Supplier News

Rubicon expands services in 11 cities

Rubicon Technologies Inc., a waste and recycling management software provider based in Lexington, Kentucky, has expanded its smart technology for government fleets to 11 cities across the United States, helping run core city operations with a focus on solid waste collection.

As stated by Rubicon in a news release, the cities included in the recent expansion are Rochester, New York; Surprise, Arizona; High Point, North Carolina; Newton, Massachusetts; Rockville, Maryland; Galveston, Texas; Cleveland Heights, Ohio; Dubuque, Iowa; North Platte, Nebraska; and Winchester, Virginia.

These cities run essential waste collection operations serving nearly 1 million people combined.

Rubicon’s technology for government fleets is helping these cities to:

• transition from manual, paper-based processes to digital operations;
• balance waste and recycling routes to provide equitable service frequency to residents;
• reduce missed pickups and unnecessary return trips; and
• improve operational efficiency and enhance customer service.

With digitally created routes in place, Rubicon says each city can closely monitor route performance, identify areas where waste and recycling services can be improved and make data-driven decisions to enhance operational efficiency and better serve their communities.

“We are thrilled to partner with these 11 cities to help them transition to a more sustainable and efficient waste and recycling operation,” says Conor Riffle, senior vice president of SmartCity at Rubicon Technologies. “These cities provide essential services for their communities, and we are proud to help them make data-driven decisions to improve route efficiency and enhance their residential waste and recycling services.”

Rubicon says its SmartCity software is the easiest way for municipalities to manage heavy-duty fleets. It helps local governments run faster and more efficient waste, recycling and heavy-duty municipal fleet operations, according to the company.

In 2022, Rubicon says it digitized 2,734 routes and serviced 2.7 million customers with SmartCity-equipped trucks, including 906,493 new city customers. In that same period, Rubicon’s technologies saved cities 2.9 million sheets of paper and logged 614,000 incidents in which the hauler did not collect materials. Of those, 70 percent were cases in which customers failed to bring their collection bin to the curb. Other exceptions that were recorded included extra materials being left out, blocked bins, overflowing bins and recycling contamination.

Avis forms Recycling & Waste Equipment Division

Avis Industrial Corp., headquartered in Upland, Indiana, has announced the formation of its Recycling & Waste Equipment Division, which brings together its three wholly owned subsidiaries: American Baler Co., Harris Waste Management Group and International Baler Corp.

The three companies have been in business for a combined 289 years, offer the largest breadth of recycled materials baling solutions, operate four manufacturing locations and support the largest global installed base of balers for recyclables, according to the company.

While each firm will continue to operate individually, the new structure will bring what Avis says is “unmatched recycling and waste compaction solutions” to the market. As a result of the divisional focus, the individual businesses will benefit from sharing best practices, standardizing processes, optimizing organization and consolidating corporate reporting.

The combined product offering of the Recycling & Waste Equipment Division includes single-ram, horizontal, two-ram, ferrous and specialty balers; scrap metal and automobile shear/baler/loggers; heavy-duty shredders; and high-volume waste and scrap compactors.

“We began building our ownership position in these companies back in 1979,” Avis President and CEO Greg King says. “As an industrial holding company focused on long-term investment and growth, Avis is committed to optimizing the value and solutions these companies offer to their customers and team members. Our capital base allows us to support their business operations, which ensures unmatched support for their customers.

“We are pleased to announce that D.J. VanDeusen will serve as the president of the Recycling & Waste Equipment Division in addition to his current role as president and general manager of Harris,” King adds.

Dave Kowaleski, president and general manager of American Baler, and Roger Griffin, president and general manager of International Baler, will continue in their leadership roles and provide support for the integration activities associated with the new division, Avis says.

“Bringing these three renowned businesses and their teams more closely together will provide unprecedented solution capabilities to our recycling and waste industry customers. It will allow us to deliver new units and parts support on shorter cycle times, provide optimized field service coverage and generate broader advancement opportunities for our team members,” VanDeusen says.

Avis Industrial is a privately held industrial holding firm with 11 wholly owned subsidiaries.

Hino and Mack unveil new electric trucks

Greensboro, North Carolina-based Mack Trucks and Hino Trucks, with North American headquarters in Novi, Michigan, introduced electric-powered trucks at the National Truck Equipment Association’s Work Truck Week in March.

Hino now offers an electric vehicle (EV) version of its M- and L-Series medium-duty trucks, branded Me Series and Le Series, which will be available in 2024. Hino Trucks will begin production of new vehicles integrating SEA Electric’s SEA-Drive power system.

The Hino Class 5 M5e cab-over and Class 6 L6e conventional models come equipped with battery capacities of 138 kilowatts per hour (kwH) and 220 kwH, respectively.

“Starting in 2024, Advanced Clean Truck mandates are starting to kick off in California, which are growing the demand for electric vehicles, and many of our customers want to add EVs to evaluate operational capabilities,” Hino Trucks President Glenn Ellis says. “Over the past several years, we have made significant strides in the push toward electrification. This strategic collaboration with SEA Electric is part of our plan to provide powertrain options to meet the needs for our customers and markets.”

Mack introduced its MD Electric, the company’s first EV in the medium-duty segment of the trucking industry, at the show. The Mack MD Electric will be available as Class 6 and 7 models.

“The Mack MD Electric joins the full lineup of Class 6 to 8 vehicles Mack offers to help customers meet their application needs,” says Mack Trucks North America President Jonathan Randall. 

Mack Trucks says the addition of a zero-tailpipe-emissions battery-electric vehicle to the company’s medium-duty truck lineup also supports the company’s long-term sustainability goals.

Its MD Electric’s three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor and onboard accessories are powered using nickel manganese cobalt oxide lithium-ion batteries in either a 150 kwH or 240 kwH configuration, according to the manufacturer.