LRS Announces Strategic Acquisition of GFL Environmental Assets

CHICAGO -- LRS, the Midwest's leading independent waste diversion, recycling and portable services provider, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase assets from Vaughn, ON-based GFL Environmental, Inc., transforming the waste and recycling landscape across northern Illinois and northern Minnesota; the acquisition is effective immediately and financial terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition of GFL assets is LRS' largest and most influential to-date, and notably includes GFL's recent acquisition of Lake Barrington, Ill.-based Prairieland Disposal and Recycling Services. As a result, LRS will serve as the official waste and recycling services provider for GFL/Prairieland's 16 Municipal Solid Waste contracts across McHenry and Lake counties: the City of McHenry, Village of Island Lake, Saddlebrook Farms, Village of Tower Lakes, Village of Port Barrington, Village of North Barrington, Village of Richmond, Village of Hebron, Village of Oakwood Hills, City of Crystal Lake, Village of McCullom Lake, Village of Capron, Village of Union, Village of Fox River Grove, Village of Lake Zurich, and the Village of Wauconda.

The acquisition also includes three Illinois transfer stations located in Elburn, Northbrook and Rolling Meadows; a transfer station in Rochester, Minn.; the Rolling Hills Landfill in Buffalo, Minn.; and facilities in Lake Barrington, Ill., Wauconda, Ill., and St. Cloud, Minn.

"This dynamic acquisition of the entire GFL footprint in both northern Minnesota and northern Illinois, including transfer stations, collection operations and landfill, is a game-changer for LRS," said LRS President and Chief Executive Officer Alan T. Handley. "With the addition of these new markets, facilities and disposal assets, LRS is positioned to thrive as the largest privately-held waste, recycling and portable services provider in the Midwest United States."

Handley said customer outreach letters will be distributed soon to all Prairieland residential and commercial customers, welcoming them and walking them through the transition to LRS.

"Measuring performance levels on every gauge, LRS has moved aggressively to disrupt the Waste industry status quo, bringing about much-needed competition and fair pricing in the markets we serve," Handley added. "Our cornerstone differentiator is being among the first in our industry to adopt a circular operating model that today serves as a bedrock company value: to safely divert, repurpose and recycle more material away from the waste stream, conserving and protecting our planet for a more sustainable future."  

LRS acquisitions announced to-date in 2021 include:
Maywood, Ill.-based Roy Strom Companies;
Oregon, Ill.-based Big John;
Woodstock, Ill.-based Crown Restrooms and Arrow Septic and Sewer;
Janesville, Wisc.-based Ace Portables;
Niles, Mich.-based Joy's Johns;
Kingston, Ind.-based Johnson Johns;
Milwaukee-based Commercial Rubbish Collection LLC;
Mauston, Wisc.-based Clark Disposal;
Minneapolis-based Atomic Recycling;
North Branch, Minn.-based Jimmy's Johnnys;
Monmouth Transfer Station from the City of Monmouth, Ill., and
Seaton, Ill.-based Jackson Disposal.