Through innovation and expertise, Envita Solutions transforms complex waste into sustainable, cost-saving solutions
As an innovator in total waste management, Envita Solutions (Envita) has been helping customers transform complex waste challenges into sustainable solutions for nearly 25 years. Over the past two decades, the company has established itself as the North American industry leader in best-in-class total waste management. By leveraging the latest research and technology, Envita creates solutions aimed at reducing its customers’ environmental impact through material and energy recovery, composting, recycling, and creative reuse. Envita works within a variety of industries, partnering with organizations of all sizes to revolutionize their approach to waste management. We discuss the company’s history and evolution with Casey Diercks, Vice President of Operations. 
“Since its founding in 2001, Envita has grown from its origins within a broader environmental services company into the independent, industry-leading organization it is today. In the early 2000s, many customers were looking for more than just the management of specific waste items like hazardous materials. They sought comprehensive, all-inclusive management of their waste services and recycling needs. In response, we entered the market with a solution to consolidate the management of all byproducts and manufacturing facilities under one umbrella, with the goal of achieving data transparency, liability reduction, sustainability improvements, and cost control. Essentially, we provide white glove service to our customers, a true differentiator in the market, allowing them to focus on manufacturing their products while we responsibly manage all the byproducts that result from their processes. A couple of years ago, we became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Heritage Group, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. This $5 billion conglomerate has been in business since 1975 and employs approximately 5000 people. Since then, Envita has expanded its operations to manage customers across North America, with some services extending to other countries as well, and we now have over 400 employees,” he opens.
A diversified portfolio
After years of expanding its operations and refining its niche, Envita currently offers a variety of waste management services across several sectors. “We mainly cater to the manufacturing sector, particularly in heavy manufacturing, automotive, and consumer goods. Additionally, we have a strong presence in consumer packaging, specifically in food and beverage packaging. We initially established our foothold in the automotive industry in the early 2000s, and it remains one of our largest customer bases to this day. However, during the economic downturn from 2006 to 2008, we knuckled down and focused on diversification. As we diversified, we expanded into consumer products and packaging. The latest area where we are establishing a foothold and growing rapidly is the food and beverage industry, where we assist customers in managing all their byproducts effectively,” Casey states.
To stay ahead in these key sectors, Envita embraces a proactive approach to research and development (R&D) in order to create effective solutions to modern challenges. “First and foremost, our most valuable asset is our people. We hire the best and brightest individuals, and with over 400 talented employees, each brings their own area of expertise to the company, and we all learn from that. Additionally, we benefit from our affiliation with The Heritage Group, which is founded on the principles of innovation, research, and development. Indeed, they have a dedicated R&D department at the group level that we frequently collaborate with. To complement that, we have our own Innovation Department within Envita. Whenever we face a challenge, we bring together the Heritage Group’s R&D team and our internal experts to brainstorm solutions. These solutions can range from readily available technologies that simply need to be implemented to entirely new innovations that do not yet exist.
“Moreover, we have the financial resources to invest in long-term innovative solutions. This is crucial, especially when faced with materials that are currently non-recyclable due to the lack of technology to process them. Many companies might simply conclude that such materials must be burned or sent to a landfill. In contrast, we have the capital to dedicate to research, experimentation, and the development of new technologies to find sustainable solutions for the long run. Once we identify a viable solution, it becomes available not just to our customers but also to other potential customers in the industry,” Casey informs.
Sustainable services
In line with its commitment to innovation, sustainability is a fundamental pillar of Envita’s operations. Beyond reducing the environmental impact of its own activities, the company is dedicated to helping customers achieve their sustainability targets. Casey tells us more about how Envita accomplishes this, highlighting a memorable case study. “Our sustainability improvement services are one of our greatest strengths. We meet our customers where they are on their sustainability journey and collaboratively set mutual goals to help them achieve their targets. Our creativity and innovation shine in this space, as we constantly seek new solutions, ideas, and technologies. A notable case study involved a customer in the automotive sector who aimed to achieve zero-waste-to-landfill status within three years. We successfully helped them achieve this goal in just a year and a half, and did not stop there. One of the items we managed for them was Styrofoam clamshells used for shipping parts from Asia to the US. Initially, we incinerated the Styrofoam for energy recovery, which met the zero-waste-to-landfill target, but we knew we could aim higher. Thus, we found a recycling solution for the clamshells, moving it up the sustainability ladder, which made everyone happy.
“This approach resulted in cost reduction and improved sustainability. Yet we continued to push ourselves, believing we could do even better. After examining the customer’s supply chain, we facilitated a connection between our customer and their Styrofoam clamshells supplier, leading to a solution where we now send the clamshells back for reuse. Instead of being recycled, we number the clamshells with barcodes, package them in dunnage, and return them to the supplier for reuse. Furthermore, we tracked the usage of these clamshells throughout their lifecycle, achieving between six and ten uses before they finally start to fall apart. Eventually, when they can no longer be reused, they are recycled,” he ends.
By upholding its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions, Envita has solidified its position as the North American leader in total waste management. With a passion for research, technology, and unparalleled expertise, the company empowers customers to transform complex waste challenges into tangible environmental and economic benefits.