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| City of Rochester, N.Y. and Cascade Engineering Introduce Permanent Bar-Coding for Residential Waste Containers “LoJack”™ for Trash Bins To Help City Save More Than $200,000 Annually Replacing Stolen, Damaged or Destroyed Waste Containers GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan and ROCHESTER, N.Y. – December 17, 2003 – It’s 7 a.m. on trash day! Do you know where your trash bin is? The city of Rochester, N.Y. does – thanks to a new permanent, in-mold bar code application developed by Cascade Engineering for Rochester’s Department of Environmental Services (DES). Cascade Engineering, a leader in engineered plastic systems and components, said more than 70,000 bins using the new technology are being distributed to residents of Rochester as part of an initiative to help the city reduce costs related to illegal dumping and waste container theft. The 12-month program, which began earlier this year, is expected to reach completion during the summer of 2004. Roughly two-thirds of the bins have been distributed and the new containers will allow the city of Rochester to improve efficiency when it comes to repairing or replacing damaged containers. Each container includes a permanent, in-mold bar-coding system that allows the DES to assign waste containers to a specific address using the property’s tax identification number. Using a handheld scanner, trash collectors can quickly scan the container’s bar code, providing a detailed history of ownership, location and repair information. “We approached several companies with our problem and told them what we wanted, what we needed it for, and what our time frame was,” said Karon Simoni, DES division Superintendent. “Cascade Engineering came back to us with the innovative idea of a permanent, bar-coded plastic container that can be tracked – it’s like having a “LoJack” for your trash bin. Cascade Engineering not only solved the problem, they did so at a competitive cost and in a short amount of time. As a result, Rochester citizens will soon have a new waste removal system that’s more effective and will help us reduce costs.” The bar-coding technology should help eliminate illegal dumping and waste container theft, Simoni says, potentially saving the city more than $200,000 per year in container replacement and dumping costs. The city replaced roughly 5,000 containers during the last fiscal year due to theft, loss or destruction. Residential waste containers cost a typical city between $40-$50 each, depending on the manufacturer and contract. The bar-coded waste containers began hitting the streets in July 2003 and had reached roughly two-thirds of the city at the end of November 2003. City officials expect the program to be fully implemented by September 2004. On average, city waste containers have a life expectancy of 11 years, and the containers being replaced with the new bins were originally purchased in 1992. “The city of Rochester offered a unique challenge to our team of municipal sales and service people,” said John Kowalski, Cascade Engineering’s marketing communications manager. “This project exemplifies our commitment to taking on the tough challenges and finding innovative solutions to meet each customer’s specific needs. We commend the DES senior management team, led by Edward Doherty and Rick Saltrelli, for their vision and focus on customer service. That vision has led to the creation of this state-of-the-art asset tracking system that personalizes service to each customer in Rochester.” According to Lou Guilmette, Solid Waste General Manager, other city governments could benefit from this approach. “City governments need to know which customer is assigned to which service, which container belongs with what address, whose address is being served on certain days, and how much service they are paying for. Without an asset management program like Cascade’s, the city’s bottom line is affected, and ultimately taxpayer dollars end up footing the bill. “Refuse has to be controlled and regulated, and each household is responsible for the refuse that they create. Importing garbage from one address to another is a real problem for city governments, and with this system, you eliminate that problem because the bar codes can’t be confused. This type of technology could conceivably be used in the future for other applications, such as a system for weighing individual bins to monitor residential and commercial usage.” About Cascade Engineering Cascade Engineering is a leader in engineered plastic systems and components. The company provides innovative expertise and intelligent solutions for the automotive, solid waste and industrial markets. The company produces components for OEM customers as well as Cascade Engineering branded products. Cascade Engineering is widely recognized for innovation in material development, engineering and manufacturing, in addition to its management practices. The Cascade Engineering Family of Companies employs more than 1,200 people – approximately 750 in the Grand Rapids area. Contact Brian Edwards or Eric Lubbers Lambert Edwards & Associates, Inc. 616-233-0500 mail@lambert-edwards.com < BACK |
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| Cascade Engineering Home < Press Room < Press Release Archives < 2003 < City of Rochester, N.Y. and Cascade Engineering Introduce Permanent Bar-Coding for Residential Waste Containers | ||
