Team Spotlight: Opportunity, Ownership, & Optical Sorting in Quincy, IL
Quincy, Illinois – home to beautiful riverboat views of the Mississippi River, the Adams County Courthouse, and Quincy Recycle’s very first plant (yes, it’s how we got our name).
Since this plant first opened in 1974, Quincy Recycle’s services and nationwide reach have expanded considerably. But the success and positive impact produced by the Quincy, IL team has remained steady. In fact, this group of dedicated individuals continues to be one of the most efficient and tightly-knit teams out of all Quincy Recycle locations across the country.
So, what’s the secret behind the success? And who’s leading the charge at the inaugural Quincy Recycle location these days?
Q&A with the Quincy, IL Leadership Team
We recently caught up with three key leaders at the Quincy, Illinois location to understand more about the people, the capabilities, and the values that are driving success there, plus the opportunity available to Quincy Recycle employees. Here are the biggest takeaways.
Elizabeth, Business Development
1. What do you like most about working at the Quincy, IL location?
One of the things I enjoy the most is the number of different commodities that we handle. We get into some really unique and fun material streams. The Quincy facility is also unique due to the optical sort line. The optical sort line allows QRP to bring in commingled post-consumer plastics, sort and process them. The machine works by using lasers and air compressors to sort and separate the different types of plastics into different piles.
2. What’s one thing you or your team did this month that you’re proud of?
We developed a relationship with a brand new mill for Quincy Recycle. I love being able to expand our offerings to our vendors, and new mills allow us to offer more options to the folks we work with.
3. What is the one thing you’d like prospective employees to know about the company?
Be all in. If you commit to your job, be tenacious about learning it and own it. You are guaranteed success.
4. Which Quincy Recycle core value resonates with you the most?
Commit, be tenacious, and compete to win.
Kyle, General Manager
1. What do you like most about working at the Quincy, IL location?
The Quincy, IL team, like our other teams, has hardworking, talented people throughout. Whether it’s in the plant, the office, or on the road seeing business vendors or customers, each employee is focused on making our operation safe, efficient & accurate, and improving the business of our partners. It’s great to be a part of the team.
2. What’s one thing you’d like prospective employees to know about the company?
You can be successful here! I know it’s true because there are so many people that have found success in different ways. No one person knows it all and, most importantly, no one pretends to! There are so many paths, the next new path we never thought of might be the one you bring to the team! You’ll have a team to support you the whole way!
3. Which Quincy Recycle core value resonates with you the most?
They truly do all mean a lot. One Team, One Dream, One Family has especially shined over the past couple of years. Some real challenges – not business or market-related challenges that happen all the time, but real life-altering occurrences – have arisen, and our team really sticks together, helps each other out, supports, and grows. What a team!
Lucie, Operations Manager
1. What do you like most about working at the Quincy, IL location?
Every day is something new. After 3 years in this role, I still learn so much from my employees. This location is unique because of the optical sort line, which saves our recyclers precious time and space. The optical sort line sorts mixed post-consumer bottles and separates those from PET and HD. Watching that thing operate successfully makes me happier than it should…it’s the little things in life.
2. What’s one thing you’d like prospective employees to know about the company?
I promise you that this company will take care of you if you help take care of them. I started here five years ago as an Account and Logistics Coordinator staring out my window into the plant and thinking, “those guys need a kickass leader”. A little over a year and a half into that job I was promoted to be just that.
3. What is your favorite part about working at Quincy Recycle overall?
My favorite thing about working for this company is EVERYONE BELIEVES IN ME! They believe in me when it’s going great and even more so when it’s rough. This team challenges me to be great every single day. That is a gift.
4. Which Quincy Recycle core value resonates with you the most?
Gosh, it just depends on the day. I would say for my role it would have to be Alive and Well. My first priority here is to keep everyone safe. Every single one of us has someone outside of here that cares about our well-being, and I am in charge of making sure that they work in an environment that brings peace to those loved ones.
Work with (or for) the best commercial recycling and waste stream solutions partner in the Midwest
Our Quincy, IL location is centrally located along the Mississippi River, with easy access to Interstate highways, barge, and rail transport. Our service area extends downriver to St. Louis, upriver to the Quad Cities, throughout Illinois and Missouri.
In addition to fiber and plastic recycling, the Quincy, IL facility deals with food waste, metal recycling, and secure product destruction.
Quincy Farm Products works with food manufacturers to take human-grade food byproducts and convert them into high-quality livestock feed and feed ingredients.
We’d like to help you with your waste stream problems or talk with you about the career opportunities available at Quincy Recycle – contact us today!