Dan Tuohy, President of COTG, a Xerox dealership, is profiting from recycling the company’s rubbish.
Tuohy is a believer in green credentials and his company has certificates for ENERGY STAR and EPEAT on its Xerox products however the rubbish that amounted behind his premises meant that the company was spending $125,000 (€115,087) a year to have it removed.
Because Chicago is a “windy city” much of the refuse would blow into neighbouring properties and Bob Clark, Vice President, Operations, COTG, said: “We got calls from neighbours, almost daily, telling us to come and clear our garbage off of their property. It’s not like we could deny it; Xerox’s logo was all over the stuff.”
Tuohy decided to buy compactors for the packing waste, one for plastic, one for plastic foam and another for cardboard and by bailing the waste was paid by recyclers for the refuse which brought the waste bill down from $125,000 to $3,500 (€3,222) a year. Tuohy also made sure that the shipping pallets were returned meaning less rubbish to dispose of as well as saving Xerox money and any damaged ones were taken to a “local composter” who ground them up for compost.
Clark had thought that the original investment in the compactors would see a return of investment (ROI) in five years however he said: “Our revenue from selling the clear plastics, cardboard and plastic foam ranges from about $26,000 (€23,891) a year to $30,000 (€27,567). We got our ROI back in 16 months.”
Customers enjoy tours of COTG but are especially attracted to the recycling process and Tuohy commented: “The customers love it because it shows another way that COTG walks the talk of environmental responsibility.”