The Garbage Business

**Gaulkin** · 04-29-2008 09:46 PM

Anyone have any useful information about the solid waste business i could use?

**rogercbryan** · 04-29-2008 10:06 PM

Not sure what you are asking for....

**Gaulkin** · 04-29-2008 10:14 PM

Nothing in particular, just gathering information is about it. When i graduate college im going to buy a solid waste collection business and expand by mergers and acquisitions. We will offer front load and rear load weekly collection, roll off dumpster, and portable toilets across the United States. The biggest problem ive come across so far is the limited amount of acquisitions left for the taking. Most of the public companies have already taken all of the local companies off the market or absorbed them themselves, the idea though is to go public eventually.

**Gaulkin** · 04-30-2008 08:52 AM

bump......

**rogercbryan** · 04-30-2008 09:35 AM

Are you looking at simply being a dump or are you going to be a recycling center. There are so many different facets to this business that I need to know where your focus is going to be.

I deal with recycling cars on a large scale. I'm also getting into recycling (reselling in bulk) other donated goods such as cloths, furniture, electronics, and such. To do this I have to work with local waste facilities to get rid of the items I can not bundle and ship overseas.

Give me a little more info and we may be able to talk...

**Gaulkin** · 04-30-2008 10:46 AM

How much more information is there.... Im going to pick up trash with front load and rear load garbage trucks, rent roll off dumpsters and rent portable toilets. There is no other information.

**rogercbryan** · 04-30-2008 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Gaulkin

How much more information is there.... Im going to pick up trash with front load and rear load garbage trucks, rent roll off dumpsters and rent portable toilets. There is no other information.

If it were only that simple... where are you going to take the waste? What type of businesses are your going to work with? Are you going to own the trucks, dumpsters, and land fill? Where are you going to market your services? Are you going to do industrial waste? Are you going to do any recycling? ..... I have a ton more questions if you want them...

**jasaunders** · 04-30-2008 12:49 PM

On a local level, contracts are set with towns, cities or in some cases counties. As a new company, it will be tough to out an established company and steal the contracts from them I would imagine.

**Gaulkin** · 04-30-2008 12:56 PM

You are correct jasaunders, it is not possible to take business from other companies thats why i said im buying a company, not starting it. The only way to get anywhere in the waste industry is through buyouts of already established companies. If you try and out price them however you may get a knock on your door from the mafia, but that i know nothing about.

Rogercbryan, the great thing about buying a business that already does 100k in net profit a year is all those questions you have are answered and given to me. However if you want me to answer them i can because i already run my own junk removal company and know all the answers. I am not looking for interesting information about how they run there companies but more about the actual solid waste industry.

**jasaunders** · 04-30-2008 01:05 PM

The only thing I know about the solid waste industry is that it's trash! It stinks! literally.

**PhilFreecash** · 04-30-2008 02:32 PM

I would start with the toilets. Target large events such as festivals or local concerts even construction companies. From there you can offer your dumpster service as well, kind of like a package. I don't know it that helps anything or not.

**Gaulkin** · 04-30-2008 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by jasaunders

The only thing I know about the solid waste industry is that it's trash! It stinks! literally.

Smells like money.

**rogercbryan** · 05-01-2008 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Gaulkin

Rogercbryan, the great thing about buying a business that already does 100k in net profit a year is all those questions you have are answered and given to me. However if you want me to answer them i can because i already run my own junk removal company and know all the answers. I am not looking for interesting information about how they run there companies but more about the actual solid waste industry.

I guess I'm failing to show my point. Your question is similar to "Tell me about the auto industry". That is such a generic question that it fails to recognize the complexity of the industry.

From landfills to recycling centers - from toilets to scrap cars - from drop off only to contracts with municipalities.... this is an extremely complex industry. Junk removal is worlds different from operating a company that has legal contractual obligations to a municipality to remove garbage from in front of homes.

I will say this.. you are moving into the perfect industry. There is a lot of money these days in 'garbage' and as the population grows and land becomes more scarce you will find that you picked the right time to move into this market segment. I'm only trying to find talking points as I have some experience with this.

**Gaulkin** · 05-01-2008 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

I guess I'm failing to show my point. Your question is similar to "Tell me about the auto industry". That is such a generic question that it fails to recognize the complexity of the industry.

From landfills to recycling centers - from toilets to scrap cars - from drop off only to contracts with municipalities.... this is an extremely complex industry. Junk removal is worlds different from operating a company that has legal contractual obligations to a municipality to remove garbage from in front of homes.

I will say this.. you are moving into the perfect industry. There is a lot of money these days in 'garbage' and as the population grows and land becomes more scarce you will find that you picked the right time to move into this market segment. I'm only trying to find talking points as I have some experience with this.

Actually, in reality the industry is so easy that the mafia has controlled it for over 50 years. My timing however is far from perfect, im actually very late to the party. If I would have entered say 15-20 years ago before waste management took every single good local company off the market, then you could say it was perfect timing.

I understand where your coming from, the questions i have are very very specific and im not sure anyone on the forum could answer them. This is why i just asked a vague question to see what could be given.

**rogercbryan** · 05-01-2008 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Gaulkin

Actually, in reality the industry is so easy that the mafia has controlled it for over 50 years. My timing however is far from perfect, im actually very late to the party. If I would have entered say 15-20 years ago before waste management took every single good local company off the market, then you could say it was perfect timing.

I understand where your coming from, the questions i have are very very specific and im not sure anyone on the forum could answer them. This is why i just asked a vague question to see what could be given.

Vague questions get vague answers.... I tried to help...