Do the companies you’re looking at offer service to your region? A properly designed recycling program is difficult to run if there is no company representative available.
Does the company have experience in marketing your products, read more?
Various recyclable commodities do not have always strong, profitable markets. You should contract with an organization that has experience in dealing with market changes and the financial strength to withstand these fluctuations.
Verify that the company has a history of success. Often, “startup” recycling companies will jump on the market when it is strong and they have few obstacles. They may not be around when the market turns and your products are no longer able to sell.
Is the fleet owned and operated by the company? You may find it difficult to depend on external subcontractors when you need equipment, such as recycling and transport equipment, or trailers.
Does the company have the necessary equipment on site, like compactors or balers. Providing the wrong equipment could cause headaches as well as increase labor costs when it comes to separating and properly packaging your recyclable materials.
Be sure to check the qualifications of the employees and company. Request a list with the current customers that are being served by the recycler. It is best to visit several clients and see whether they have been satisfied for a long time.
Tour the facility of the recycler. Most recyclers do not process their own material, but instead only handle the materials they broker. The rejection of loads can cause problems and increase costs. Also, it makes it more difficult to manage materials that are “less then trailer loads”. Also, all processing of loose material must be outsourced at additional cost.
Can they collect and distribute different types of materials? Many companies “specialize” on only one product, like paper or certain types of metals. If you are only producing one kind of material, this is an acceptable practice. If you are a commercial printer that generates a lot of scrap, it is possible to have paper, aluminium litho or even film. Your recycler may only handle paper, so you’ll need to hire several other companies to sell the remainder.