Signed legislation means state’s government could enact a collection, recycling system in 2024.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed legislation to establish an industry-led statewide mattress recycling program.

The Alexandria, Virginia-based Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) states, “The mattress industry supports this new law, which authorizes an industry-organized nonprofit [such as MRC] to provide residents with free, convenient and accessible opportunities to discard old mattresses and divert them from waste to recycling.”

MRC says it will submit a program plan to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) no later than Oct. 1, 2023, and will propose launching the program in 2024. “This legislation is aligned with other successful recycling programs administered by MRC in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island,” the council says. It adds, “Since 2015, MRC has recycled more than 10 million mattresses and diverted more than 190,000 tons of steel, foam, fiber and wood from landfills.”

“By giving Oregonians a convenient way to recycle mattresses, we are reducing both waste once destined for the landfill and the likelihood of these items being illegally dumped,” says state Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene), a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1576. “The public-private partnership authorized by this legislation will be good for state residents and the environment and will create good green jobs.”

MRC says it will propose funding its activities through a stewardship fee added to the cost of all mattresses and box springs purchased in Oregon, including online sales. MRC would then use the fee to establish collection sites and events where residents can drop off mattresses for free. In current program states, MRC says it accomplishes this by working with mattress retailers, the existing solid waste infrastructure, waste haulers, small businesses and nonprofit organizations. MRC says it also would recycle mattresses from commercial sources, including hotels and universities.

“We look forward to working with mattress manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, local governments and state officials to develop an efficient and effective program for collecting and recycling mattresses discarded by Oregon residents,” says Ryan Trainer, president of MRC and the International Sleep Products Association.

“What to do with an old mattress has been an age-old challenge for both the mattress and solid waste industries. MRC’s approach offers a practical and efficient solution to this problem,” says Doug Guffey MRC board chair and an executive with the Atlanta Attachment Co. and Hickory Springs Manufacturing.

Tim Sheehan, who has been with Eriez since 2011, will relocate from Canada and operate from Eriez's Chennai, India, facility. 

Eriez, am Erie, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of magnetic, vibratory and inspection system applications , has appointed Tim Sheehan as Eriez - India managing director. Sheehan will replace Satish Shenoy after his retirement earlier this year. Sheehan has been with Eriez since 2011, serving most recently as sales director for the company’s Canadian office.   

“Tim’s knowledge of the minerals market will help accelerate Eriez-India’s growth in the traditional mining market,” says Jaisen Kohmuench, president - international for Eriez. “In addition, his management capabilities, interpersonal skills and sales experience will help Eriez - India grow domestically while becoming a stronger intercompany contributor.”  

According to Eriez, Sheehan earned a bachelor’s degree in mining and mineral engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia Tech in 2001. He began his career at Unimin Corp. as a senior process engineer before joining the Eriez team in 2011 as a lab manager at the company’s headquarters in Erie.   

Sheehan then emigrated to Canada in 2012 to work as a senior process engineer for Eriez - Flotation in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over the next several years, he moved into the Eriez Canadian sales department, which he led before this most recent promotion to Eriez - India managing director. Kohmuench says Sheehan will relocate from Canada and operate from Eriez's Chennai, India, facility.   

The business has been renamed Famco Service and Machine Inc.

Avis Industrial Corp., Upland, Indiana, has completed its acquisition of the assets of Femco Machine, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a provider of machining, aftermarket and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and repair and field services. For more than 60 years, Femco and its employees have supported the recycling, industrial manufacturing, construction, aggregate and mining and oil and gas industries with products and services.

The business has been renamed Famco Service and Machine Inc., reflecting the robust combination of the Femco and Avis companies, and will continue to operate, as it has since 1964, in Punxsutawney. With service, machining and production capabilities, Famco will continue to serve current customers and industries while being able to support the installed base of equipment across the Avis portfolio companies, including recycling equipment manufacturer Harris.

Avis Industrial is a diversified global supplier of products and solutions through its portfolio of wholly owned subsidiary companies.

Avis Industrial President and CEO Greg King says, “We look forward to working with this great team and growing the business. Their capabilities and experience are unmatched. This transaction complements our existing subsidiaries very well and is a natural fit for our focus on service and support of heavy industries and manufacturing.”

In addition to Famco, Avis Industrial is the parent company of AI International Inc., Louisville, Kentucky; The American Baler Co., Bellevue, Ohio; Crankshaft Machine Co., Jackson, Michigan; Edgerton Forge Inc., Edgerton, Ohio; The Harris Waste Management Group, Cordele and Baxley, Georgia, and Tewkesbury, United Kingdom; James Steel & Tube Co., Madison Heights, Michigan; Pacific Forge Inc., Fontana, California; Peninsular Cylinder Co. Inc., Roseville, Michigan; and Sellick Equipment Ltd., Harrow, Ontario.

The company says the device allows operators or contractors to track workers and alerts if they’re in danger. 

SecuraTrac, a Hermosa Beach, California-based provider of mobile health and safety solutions focused on senior safety, employee well-being and the health care industry, has announced the launch of its next-generation mobile personal emergency response system (mPERS) pendant. Called the MobileDefender Model S, the safety pendant helps ensure the safety of those who use the MD-S and the SecuraTrac platform.    

According to a news release from SecuraTrac, companies that dispatch employees into unknown environments and situations can rely on the device to relay information about employee locations while providing a connection to help if an emergency occurs. The device has a variety of applications in the recycling industry, including drivers, workers in material recovery facilities and on demolition sites.    

In addition to location technologies, the Model S also offers a built-in Fall Advisory capability. It can detect horizontal and vertical movement, so if an employee falls on the job or is knocked over, he or she does not have to initiate a call for help the device will trigger automatically. The Model S leverages existing SecuraTrac cloud-based location technology, adding the ability for central stations to respond to potential accidents.   

To improve battery life the Model S was designed with a new Wake-on SOS feature. Wake-on SOS gives this small, mobile PERS device the ability to last over 30 days on a single charge because the device is off until the SOS button is activated. This preserves the battery while enabling the device to turn on, locate, transmit its location and make the emergency phone call after the SOS is activated.    

“There is no other product in the mPERS space capable of preserving battery life with a sleep mode like the Model S,” says Chris Holbert, CEO of SecuraTrac. “This plus all of the other great features in one, the small package is a game-changer. Not only can companies rest assured that they know where their human assets are at all times in the field, but companies and employees can also feel empowered about safety.”  

The division provides new replacements and rebuilt cutters for dual- and quad-shaft shredders.

Granutech-Saturn Systems, the Grand Prairie, Texas-based manufacturer of Saturn and 3TEK branded industrial and mobile shredders, has opened a Cutter Sales & Rebuild Division. According to the company, the new division allows it to deliver new and rebuilt cutters up to 30 percent faster than competitors can. In addition to providing legacy customers of dual- and quad-shaft Saturn shredders with replacement rebuilt cutter blades, including spacers or brand new blades, it can support major original equipment manufacturer (OEM) shredder customers by providing spec-match replacement cutters.

“We are so pleased to be able to leverage our nearly 40-year legacy in shredder manufacturing to offer this enhanced cutter replacement and rebuild capability to customers and support a broad variety of OEM’s aging industrial shredders,” says Matthew Morrison, president of Granutech-Saturn. “This is due as much to our engineering expertise and expansive manufacturing capability as well as our own vertically integrated, state-of-the-art MAC Machine and Gear custom machining and tool operation, which allows us to meet growing customer needs for replacement parts faster.”

Jonathan Maly, a seasoned recycling and automation professional who rejoined Granutech-Saturn in 2021, is the national sales manager for the new division.

“Whether you need brand-new replacement cutters or need your existing shredder cutters rebuilt, we have the capability to deliver a quality product, regardless of OEM shredder brand, with extremely competitive pricing and lead times that are often up to 30 percent faster than available elsewhere,” he says.

Maly adds that the company’s integrated workflow, with all machining occurring under one roof, and tenured employees enable faster lead times.

Additionally, the alloy Granutech is using for its rebuilds is stronger, resulting in longer service life for its rebuilds, he says.

The company says its manufacturing capabilities and facility, including its own machining and tooling division, enable Granutech to provide cost-effective, high-quality rebuilt cutters for other OEM shredders, with each cutter going through rigorous testing for the correct tolerances to adhere to original spec design.

For a quote or more information on Granutech-Saturn’s new Cutter Division capabilities, contact Maly at 440-212-4989 or at jmaly@granutech.com or visit www.granutech.com to view a brochure.