Kollekt U.S., Inc. has launched with Don Ross as chief executive, entering the North American waste and recycling collection equipment market. American Recycler reported that the new US-based manufacturer and equipment provider will combine North American industry expertise with engineering and manufacturing resources from the Kirchhoff family of companies.
Ross will oversee the company’s move into the region, drawing on almost four decades of experience in solid waste and recycling. His career spans collection operations, municipal waste management and the manufacture of refuse equipment, alongside previous senior leadership positions within the industry. That background covers both the operation of collection services and the equipment used to deliver them.
According to American Recycler, Kollekt intends to introduce established European waste collection equipment and technology and modify it for North American requirements. The report said these products are already being used in New York City. The business will have American leadership, with municipalities and haulers across North America forming the focus of its market approach.
The Kirchhoff family of companies provides the international manufacturing and engineering experience behind the venture. Its industrial history dates to 1785, and it now develops waste collection technologies used in markets worldwide. Kollekt’s stated approach brings that overseas technical capability together with experience of the North American waste sector, while adapting the equipment for customers in the region.
Ross also holds industry association responsibilities. He currently chairs the National Waste & Recycling Association’s board of trustees and previously served on SWANA’s international board. American Recycler also identified him as a former SWANA certified instructor.
Discussing the launch, Ross emphasised that the venture’s accumulated knowledge and experience would be directed towards its target market. He described an opportunity to reconsider long-standing assumptions about waste collection and approach the sector from a different perspective.