SP was established with the purpose of advancing environmental sustainability through the automotive supply chain, according to a press release. SP functions as a global forum to “meet and address focus issues,” which includes sharing leading sustainability practices and developing environmental technologies and programs to reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainability. In addition, identifying ways to reduce waste, promote reuse and maximize recycling. SP says membership helps companies achieve both economic and environmental goals. Through SP’s collaboration with the EPA, members are “provided with topics for special projects, information, approaches and tools to realize common environmental objectives.” The organization recently participated in the EPA's G7 Alliance on Resource Efficiency, a workshop on the use of life cycle concepts in supply chain management. SP says the association aims to “continually identify new, innovative and more environmentally sustainable ways to enhance the competitiveness of the automobile industry through the global supply chain.” Despite shrinking recycled commodity prices and harsh winter weather in the Midwest, Waste Connections of Ontario, Canada, has reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of 2019. The company brought in $1.245 billion in revenue in Q1, which is up $1.140 billion from the period the year before and $5 million more than the company’s outlook. Worthing Jackman, the company’s president, hosted an earnings conference call April 24. Here are some key takeaways from the call: Austria-based industrial shredding equipment maker UNTHA has promoted Gary Moore to director of global business development. The firm says it made the “strategic decision” ahead of 25 percent projected worldwide growth during the next 12 months. Currently sales director of UNTHA UK, a position he will maintain, Moore has played “an instrumental role in developing the United Kingdom business by 50 percent during 2018,” according to UNTHA. According to the equipment firm, 2019 “looks set to be even bigger, with 12 waste-to-energy (WtE) shredding solution sales already secured in the first four months of the year.” An exclusive distributor agreement for the XR mobil-e shredder range is soon to be announced, sales of parts and other UNTHA service products are up by 40 percent, and two further sales appointments are also imminent as UNTHA looks to expand its team, according to the firm. Drawing on almost 30 years of experience in the international waste, recycling and wider engineering sectors, Moore’s new global position will see him focus on “supercharging the growth of UNTHA America,” states the equipment maker. Established in 2010, the New Hampshire-based United States office has gained an initial foothold in the U.S., with particular success in the southern states. “But the vast market is rich in wider potential – not least due to a growing demand for alternative fuel,” according to UNTHA. Moore will be responsible for introducing a sales and marketing plan that will fuel the organic growth of the business while exploring distribution partner agreements. He also is being tasked with helping operators design environmentally compliant plants producing homogenous, on-specification fuels with maximum yield. Moore also is working on a new strategic partner relationship in Australia. “The WtE market is in its infancy there, in comparison with parts of Europe,” says Moore. “We’re therefore excited about the potential for UNTHA to expand there. As the market is emerging, it’s one of the continents where we’re not yet an established industry name. But that’s about to change.” Remarks Peter Streinik, head of UNTHA’s global waste division, “We know that clients in different parts of the world have varying requirements. Legislation, market capacity and cultural traits all influence what a prospective customer is looking for, from a shredding supplier. But one thing that usually remains constant is the search for robust, proven technology supported by an engineering infrastructure to protect the longevity of the investment. He adds, “We treat every project as unique and will sometimes even challenge the customer if we think they can achieve more throughputs, more revenue, or more success from their plant. This is Gary’s philosophy through and through, which means he is perfectly suited to this new position.” Doosan announced it has expanded its dealer network with the addition of two branches of ACT Construction Equipment. Doosan Infracore North America LLC, Suwanee, Georgia, announced it has expanded its dealer network with the addition of two branches of ACT Construction Equipment, which will serve as authorized sales, service, parts and rental providers of Doosan equipment. Through the expansion, the company can now offers its customers in Cloverdale, Virginia, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a range of Doosan equipment, including crawler excavators, wheel excavators, material handlers and wheel loaders. ACT Construction Equipment has been in business since 1951, under current ownership since 1973 and in the compact equipment market since 2008. The company decided to offer Doosan equipment to complement its current compact equipment offerings. “Doosan understands the need for quality support rather than pushing a product strictly on price,” says Britt Hefner, operations manager for ACT Construction Equipment. “With these new locations, our intent is to be more responsive to our customers in the Cloverdale and Winston-Salem areas and to go above and beyond to maximize their uptime.” Lake Forest, Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) has reported first quarter 2019 net income of $187 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of more than $370 million, which represents a 15.1 percent rise compared to the first quarter of 2018. PCA says its first quarter 2019 net sales were $1.73 billion in 2019, a 2.4 percent increase compared to $1.69 billion in 2018. The company is crediting “higher prices and mix in both our Packaging and Paper segments” for the positive results. In PCA’s Packaging segment, total corrugated products shipments and shipments per day were up 0.7 percent over 2018’s first quarter. Containerboard production for the quarter checked in at 1.037 million tons. In PCA’s Paper segment, sales volume was 21 percent lower and production volume was 14 percent lower, primarily because of discontinuing production at PCA’s Wallula, Washington, mill. “In our Packaging segment, we had record first quarter volumes in both our containerboard mills and corrugated products plants, as well as higher prices and mix, compared to the first and fourth quarters of 2018,” remarks Mark W. Kowlzan, chairman and CEO of the firm. “We ran our containerboard system to demand, and our production allowed us to supply the necessary containerboard to achieve a first quarter record for box shipments per day. In our Paper segment, prices and mix continued to move higher due to the successful execution of our announced price increases, and sales volume improved as we moved out of the seasonally slower fourth quarter. Overall, we were able to exceed our expected results even though we had to overcome significant weather-related challenges across the company that negatively impacted us during the quarter.” Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2019, Kowlzan remarks, “In our Packaging segment we expect seasonally higher containerboard and corrugated products shipments, with lower prices as a result of the published domestic containerboard price decreases and lower export prices. In our Paper segment, volume should be similar to the first quarter and we will continue implementing the previously announced paper price increases, but scheduled outage costs will be higher due to the annual shutdown at our International Falls [Minnesota] mill.” The company predicts recycled fiber prices “should be slightly lower” in the second quarter while it also anticipates “slightly higher” freight costs. PCA describes itself as the third largest producer of containerboard products and the third largest producer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. The company operates eight mills and 95 corrugated products plants and related facilities.