Mergers & acquisitions

Wheelabrator acquires Charles George Cos.

Wheelabrator Technologies, with U.S. headquarters in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has announced that it has acquired Londonderry, New Hampshire-based Charles George Companies Inc. (CGC).

CGC specializes in residential, commercial and industrial waste collection as well as construction and demolition (C&D) material disposal and recycling. To meet its disposal and recycling objectives, CGC operates Fitchburg, Massachusetts-based AKS Recycling Inc., a 7.5-acre transfer station and recycling facility. According to the company, it processes 5,000 tons per month out of its 30,000-square-foot material recycling facility (MRF) at the site. The company also offers temporary dumpster, roll-off and compaction equipment rental.

“I am pleased to announce that last week on July 1, Wheelabrator Technologies reached financial close on the purchase of Charles George Companies Inc., a family-owned and operated waste disposal and recycling business well-known for delivering high-quality customer service in Massachusetts and New Hampshire since its start in 1959,” Wheelabrator Technologies President and CEO Bob Boucher told Waste Today. “I would like to welcome CGC and its employees into our Wheelabrator family. CGC is a third generation waste business led by Christopher Karras and Karen George. The company has grown substantially in recent years beyond transport and sustainable waste removal to include a variety of waste management, sorting and recycling services across New England.”

Wheelabrator is a vertically integrated business with collection, transfer and disposal capacity. This includes waste-by-rail, landfill and waste-to-energy assets supported by a team of 1,700 employees.

Waste Control acquired by Waste Connections

As reported by The Daily News, Waste Control Recycling, Longview, Washington, has been acquired by new corporate owners. According to property documents, previous co-owners Joe and Kevin Willis sold the entity to Ontario, Canada-based Waste Connections for $13.7 million.

“Waste Connections is honored Joe and Kevin put their trust in and chose to sell their stock to us. We are committed to continue providing the same quality service our customers in Cowlitz County, Washington, have grown to expect, and [we] look forward to building strong, working relationships with our municipal partners,” Waste Connections Division Vice President Jason Hudson said in a prepared statement July 13.

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Waste Control has been Cowlitz County’s major garbage collection and waste hauler for decades, but collection rates will not be affected by the sale at this time, Hudson added.

“Waste Control’s rates are regulated by municipal contracts, which will remain in place as set by the Utilities Transportation Commission (UTC),” he said.

Greg Hannon, solid waste and recycling manager for the city of Longview, Washington, said the city’s existing contract with Waste Control includes a cost-of-living adjustment, which will remain in place for the new owners next year. In general, Hannon expects the transition between owners to be “seamless” with “no effect to the residents of Longview.”

“I have had several conversations with officials from Waste [Connections] this past week and they are committed to maintaining the same level of service, the same level of efficiencies and commitment in providing solid waste and reliable services to our residents,” Hannon told The Daily News.

Waste Connections, which took over Waste Control in mid-June, will continue to operate the Cowlitz County business under the Waste Control name, Hudson said. It also will keep the current staff of 112 workers.

The waste management giant is the first owner of Waste Control outside of the Willis family.

Stan Willis, Joe and Kevin’s father, started Waste Control in 1949 as Stan’s Sanitation Service. The Willis brothers took over operations in 1987. They quickly accumulated city contracts throughout Cowlitz County and grew the company to serve Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties.

“First and foremost, we want to congratulate Kevin and Joe for a long and successful career in the solid waste and recycling industry,” Hudson said. “We also want to wish Joe, Kevin and their significant others a happy and well-deserved retirement.”