The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has awarded Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) a grant of $100,000 to assist the company in expanding its presence in Indiana. The company, which presently operates a 100,000-square-foot facility in Indianapolis, is looking to relocate its operations to a facility that is twice the size of its existing space.
Total cost of the expansion project is expected to be around $4.5 million, according to the IDEM. ERI’s grant was announced on Aug. 19.
John Shegerian, chairman and CEO of ERI, says that the company expects to have the new facility open by the third quarter of next year. The company is in final negotiations on where the new facility will be located. The company hopes to have the location and construction started by early next year. The facility will include a high-speed shredder, as well as its proprietary glass cleaning system, similar to the system the company operates at its Fresno, Calif., facility.
“When the facility is complete, it will be a showcase for the Midwest. We are so grateful to the people of Indiana who have helped us with this project,” Shegerian says.
With the expansion, ERI expects the Indianapolis-area location to become the main hub for the company’s operations in the Midwest. The company will offer a wide range of services for obsolete electronics, including a large asset management division and asset disposition services.
The company’s existing facility currently processes 800 pounds of electronic scrap per month, a number that is expected to climb significantly when the company moves into its new location.
“Our goal is investing in people, technology and service, with a focus on continuous improvement.”
In addition to its Indianapolis and Fresno locations, ERI has recycling operations in Denver, Boston, Dallas and Seattle.
Shegerian notes that the company is looking at continuing to grow its operations. He says that plans call for ERI to double its size in two years, and double again in another two years.
And, with the U.S. EPA’s Administrator recently announcing electronic scrap trading regulations as one of the agency’s six top international priorities, Shegerian feels growth appears limitless.