement in our recycling efforts. “New Paragraph

He took leadership and management inspiration from his father, who led Mid America before him. “My father was a great mentor to watch and learn from,” Don adds. “He always worked hard, was good to his employees and cherished his time with family and friends. That works for me too.”

What Don likes most about the recycling industry is the abundance of opportunities it provides throughout all of the market cycles. “It can bring real economic benefits to the bottom line of a supplier and customer, provide great job opportunities, and is good for our environment.”

For the company to achieve its goals today, Don considers it important to be clear on the objectives. “We’re operating in a time of uncertainty, but we stick to our clear-cut goals on what’s important,” he says. “I am proud of the continuing history of Mid America and how the company has provided the opportunity for so many people to provide for their family’s needs and dreams. I am also proud that the current team and I have been able to bring real added value to so many suppliers and customers over the decades. I have developed so many great relationships that I value tremendously.”

Don cherishes the time he spends with family and friends (now via Zoom), along with his personal time.

“What would I be doing if I could have another career? I’d be a pro golfer in the summer, a ski instructor in the winter and a sailboat captain in spring and fall. That sounds fun — tell me where to sign up.”

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Did You Know All the Dangers of Dust?

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 01:00:36 GMT

Did You Know All the Dangers of Dust?

Evaluating combustible dust hazards is a must, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). You’ll breathe easier and keep employees safe conducting an analysis, which determines the risks of potentially combustible dust that can cause fire and explosion hazards. No one wants more air pollution.

Especially if it’s in the form of dust present in the facility where they work. Due to a growing number of catastrophic fires and explosions caused by combustible dust in the last decade, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as recognized combustible dust as a hazard.

Did you know that facilities had a Sept. 7, 2020 deadline to comply with the updated Standard 652, a requirement set by the NFPA?

There is evidence that many factories and production facilities handling combustible dusts are unaware of the hazards. Therefore, the NFPA decided to introduce the standard to promote further awareness and protect worker safety. Basically NFPA 652 requires pulp and paper mills, manufacturing companies and other businesses that generate dust to perform a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) based on the updated steps to prevent and manage fire and explosion hazards related to combustible dusts.

Issued by the standard, the new DHA terminology differentiates this analysis from more complex forms of process hazard analysis methods currently found in industry. If you have processes that create dust or use powders, then you have a responsibility to determine if you have a combustible dust hazard. Why? For one, combustible dust-related fires and explosions are a national problem. In 2016, the U.S. reported 31 explosion incidents that caused a reported total of 22 injuries and three fatalities.

Updated in 2019, the NFPA 652 requires facilities to demonstrate progress in completing a DHA in the years leading up to the deadline and the facilities must continue to review and update their DHA every five years. The NFPA 652 standard applies to all facilities that deal with combustible dust. NFPA 652 defines combustible dust as “a finely divided combustible particulate solid that presents a flash fire hazard or explosion hazard when suspended in air or the process-specific oxidizing medium over a range of concentrations.”

Clearing the air

So what’s involved in a DHA? The process identifies threats and creates a plan to manage fire/explosive threats from dust. Systematically reviewing the safety of both new and existing facilities, a DHA can get manufacturers on their way to preventing a flash fire or explosion hazard associated with the presence of combustible dusts and combustible particulate solids. NFPA 652 is the starting point for this analysis, and acts as a step-by-step guide, identifying hazards and what to do next.

OSHA, together with local authorities, enforce the NFPA standards. Identifying and evaluating these potential fire hazards as required by the NFPA is also required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). OSHA assumes a facility’s dust is combustible unless the company has the test results to prove the dust is calculated to have an explosive value of zero.

The analysis examines all areas of a facility where combustible dust is present and identifies hazards as related to explosions and fires. A DHA categorizes each area of the facility as “Not a Hazard,” “Might Be a Hazard,” or “Deflagration Hazard.” Additionally, the DHA helps identify where a facility is not compliant or has areas of concern, and also offers solutions and recommendations.

Chapter 7 of NFPA 652 provides detailed descriptions and explanations of DHAs. You can also find a complete, step-by-step example of how to create a DHA in Annex B. The Center for Chemical Process Safety publishes Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedures, covering simple and complex systems and techniques with examples.

“There can be high levels of dust in pulp, paper and packaging plants, so safety is a priority,” mentions Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle.

“Combustible dust must be properly contained and collected. Ignoring dust hazards can result in serious consequences, so we want our suppliers and customers to be safe and aware of the updated standard and the new September deadline.”

Dealing with dust

Where to start? To determine if your facilities are applicable to the NFPA 652 standard, having an initial screening using a dust cloud dispersed around a strong ignition source will determine whether any dust in the facility will ignite. Many commercial test labs offer a low-cost test to establish whether a dust sample is combustible.

If combustible dust is present and hazard areas are found, a DHA will be needed. Specific material tests and procedures depend on the industry and business involved.

According to the NFPA, the NFPA 652 standard pertains to all industries having processes that can generate combustible dust, but specifically addresses the metal, agricultural, chemical and wood processing industries. OSHA also reports the risk of combustible dust explosions is present in industries processing food, grain, tobacco, paper, rubber, dyes, plastics, pesticides, metals, pharmaceuticals and pulp.

The process

Basically, if combustible dust exists, professional engineering consultants are available to assist facilities with this evaluation by fully evaluating any combustible dust threat to the facility based on compliance with all applicable national codes and standards. Everyone involved in a DHA should be familiar with all the governing NFPA standards. Your local authorities and fire marshals with jurisdiction can also provide further safety details.

The DHA is required to be performed in accordance with NFPA 652, chapter 7. Observations should be documented (the updated edition of NFPA 652 relates to managing the dust-related fire, flash fire, and explosion hazards in industries that use dust collection and handling equipment, or that have processes that may generate combustible dust).

Results of the DHA require a plan of action to be implemented.

Maintaining the DHA and reviewing and updating the process is required every five years. Once the DHA is complete and the facility is certified, the best way to reduce worker exposure to toxic dust is to install a multifilter dust collection system.

Capturing dust at its source prevents it from expanding throughout the plant. Accomplishing this requires efficacious, NFPA-acceptable equipment or devices, Pirkle adds.

In some cases, any existing dust collection systems will need to be inspected and upgraded to ensure compliance with these guidelines. “Some systems and dust collectors currently in use may not be acceptable. The right equipment that properly isolates and collects toxic dust according to the NFPA 652 standard are available, and using them not only helps prevent hazards, it can even reduce facility costs.

Also, it can reduce indirect labor costs and time associated with emptying dust into large open-topped containers, which can be messy and dangerous. Further, the containers can take up a lot of space in a facility. Freeing up this space benefits the facility.

When selecting dust control equipment, look for an experienced supplier in your industry that complies with current OSHA, NFPA and EPA requirements. Compliant dust collection and mitigation equipment like those distributed by Kernic Systems ( www.kernicsystems . com), Burlington, ON, are available in a variety of configurations. Kernic also provides air pollution control equipment to meet any challenge with safety and efficiency in mind, as well as numerous services and accessories to allow users to breathe easier.

For more information on DHAs and the NFPA standard, contact the NFPA at www.nfpa.org .

Contact Mid America Paper Recycling (midamericapaper.com) and Kernic Systems (kernicsystems.com) to get started on a Dust Hazard Analysis.

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Did You Know All the Dangers of Dust?

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 21:14:08 GMT

Did You Know All the Dangers of Dust?

Did you know that facilities had a Sept. 7, 2020 deadline to comply with the updated Standard 652, a requirement set by the NFPA?

Clearing the air

“There can be high levels of dust in pulp, paper and packaging plants, so safety is a priority,” mentions Mid America Paper Recycling President Paul Pirkle

Dealing with dust

If combustible dust is present and hazard areas are found, a DHA will be needed. Specific material tests and procedures depend on the industry and business involved.

The process

The DHA is required to be performed in accordance with NFPA 652, chapter 7. Observations should be documented (the updated edition of NFPA 652 relates to managing the dust-related fire, flash fire, and explosion hazards in industries that use dust collection and handling equipment, or that have processes that may generate combustible dust).

Results of the DHA require a plan of action to be implemented.

Maintaining the DHA and reviewing and updating the process is required every five years. Once the DHA is complete and the facility is certified, the best way to reduce worker exposure to toxic dust is to install a multifilter dust collection system.

Capturing dust at its source prevents it from expanding throughout the plant. Accomplishing this requires efficacious, NFPA-acceptable equipment or devices, Pirkle adds.

For more information on DHAs and the NFPA standard, contact the NFPA at www.nfpa.org .

Contact Mid America Paper Recycling (midamericapaper.com) and Kernic Systems (kernicsystems.com) to get started on a Dust Hazard Analysis.

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Learn about what different classifications mean in Mid America’s new Waste Audit Survey assessment.

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 01:17:40 GMT

Learn about what different classifications mean in Mid America’s new Waste Audit Survey assessment.

Are you a Dynamo, Ca talyst, Explorer, Novice or Fledgling when it comes to your company’s paper/paperboard recycling procedures? Mid America Paper Recycling’s new Waste Audit Survey will help you find out. The quick, easy to use survey is the first stage of Mid America’s comprehensive, customized quality initiative, developed to improve pre-consumer paper/paperboard waste capture, and to transform waste streams into value streams.

In this cyclical economic atmosphere, the program is more critical than ever to streamlining recycling collection procedures and tracking where waste is generated and distributed. Setting goals for recovering and recycling paper and paperboard materials scrap will continue to boost revenue to your business.

Suitable for companies ranging from small businesses to global Fortune 500 corporations, Mid America’s effective program begins with the survey, which Mid America can use to assess your answers and then create a custom program especially designed to benefit your operation. For example, according to a point scale achieved, if the survey results indicate your operation is a “Dynamo,” then congratulations — your recycling score ranks your company’s recycling efforts above 76 percent, indicating your firm takes recycling seriously as an important facet of its mission. Dynamos have well established best practices that are necessary to deliver sustainability goals to their stakeholders. Employees take recycling to heart, and most likely reinforce recycling strategies at their homes as well.

For example, according to a point scale achieved, if the survey results indicate your operation is a “Dynamo,” then congratulations — your recycling score ranks your company’s recycling efforts above 76 percent, indicating your firm takes recycling seriously as an important facet of its mission. Dynamos have well established best practices that are necessary to deliver sustainability goals to their stakeholders. Employees take recycling to heart, and most likely reinforce recycling strategies at their homes as well.

“Catalysts” are already achieving superiority along several fronts, though there is room for improvement. But the operation has the right mindset when it comes to recycling paper scrap. Mid America says that Catalyst operations consider recycling an important facet of their business and have established the best practices.

“Companies [in this category] are saving valuable materials from going to a landfill,” notes Paul Pirkle, President of Mid America Paper Recycling. “Loose corrugated, pallets, metals or plastics are examples of products often not recycled. But a Catalyst is already recycling these products and growing its revenues. This helps shrink its indirect costs. Diverting recyclables directly to a processor saves money, as each touchpoint reduces the revenue potential. Recyclers often sell this recovered material at a higher price because it is usually in a good condition that paper mills value.”

And the mills are happy to get it. According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI), Washington, recovered paper is used at more than 75 percent of the paper mills across the U.S. because of the significant cost and energy savings inherent to recycling. It is also a valuable contributor to the U.S. trade balance in that in 2016, the U.S. exported recovered paper valued at over $3 billion to more than 75 countries.

While a facility’s preliminary goals may include achieving 75 percent recycling effectiveness — a great start — Mid America works to bring a Catalyst’s operation even closer to Zero Waste – as close as possible.

Catalysts may use material compactors to routinely remove trim and scrap from their facility and send it to a recycling processing plant. “We’re interested in seeing what is actually being placed in the compactor(s), so we can understand if those products could be recycled in a different way,” Pirkle notes. “If they can be, we help the operation determine the best way to manage packing and logistics of those commodities, such as baling. There will be chances to increase the worth of your waste by reclaiming materials from within your compactor and moving them to a mill-direct outlet.”

Mid America can help Catalysts formalize a documentation program to educate their teams with a few easy steps. Factors such as safety and preventative maintenance, logistics, supplier service, equipment/labor, financial goals, material volumes and the operation’s specific path down the continuous improvement road are other areas revealed in the survey report.

Exploring the explorers, novices, fledglings

Meanwhile, respondents categorized as “Explorers” are working on several initiatives and trying to determine what more they can do to improve their “recycling health.” Mid Am

“Novices” only recently started recycling, but putting a plan into motion means that they’re on the right track. Several areas can be improved, and with Mid America’s help, Novices can set some clear objectives that will continuously cultivate their recycling influence throughout the company. Mid America will determine the logistics of where their paper waste is currently going and go from there. And Fledglings, the real beginners, are actually in an enviable position because processes can be created and good habits can be learned that will help them grow for years to come.

Regardless of the category, survey participants are asked to review the report Mid America subsequently sends them to learn how their overall recycling efforts are assessed. “We then follow up with the operation to discuss the report and review how we can further assist their improvement efforts,” Pirkle explains. “We later meet regularly to discuss and execute their goals and objectives through processes that hold us all accountable. We end up creating an intracompany
team that impacts our relationship with each other in a positive way as we follow the steps.”

Value starts being realized when more scrap materials are baled, scaled and readied for the paper mill. Unnecessary costs and labor start to diminish. “The fewer processing steps involved, the more revenue increases,” Pirkle says. The Waste Audit Survey is a great place to start enhancing the worth of your waste and saving valuable recyclable materials from landfills.

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Learn about what different classifications mean in Mid America’s new Waste Audit Survey assessment.

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 21:23:52 GMT

Learn about what different classifications mean in Mid America’s new Waste Audit Survey assessment.

Are you a Dynamo, Catalyst, Explorer, Novice or Fledgling when it comes to your company’s paper/paperboard recycling procedures? Mid America Paper Recycling’s new Waste Audit Survey will help you find out. The quick, easy to use survey is the first stage of Mid America’s comprehensive, customized quality initiative, developed to improve pre-consumer paper/paperboard waste capture, and to transform waste streams into value streams.

Exploring the explorers, novices, fledglings

Meanwhile, respondents categorized as “Explorers” are working on several initiatives and trying to determine what more they can do to improve their “recycling health.” Mid America recommends they start eliminating certain weaknesses and set more ambitious objectives.

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Moving the Logistics Needle With C.H Robinson’s Transportation Management System

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 23:35:20 GMT

Moving the Logistics Needle With C.H Robinson’s Transportation Management System

Managing most supply chains is about how we bring visibility to what’s happening with the movement of our goods. And despite the ups and downs of the ever-changing recycling market, Mid America Paper Recycling, Chicago, knows that dealing with the logistics in moving pre-consumer recyclable wastepaper plays an integral role in maximizing its value and boosting revenue. Equipped with its own trucking fleet of 150 trailers, the family owned company transports tons of high-grade paper, production trim, corrugated and containerboard each week, and partners with preferred third-party freight and logistics companies that understand the need for exceptional service that’s also cost effective.

“Logistics is the heart of our business,” says Mid America’s President, Paul Pirkle. “Our suppliers require us to impeccably service them. That means we need to be able to pick up and deliver on time. But this is challenging if we don’t have a good logistics partner.”

Like most brokers involved in the current freight environment and the tight trucking market, Mid America has experienced challenges, which can sometimes drive even the most effective logistics programs off the beaten path. To face the mounting supply chain pressures head-on, Mid America recently began exploring new avenues in logistics and transport management systems (TMS) with the help of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.

Based in Eden Prairie, Minn., C.H. Robinson is considered one of the country’s largest, most sophisticated multimodal transportation service third-party logistic providers. Examining costs and technologies over the past year, the two companies collaborated on a customizable TMS incorporating C.H. Robinson’s proprietary Navisphere® 2.0 global technology platform that will further automate Mid America’s operations in terms of scheduling and tracking shipments. Using Navisphere’s activity dashboard, the Mid America team will be able to gain insights into daily operations and improve shipping efficiencies of inbound and outbound loads and manage cost effectiveness in real time. Access to such data will provide more agility, accuracy and decision-making enhancements to keep Mid America’s team of customer service representatives a step ahead of the competition.

The full-service TMS platform will help manage processes ranging from setting up orders and collecting shipping data to creating necessary paperwork such as bill of ladings and packing slips, notes Brendan McTigue, Director of Commercial Development at C.H. Robinson. “The system’s track-and-trace capabilities can be performed in real time using the dashboards, which gives visibility on transportation performance to vendors and customers. We will support Mid America with our own account team, which will provide any help needed to improve spend and overall supply chain performance.”

“That means less down time, faster speed to market and better maneuverability,” Pirkle adds. “In the past, we didn’t have a way to see how shipments were progressing. With the Navisphere 2.0 dashboard, we have that transparency, which will be a great help. C.H. Robinson also takes the time to understand areas where we can improve.”

Equipped with the business intelligence to organize everything in one place, the self-service Navisphere is an easy-to-use web-driven tool that gives the CSRs access to a centralized network of more than 100,000 supply chain partners.

The CSRs can view or modify data and perform quickly over large data sets and complex supply chains without the need to integrate with each provider individually. All the supply chain information the CSRs need is housed in a centralized location, so the reps can intuitively better manage logistics spend and leverage competitive reporting solutions.

“With Navisphere 2.0, we can learn about a prospective recycling supplier’s business before meeting with them, Pirkle says.

“This will allow us to effectively maximize revenue contributions and differentiate our offerings from a position of knowledge. We are currently testing C.H. Robinson’s processes to what we’ve used in the past and training the team on scheduling loads. We’re also testing the dashboard information’s effectiveness. From here, we will create key performance indicators (KPIs) for our business with C.H. Robinson and how we will service our suppliers.”
Navisphere can also help streamline quoting, load entry and POD [point of delivery] retrieval. “Our reporting suite, Navisphere Insight, will also give Mid America visibility into cost and service metrics, and they will be able to pull all types of data sets around transportation,” McTigue continues. “They will be able to drill down to the vendor or customer level.”

Pirkle says as Mid America grows, it needs a TMS that can grow with it, expediting tracking functions and checking shipping costs. “We needed a system from a company with superior experience that could help us leverage that experience with carriers. C.H. Robinson is a 3PL leader. We will be able to piggyback their expertise and knowledge of the trends and challenges facing logistics companies. Before, only working with spot loads and various carriers, we were not able to track trends. We were only working toward a rate, not a logistics proficiency that creates better experiences for our team and our customers. Loads must be picked up and delivered on time; it’s a top priority. Being able to scorecard these metrics in real time holistically, by vendor or customer, we will be able to identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve.”

Disruptive times

The transportation business is experiencing a seismic shift in terms of digital transformation and disruption. Recycled materials brokers like Mid America that used to manage their own transport needs must now rethink their options, from adopting emerging technologies to automating fleet and carrier strategies.

In the business for 90-plus years, forming additional strategic partnerships with paper packaging firms, material recovery facilities (MRF)s and recycling plants to ensure continuous movement of material loads and high market values, Mid America has been moving the needle in the recycling space throughout the Central U.S. using its robust, continuous improvement process. Flexibility and agility are crucial. Thus, its procedures and strategies will continue to evolve.

“The speed of change has never been faster in the transportation industry,” McTigue affirms. “Our base of over 76,000 contract carriers is adopting new technologies that allow customers like Mid America to get near real-time visibility on where their products are at a moment’s notice and create solutions to mitigate transportation issues before they occur.

Talking to Paul, I get excited about the opportunity to turn transportation into a competitive advantage for Mid America.”

Pirkle says Navisphere will streamline Mid America’s access to business-critical data and help reduce freight rates without the need to check and recheck order status and inventory levels. “Already, our response times have improved,” he says. “Our CSRs are responding well to the improvements and will have more time to focus on customer needs.”

Processing waste materials is more complex every day. But these upgrades will allow Mid America to exceed customer and supplier requirements more quickly and effectively. “If we learn what our customers and colleagues need up front, we’ll be that much more ahead,” Pirkle says.

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Meet Alan Surdyk, Plant Manager

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:41:09 GMT

Meet Alan Surdyk, Plant Manager

Alan ensures that the Chicago-based recycling plant efficiently processes tons of wastepaper and separates it into 51 different grades and glean the maximum possible value from the loads. The insights he has gained over his 16 years at Mid America are used by client partners to great effect. “At Mid America, we don’t just tell our client partners how to capture more value from waste, we perfect the process ourselves,” Alan says.

I have only had two jobs in my entire life,” he recalls. “My first job at 16 was as a day camp counselor for preschoolers. After that, I jumped into recycling and haven’t looked back. I began a summer job working at MAPR in 1998. I have been a paper shredder, a forklift operator, a paper sorter and a salesperson before moving into my current position as plant manager. If things were different and I had another career, it might be in earth science or space because I love
reading about that subject.”

What would he do for a living if he was born 100 years ago? “I’d probably work at something having to do with horses. I spent a lot of my childhood riding horses and rode every day for 10 years.”

A member of the Mid America family that has owned the independent brokerage, processor and exporter of recovered paper for four generations, Alan manages a team of 22 employees and is on the front lines with them every day. He’s charged with running several operations, ensuring that high-speed sorting, baling, cutting and compacting systems are
operational and organizing load logistics and coordinating shipping and receiving among other things.

“I’m also a full-time solutions provider,” he says with a smile. “Many of the guys in the plant have worked here as long or longer than I have. It’s a grinding job that requires long hours, so you really have to want to be out here and want to be hungry for success.”

While it’s a dirty, gritty livelihood, the plant crew finds plenty of ways to keep motivated, Alan explains. Part of that motivation comes from finding and adopting new ways to simplify the materials processing tasks for the wastepaper that enters and exits the plant. Another crew motivator is Alan himself.

“I try to stay positive. My attitude can directly affect our production,” he says. “The people in the plant will feed off me. If we don’t have a positive team atmosphere, we will not get the results we are looking for.”

Thus, Alan never waivers on Mid America’s zero-waste initiatives and excellent service goals. “We understand the challenges customers face because we deal with them firsthand,” he points out. “I’m glad to work with such great people at the company. Having good employees is crucial to our success. We are constantly working on building the perfect team and will always go the extra mile for everyone that MAPR encounters, from the customers to the truck drivers to our own teams. We make sure they have a positive experience. If they don’t, we will certainly make it right.”

Busy as it is, the recycling business is always changing, which encourages the plant team to continue learning new things and improving production processes. “One of the industry’s latest challenges is dealing with China and its measures to reduce garbage waste and improve its pollution problem,” Alan mentions. “China is no longer buying the tonnage it bought for many years. So, we have to continue finding new outlets for these waste materials by working with more companies and more people.”

It’s those new ideas and innovations that separate Mid America from the pack. “We are successful at finding ways to handle materials that others might steer away from,” he says. “The best part of my job is seeing positive results from our hard work and reaching new highs in production. And having a happy team on the plant floor buy into what we’re trying to accomplish and believing in MAPR is a nice thing. I’m also proud that my colleagues reach out to me with questions or when they need help.”

Alan is equally proud of the positive feedback and comments the plant receives from mill buyers and guests who visit the facility. “But being in recycling, we have to remember we are doing great things for our planet. Remembering can get lost in the shuffle, yet our industry plays a big part in making the planet safer and cleaner, little by little. It’s gratifying to play a part in successfully operating one of the largest private recycling facilities in third-largest city in the country.”

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Gaining Traction in Recycling with First-Ever Quality Initiative

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 00:51:44 GMT

Gaining Traction in Recycling with First-Ever Quality Initiative

Mid America Paper Recycling, one of the largest independent brokers, processors and exporters of recovered paper in the Central United States, is offering something no other recycling leader currently provides, and the media is noticing. In business for nearly 90 years, the Chi cago-based firm partners with its paper/paperboard producer customers to help them reach their sustainability goals. But recently, the company developed a first-of-first-kind quality initiative focused on tracking and increasing the value of the pre-consumer recycling waste streams generated by large commercial printers and paperboard converters.

“We call it growing the financial worth of their waste,” explains Mid America’s President Paul Pirkle. The continuous improvement program proactively educates and presents a fiber recycling method that lessens the use of natural resources, increases corporate and personal development, reduces costs and promotes safety. The secret to meeting both sustainability goals and revenue targets, the initiative is applicable to all types of paper and paperboard operations that recycle waste paper.

“Our program also builds a score carding process that effectively benchmarks, monitors and upgrades a paperboard producer’s recycling operations continuously,” Pirkle explains. “It enables us to best meet the customers’ needs in an accurate, comprehensive manner that helps them identify where the waste is generated, establish key collection procedures and set objectives that will continually to improve their waste stream’s revenue contribution to the business.”

And there is plenty of pre-consumer waste. The folding carton industry, for example, shipped about 5 million tons of product last year, and that’s just one segment of the paper industry, Pirkle points out. “One manufacturing operation in a containerboard plant can generate thousands of tons of pre-consumer, high-grade recyclable paper, production trim waste and paperboard waste annually, which in turn, can generate significant revenues for the company.”

“In the transactional, spot-buying business of paper recycling, the new initiative is something nobody else is doing in the industry,” he emphasizes. “No other company has offered as comprehensive and a value-added solution. We understand the challenges and shortcomings companies face in dealing with recycling vendors, equipment, labor and transportation issues. Recyclable materials can be wasted, which doesn’t meet anyone’s environmental goals or boost revenue. But such materials can also be a significant value-added contributor to the recycler’s profitability if professional managed, which is where we come in.”

Assessing ‘recycling health’ via survey

Based on an in-depth voice of customer study Mid America Paper Recycling conducted in late 2018, the innovative recycling management program concept was created to better understand the challenges the company’s customers face. Acting as a way to measure a customer’s “recycling health,” the audit incorporates a set of steps that are rigorously followed to divert waste, avoid expensive dumpster fees, direct important in-plant training initiatives and more to generate a significant profit for an organization.

“Continuous improvement is so important to organizations today in many other areas of their operations, so we designed this audit to bring the same strategic process to their current waste handling practices and build a smart program around them,” Pirkle notes.

The first step in the continuous improvement initiative is a new, free Waste Audit Survey, which is easy to take online in only 10 minutes but is in-depth in scope. Customers can also launch it on their smartphones via a QR code and take the survey immediately. Never having been to the potential customer’s facility, Mid America’s team can quickly determine from survey responses what an operation is dealing with, how the customer captures and recycles waste materials, what’s working and what’s not.

The survey questions also address such areas including:

current operating procedures;
organizational goals;
frequency of recycling reports issued, reviewed and updated;
waste volumes;
how customers train staff to maintain safety, logistics, handling and efficiencies;
revenues and financial goals;
level of service received;
equipment and labor involved;
continuous improvement objectives; and
safety, preventative maintenance programs in place

The results are associated with a point scale and then are averaged into five categories to achieve a scale percentage that determines the potential customer’s overall waste assessment grade. Mid America next sends them a report about the assessment and a plan tailored to improving their recycling processes to increase revenue growth.

Mid America’s teams then proceed with follow-up conversations, conduct onsite visits, mill assessments to match the best one to each paper grade and quarterly reviews on flow reports, rates, payments, recycling values, logistics and more.

“We also regularly track the customer’s progress in terms of revenues and environmental impacts, and the data is fed throughout the customer’s operation through regular management reports,” says Pirkle. “We find every angle out there to minimize waste, maximize returns and support customers while tracking their progress regarding the environmental aspects.”

The word is out

News about the quality initiative quickly began spreading. After debuting on Mid America’s website and in a press release on Sept. 19, Recyclingtoday.com covered the development the very same day, as did other recycling and packaging publications, e-newsletters and social media sites. More “copy” on the program soon followed.

Opportunities to help new client partners with waste stream audits are already flowing into the company though the Mid America Paper Recycling website, and meetings with potential customers are being scheduled, Pirkle says.

“The survey gives us a more strategic, overarching approach to take with potential customers. Making the survey available online and through the QR code takes us one step closer to working with that company by simply having a different conversation with them. We are encouraged that our message to educate, serve and present a clear pathway for fiber recycling is getting attention. This is only the start of something great.”

To learn more about the initiative, visit www.midamericapaper.com and to take the Waste Audit Survey, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAPRAudit .

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