Gold Medal Group acquires Apple Valley Waste

Gold Medal Group, Sewell, New Jersey, and its wholly-owned—a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries, LLC, New York City, and its minority partner BioHiTech Global, Inc., Chestnut Ridge, New York—have announced the acquisition of Apple Valley Waste Services, Inc., Kearneysville, West Virginia. The transaction is Kinderhook’s 36th investment in the environmental services sector, Gold Medal says.  

Apple Valley is a leading solid waste company that offers collection, processing, disposal and recycling services throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Apple Valley services residential and commercial customers in West Virginia under certificates of necessity issued by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia and provides residential and commercial waste collection services in large metropolitan areas such as Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Southern Pennsylvania. 

Apple Valley and BioHiTech are also minority owners of Entsorga West Virginia, a company that is currently constructing the first facility in the United States to utilize Entsorga’s patented HEBioT mechanical biological treatment (MBT) technology. By utilizing the HEBioT MBT system, Gold Medal says Entsorga West Virginia will recover bio-mass, plastics and other carbon-based materials from the mixed municipal solid waste stream and convert them into a safe alternative fuel source. Once operational, the plant will be able to accept up to 120,000 tons per year of inbound municipal solid waste and convert approximately 45 percent into solid recovered fuel (SRF). Upon opening of the Entsorga facility, Gold Medal will become a vertically integrated solid waste services provider. Less than 20 percent of the material Gold Medal delivers to the facility will end up in landfills, serving as an example for the rest of the U.S. as to how to responsibly deal with our nation’s ongoing landfill crisis, Gold Medal says.

“We are excited to bring Apple Valley into the fold at Gold Medal,” says Michael Schmidt, the EVP of strategic growth and development of Gold Medal. “Apple Valley has established itself as a leader within its markets, allowing Gold Medal to expand its presence as a leading provider of waste collection, disposal, and recycling services from West Virginia to New Jersey. Furthermore, the Entsorga West Virginia technology exemplifies our commitment to leveraging technology to build more sustainable waste management operations.” 

Rob Michalik, managing director of Kinderhook, says, “We are pleased to have assisted Gold Medal in strengthening its operations by adding Apple Valley to the platform. The strong strategic fit and addition of new talent will enable Gold Medal to continue to grow and provide innovative service to its customers.”

Financing for the transactions was provided by Comerica Bank, M&T Bank, Huntington National Bank and Citizens Bank.  Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Potters & Della Pietra LLP served as legal counsel to Kinderhook.