Keeping Waste Out Of Landfills- Goodwill Duluth
Founded in 1919 in Duluth, MN, Goodwill Industries Vocational Enterprises Inc. is the 10th oldest Goodwill organization in the world, serving 19 counties across Northern Minnesota & Northern Wisconsin. Goodwill’s mission is transforming lives for generations through learning and the power of work. They provide training, jobs, and support services for people with barriers to employment who seek greater independence. Goodwill’s vision is that all people have the opportunity to achieve success in their pursuit of work, independence, and a greater quality of life.
These textile bales were made with Harmony’s S60XDRC vertical baler.
Their work of offering employment to enhance the quality of life has positive impacts beyond the people they serve. As a business that reuses and recycles a variety of materials, Goodwill Duluth is keeping thousands of pounds of waste out of landfills.
In addition to providing employment and employment services, Goodwill’s retail effort is also about re-use. By accepting donated household items and selling them in their stores, they keep significant volumes of goods out of landfills.
However, you may not know just how much recycling and waste diversion they are doing. Many of the items donated to Goodwill cannot be resold in their stores as they are too worn, broken, unsafe, or simply unsalable. Further processing of these rejected materials results in more employment opportunities and another source of revenue: salvage markets.
Harmony’s vertical balers maximize operational workspace.
Goodwill Industries, International has developed secondary markets for salvage textiles, books, stuffed animals and shoes. Goods that don’t meet quality levels required for their stores, but meet minimum quality levels set by salvage customers, are recycled through these markets and kept out of landfills. For example, unsalable metal items, from pots and pans to bicycles, are recycled through scrap-metal dealers. Even the cord off of a lamp or toaster oven generates revenue through copper reclamation.
Each fiscal year, in addition to the millions of pounds of goods recycled through retail sales in their stores, Goodwill Industries International used secondary markets to recycle 2.2 million lbs. of unsalable textiles, 300,000 lbs. of general scrap metal, 100,000 lbs. of salvage shoes,400,000 lbs. of salvage books.
Getting Results With Harmony Balers
The scale and volume of Goodwill Duluth’s recycling program demands recycling machines that are efficient, durable, and long-lasting. Harmony is proud that this innovative non-profit organization has chosen to use our equipment for decades. They are a four-time return customer of our vertical balers!
This M60CB helps Goodwill Duluth recycle large volumes of cardboard into mill sized bales.
Goodwill Duluth uses our M60CB cardboard baler, S60XDRC conveyor fed automatic multi-material baler, and M60HP vertical baler (commissioned into use nearly 30 years ago!) to recycle textiles, linens, blankets, quilts, men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, stuffed animals, cardboard, and more. With their higher volume, they produce 40 bales per week of these diverse recyclables.
The Harmony balers help them generate an amazing $200.00/hour recycling revenue for their salvage market!
Most recently, Goodwill Duluth purchased a fourth baler to add to their existing fleet of long lasting recycling machines. This time, they purchased the durable M60STD vertical 60″ baler, capable of producing mill sized bales of a variety of materials.
When asked what they like about the balers and why they continue to choose Harmony, Tim Balde, Director of Performance Excellence and Asset Protection claimed, “Because they (Harmony) are local and have a good product with low maintenance costs.” He continued to recognize Harmony’s quality by stating, “I would highly recommend Harmony based on performance and value. Thank you to Harmony Enterprises for their generous nonprofit discount, support of our mission, and helping us to keep thousands of pounds of household materials out of landfills.”
“Harmony has a good product with low maintenance costs – I would highly recommend Harmony based on performance and value!”
-Tim Balde, Goodwill Duluth
Director of Performance Excellence and Asset Protection
Are You Ready To Keep Waste Out Of Landfills?
Harmony Enterprises applauds the excellent environmental stewardship demonstrated by Goodwill Goodwill Industries Vocational Enterprises Inc. in Duluth, MN. We very much appreciate the opportunity to earn their repeat business and help them achieve their sustainability and recycling revenue goals.
Do you have needs for recycling in your business? Could you turn waste into revenue and keep waste out of the waste stream like Goodwill Duluth? Harmony can help!
Our knowledgeable and friendly sales team can conduct a free site review of your operations to determine which of our wide range of solutions would be the best fit and what type of return on your investment you can expect when you partner with Harmony.
Call us at (507) 886-6666 or fill out this simple form to get in touch with us today!
