West Bend Tops a Year of Safe Operations
“Safe performance is ingrained in the culture here at Quincy Recycle, from the moment an employee is hired on,” says Craig Zimmerman, General Manager of our West Bend, WI facility.“As an example, the first time I stepped on the floor, I was approached by a worker who asked if I was wearing steel toe shoes.”
Line workers challenging their managers is one example – if a striking one – of the seriousness that Quincy Recycle places on safe work practices.
“Safety is essential for us to have a successful day,” Colleen Myrick, Operations Manager of the West Bend plant said. “Therefore we encourage our team to address any safety concerns they notice to all levels of employees.”
Colleen raises an important point – safe operations are more likely to be profitable ones. Not only for Quincy Recycle, but for our suppliers and customers as well.
We’re proud to announce that last month our West Bend facility crossed the one year mark without an OSHA-reportable safety incident.
Given the potentially dangerous nature of our work, this is a notable feat. At any one time there can be half a dozen tractor trailers loading or unloading, tow motors doing heavy lifting and shifting, conveyors carrying material from one place to another, and huge industrial shredders destroying tons of paper or plastic material.
West Bend joins our St. Louis, Alsip (Chicago), and New Haven, IN plants in going a year without an accident.
Creating a culture of safety has been a priority at Quincy Recycle since day one. And forty years later, that culture continues to thrive.
“Every employee is responsible not only for their own safety, but is challenged to keep a mindful eye on everything going on around them to catch any potentially unsafe working conditions,” GM Craig Zimmerman states.
“Not only is working safely critical to employees going home without injury each night, but it is also a condition of employment,” Craig points out.
All of which means that our employees go home safe to their families, and Quincy Recycle and our customers are able to reap the cost benefits in safe, efficient, and well-managed operations.
Employee Spotlight: Hannah Hauk
“Hannah is fearless in reaching out to brand-new customers to foster new relationships,” said Indianapolis GM Michael Malloy. That’s why the Core Value he associates with Hannah is “Be Courageous and Try It”. “Hannah focuses on keeping our plant safe by expediting our tons off the floor. Anytime you challenge her to do more or a new role, she is always willing to try it and make it her task.” It’s easy to see why Hannah has become such an asset to the Quincy Recycle Team!
When did you start with Quincy Recycle?
September 13th 2021
What was your job title when you started?
Account Logistics Coordinator
What is your current title?
Account Logistics Coordinator/ Sales Coordinator
If you had to pick one, which Core Value is your favorite and why?
“Commit, be tenacious, and compete to win” is my favorite core value because I believe in going the extra mile to achieve your personal goals and create a win for the whole team as well.
What was the most challenging thing to learn in your roles?
The most challenging thing to learn was how to navigator the computer program for our data keeping.
What was the most surprising or fun thing to learn?
The most surprising and fun thing to learn about Quincy Recycle was the amount of waste that is actually created on the industrial level and all the different processes of production for recyclables.
What’s your favorite part about working at Quincy Recycle?
My favorite part about working at Quincy Recycle is the ability to take ownership of your role and expand your knowledge freely.
What would you like prospective employees to know about Quincy Recycle?
Quincy Recycle is a wonderfully cultured work environment full of plenty of opportunity to grow and achieve success.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
Some of my hobbies include; going out to eat, going to festivals, spending time outdoors, or spending time with my family and friends.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or received?
The best piece of advice I have received was “Worry about the things you can control, not what you can’t”
If you had to pick a song to portray the culture of Quincy Recycle, what would it be and why?
Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves because at the end of the day there are no mistakes.
Secure Unboxing, Shredding, & Recycling for Print Materials
Boxes of unused or confidential print materials don’t only take up space; they’re also a liability.
So what do you do with paper and print materials that can’t be thrown away? When it comes to disposing of your print materials, security is a priority.
Quincy Recycle can safely and securely shred your bulk print materials and books, so you don’t have to worry about sensitive or obsolete information getting into the wrong hands. Our facilities have state-of-the-art shredding equipment specially designed to shred paper, cardboard, and even hardcover books. We work with various industries to ensure their products and paper waste are properly safeguarded and destroyed throughout our entire waste management process.
Businesses around the country trust us to handle their waste streams. Let’s take a look at a few of the mass-production industries that commonly partner with Quincy Recycle for secure unboxing, shredding, and recycling services.
Education Industry
Testing materials, misprinted booklets, and obsolete educational materials aren’t items you want floating back into the market. When these materials aren’t properly shredded or destroyed, they can be unethically used or sold back to consumers.
Quincy Recycles handles the unboxing, shredding, and recycling of educational materials to ensure they’re properly destroyed and disposed of in a sustainable manner. Companies that manufacture these materials are ideal partners for us because we can handle thousands of pounds of paper waste at a time. Our trucks and secure processes ensure that your bulk print waste that is no longer meant for the consumer market never makes it back into circulation.
Wholesale Industry
Wholesalers often find themselves storing old marketing materials, outdated product catalogs, and unsold magazines or books.
As these materials accumulate into a significant volume of waste, they begin to take up valuable warehouse space. Materials with product prices or sensitive information can’t be thrown away. Wholesalers rely on Quincy Recycle for secure unboxing and shredding of confidential materials.
Our goal is to provide our customers with hassle-free waste stream management. Convenient pickup and drop-off times are scheduled to accommodate schedules as much as possible. Your team won’t need to unbox any of the print material before it makes its way to us. Our customers have the peace of mind knowing that their materials are securely unboxed and destroyed all in the same facility.
Publishing Companies
Publishing companies handle a wide variety of print materials, many of which may contain sensitive or proprietary information. Misprints, damaged books, overstock books, and proofs and test prints can accumulate into large quantities of paper waste over time.
When these materials are no longer needed, they must be disposed of in a secure and confidential manner. Product destruction prevents any potential data breaches or unauthorized distribution of content. Large publishing companies without a secure channel for waste management are vulnerable to content leaks, potentially threatening future revenue and brand integrity.
Secure product destruction ensures these items are completely destroyed. This prevents them from entering unauthorized channels and protects the publisher’s brand and intellectual property rights. Bulk trademarked or copyrighted materials are commonly sent to Quincy Recycle for complete unboxing, shredding, and recycling services.
Why You Should Partner with Quincy Recycle for Unboxing, Shredding, and Recycling
At Quincy Recycle, we have spent nearly fifty years establishing partnerships with education, publishing, and bulk paper waste companies across the nation. Our customers trust us to handle, destroy, dispose, and recycle their sensitive print materials.
Not all industrial recycling companies are created equally. We strive to provide the highest quality and most secure product destruction services available on the market. From the moment the excess print material arrives to our facility, it is expertly handled, unboxed, shredded, and baled until it is safely loaded on a truck and on its way to a paper mill.
Don’t see your industry listed?
Reach out to us! Quincy Recycle has helped a variety of companies reduce waste, streamline operations, and generate new revenue opportunities.
Employee Spotlight: Michael Beal
This month’s Employee Spotlight features Michael Beal, an operator at our Quincy plant. “Michael embraces our Core Value, One Team, One Dream, One Family, by gladly accepting whatever the day brings him. He is a hard worker and is happy to pivot from one role to another as needs arise at the plant,” says Kyle Venvertloh, General Manager. Since starting with the company, he has learned the ins and outs of the plastic sort line, safely rotating Gaylords of plastic or paper, and running our IPS baler. Kyle adds, “He’s always pleasant to be around and enjoys engaging with all team members with an attitude of “whatever the team needs today” and a smile.” Quincy’s Operation Manager, Lucie Spohr, describes him as “Everything I want in a teammate on the floor. He’s ambitious, respectful, and ready to tackle anything that comes his way. I am met with positivity each morning, and we end the day with immense appreciation and feelings of accomplishment. Michael loves this company and watching it grow so much that he recruits reliable employees to join our team.”
When did you start with Quincy Recycle?
March 2022
What was your job title when you started?
Line Sorter/ Laborer
What is your current title?
Machine Operator
If you had to pick one, which Core Value is your favorite?
One Team. One Dream. One Family.
What was the most challenging thing to learn in your roles?
The different names of the products.
What was the most surprising or fun thing to learn?
How to work heavy machinery.
What’s your favorite part about working at Quincy Recycle?
That I learn something new everyday about the company.
What would you like prospective employees to know about Quincy Recycle?
It’s a nice, safe place to work that will help you get your life together.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
Working out & playing basketball.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or received?
Never think that you know it all. Always be willing to learn.
If you had to pick a song to portray the culture of Quincy Recycle, what would it be?
We Are the World by U.S.A. for Africa