Technology Companies and Products to Look Out for at WasteExpo

Technology is transforming the way that waste is being collected, processed and treated in the U.S., and much of that technology will be on display at this year’s WasteExpo, held April 23-26 in Las Vegas.

Attendees will be able to see products ranging from fullness monitors and optical sorters to on-board computing systems and web platforms. There is undoubtedly something for everyone.

Be sure to hit the show floor in between sessions to check out these products from some of the industry’s leading providers. Here is a roundup of companies that will be showcasing technology this year.

AMCS Group

AMCS Group, the global software and technology company, will be showcasing its waste services platform at this year’s WasteExpo. The cloud-based platform consists of six solutions designed to help clients profit from the circular economy: Enterprise Management, Mobile Workforce, Vehicle Technology, Intelligent Optimization, Digital Engagement and Analytics. Clients can use single solutions or integrate them all into a single platform.

The Enterprise Management solution is the heart of the platform, designed to cover the full waste management process. Some of the features include customer and contract management systems, asset management systems, route planning and execution and administrative tools like accounts receivable and personnel administration.

The Mobile Workforce solution is AMCS’ on-board computer and in-cab tablet technology. The user interface provides real-time data and integration with the back office, and its ease of use prevents driver distraction. Operations are optimized with Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensors and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.

The Vehicle Technology solution has been fitted on more than 5,000 vehicles across the U.S., helping customers to improve bin and container management. The hardware works in tandem with the AMCS Mobile Workforce technology, but it doesn’t have to. Through RFID technology, this solution provides haulers with instant service verification, graphical representation of routes and real-time access to vehicle and service data.

Through the Intelligent Optimization solution, haulers have the potential to generate extra capacity without the need to expand the fleet. The solution provides master route optimization as well as second-by-second dynamic optimization.

The Digital Engagement solution is an online platform that allows waste operators to streamline their operations by going digital. Sending jobs to subcontractors and receiving invoices from suppliers are both possible through the platform. It also offers customer service automation and e-commerce, eliminating the need for dozens of phone calls and emails.

Finally, the Analytics solution provides insights into any waste provider’s operations as well as enterprise-wide transparency. The data collected through the AMCS suite of solutions is presented in an easily consumed format that allows businesses to improve decision-making and efficiency.

“We see a lot of value in our relationship with Waste360 and the annual WasteExpo,” says Mark Abbas, chief marketing officer for AMCS. “WasteExpo provides a unique forum for us to engage face-to-face with our customers, prospective customers and our partners. We look forward to the opportunity to exhibit innovation in our solutions–cloud, process automation and intelligent route optimization–exchange insights and learn from the market.”

Compology waste sensor in various trash and recycling containers.

Compology

Compology, the San Francisco-based waste technology company, will be showcasing its image-based container monitoring system along with the 12^th generation of its container sensor at WasteExpo. Compology has installed sensors in 33 states and three Canadian provinces since being founded in 2012.

Compology’s sensor captures three key pieces of information. First, it collects GPS data, providing operators with the exact latitude and longitude of every container at all times. Second, each sensor is equipped with an accelerometer, which lets users know when a container has been picked up and put down, allowing for instant service verification. Finally, the sensor uses image-capture technology to provide haulers and generators with a look inside the container.

“We take a picture of the inside of a container, and we use that information to determine the volume of waste inside that container. We’ve also started to use it as a tool to distribute to waste generators to show them what’s going on inside their container at any given time,” says Jason Gates, co-founder and CEO of Compology.

At this year’s WasteExpo, Compology will be looking to showcase three pieces of functionality that set its system apart: the containers page, revamped dispatching functionality and a new text-to-order feature.

The containers page is the primary destination on Compology’s web dashboard, which is where waste haulers can access collected data and accomplish various tasks.

“It shows you where all your containers are on a map, how full each one is, how long it’s been with each customer, which customer it’s located at, its current fullness, etc.,” says Gates.

With the newly revamped dispatching functionality, haulers can essentially complete the full circle of roll-off container service without ever having to leave the Compology platform. Managers can dispatch work orders directly through Compology, and the tablets with Compology software in cabs will take it from there.

“I make the joke a little bit tongue-in-cheek about how we have customers that are using our dispatch functionality from the beach in Mexico, but we actually do have guys who dispatch their trucks from the beach in Mexico,” says Gates.

Finally, the newly released text-to-order feature allows waste generators to text in orders for roll-off containers, which will automatically create a work order in Compology, speeding up the process and increasing efficiency for the both the hauler and the generator.

Moreover, thanks to the image-capture technology in the sensor, Compology can send an outbound text message to the generator on behalf of the hauler when a container is almost full, alerting them of the situation and allowing them to easily reply and create a work order instantly.

OnePlus Systems

OnePlus Systems, a Northbrook, Ill.-based technology company, will be showcasing its sensors for both containers and compactors, its Sentry Access Guard security device for compactors and balers and its WasteForce software platform.

OnePlus Systems works with haulers and generators alike to increase efficiency and savings for both sides. “Our client base is split between the service providers and waste generators,” says Eoin Kettle, marketing manager for OnePlus Systems.

The OnePlus Fullness Monitor for compactors is designed to optimize compactor pickup, making sure to increase fullness for every pickup, thereby reducing frequency. Automated hauling service, real-time email and text notifications, adaptability with different compactor sizes and combability with the Sentry Access Guard are possible with the sensor.

OnePlus fill-level sensors for containers and tanks help haulers and generators keep track of fill-levels in real time, similar to the compactor monitors. Using ultrasonic technology, the sensors report fill levels to the WasteForce platform, meaning that both haulers and generators can know the moment a container is ready to be emptied.

“[Generators] can rest assured that their waste is being collected at the optimal time, and they’re paying a fair price,” says Kettle.

In addition to the fullness monitor, the Sentry Access Guard provides peace of mind for those with compactors or balers in shared environments. The system allows for only those with authorization to access the compactor and can be accessed onsite or remotely.

Making everything possible is the OnePlus WasteForce Platform, where users can monitor fullness for containers and compactors. The cloud-based platform can automate hauling services and provide the status of thousands of compactors in real time.

Moreover, the platform harnesses the data collected from monitors to provide insights into collections, routes and environmental impact. It’s this data that Kettle believes can have a big impact going forward.

“Data is where the possibilities are,” states Kettle.

SSI Schaefer

SSI Schaefer, the Charlotte, N.C.-based waste technology manufacturer and distributor, will be showcasing its WISTAR asset management and fleet services solutions at WasteExpo this year. The cloud-based asset management software leverages RFID and QR code technology to provide clients the ability to monitor every cart and container in real time.

The WISTAR platform itself is easy to use and works on any mobile device, and WISTAR Fleet provides access to all field activities through RFID, GPS and camera technologies, making route optimization and field-generated work orders possible.

The data that WISTAR collects provides private haulers and municipalites with an inside look into trend analysis and easy-to-read reports that can streamline future decision-making. Between the asset management and fleet services, WISTAR makes it easy to have all the necessary knowledge at your fingertips.

Thunder Creek Equipment

Thunder Creek Equipment, a Pella, Iowa-based equipment company, will be displaying two new pieces of equipment at this year’s WasteExpo: a newly redesigned Service and Lube Trailer (SLT) and an all-new Multi-Tank Trailer (MTT).

The SLT has been redesigned to include a new chassis and front-end design, expanded storage in the front and rear utility boxes and a modular design that allows owners to add new features and components at any time after purchase.

“The Thunder Creek SLT provides a significantly lower total cost of ownership compared to full-sized lube trucks with similar capacities and functions,” said Luke Van Wyk, general manager at Thunder Creek Equipment, in a statement. “We give equipment managers the flexibility to customize their trailer with up to eight fluids, plus separate solutions for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) and grease in the newly expanded front and rear compartments. Altogether, it is one of the most comprehensive field maintenance solutions available to heavy equipment fleet operations today.”

The new SLT features a modular tank design that can hold 440 gallons of fluid in up to eight tanks with combinations of 25, 55 and 110 gallons. This can include tanks for diesel fuel, oil delivery (engine or hydraulic), used oil reclamation, grease delivery, antifreeze, DEF and other fluids based on field maintenance needs.

“The ability for owners to easily field the installation of many of these options after their purchase, such as the DEF system and the rear utility box, further allows the trailer to grow with their field service needs,” said Van Wyk in a statement.

The all-new MTT is the first fuel and service trailer designed to legally transport bulk diesel on the road without requiring drivers to maintain a CDL or HAZMAT endorsement. The trailers are available in 460-, 690- and 920-gallon capacities and maintain the ability for customization, including bulk DEF storage and dispensing solutions that ensure fluid purity.

“This came from a very specific construction industry need to haul bulk fluids from jobsite to jobsite without CDL and HAZMAT licensing,” said Van Wyk in a statement. “With the shortage of skilled labor in the construction market today, and the difficulty in finding and retaining certified drivers, these new trailers allow any worker with a valid driver’s license to haul the trailers within federal regulations.”   

Van Dyk Recycling Solutions

Van Dyk Recycling Solutions, the Stamford, Conn.-based recycling system developer, will be showcasing a number of products as WasteExpo this year, including footage of the new large-scale materials recovery facility (MRF) in Mexico, the Non-Wrapping 440 Screen, optical sorters and upcoming improvements to bailer and robot technology.

The Non-Wrapping 440 Screen is designed to help MRFs gain production time that would have been lost due to traditional starscreens getting clogged or wrapping. Van Dyk’s screen is designed specifically to resist wrapping and can help MRFs deal with an increased amount of film plastics in the stream.

Van Dyk’s optical sorters are equipped for a strategy the company calls Positive Sorting, in which the sorters target and collect paper materials from the waste stream and leave contaminants, instead of the other way around. This strategy helps keep the paper materials clean and safe from damage. Moreover, developments in laser technology have improved the optical sorters’ ability to recognize objects, be it random trash, organic waste, glass, plastic or something else entirely. With this technology, the sorters can produce a clean enough paper grade to pass China’s 0.5 percent contamination standard.

If you are a WasteExpo exhibitor and have products you would like included in this article, please email your information to Waste360 Associate Editor Hunter Kuffel at [email protected].