BLT Enterprises, a privately held, horizontally integrated waste management and industrial real estate investment company, announced today $10 million in improvements to be made to its Fremont Recycling and Transfer Station. The 187,000 square-foot facility in Fremont, California is operated by BLT and services the municipal solid waste needs of the Tri-Cities area, which includes the cities of Fremont, Newark, and Union City. The improvements include the installation of state-of-the-art robotics and advanced sorting technology utilizing AI-enabled optical sorters that will significantly improve the efficiency of the facility鈥檚 recycling efforts.
With the help of financing through the California Pollution Control Financing Authority (CPCFA), BLT Enterprises secured $10 million in financing from City National Bank for interior and exterior improvements to the material recovery facility, including an upgrade to the facility鈥檚 existing solar power system and the addition of two robots and five optical sorting machines.
鈥淭he upgrades to the Fremont Recycling and Transfer Station mark a meaningful advancement in the City鈥檚 commitment to innovation and sustainability,鈥� stated Fremont City Manager Karena Shackelford. 鈥淭hese enhancements will significantly boost recycling recovery, decrease landfill waste, and propel us further towards achieving our climate action objectives. The City is proud to support BLT鈥檚 future-focused approach, which will directly benefit Fremont residents and businesses for years to come.鈥�
The new optical sorters use sensors and AI to identify and sort recyclable materials, including plastic, paper, and metal. With the ability to quickly scan and separate, these new machines help optimize the recycling process, minimizing transfer station employees鈥� exposure to waste and helping reduce injuries and improve overall safety at the facility. The combination of robotic and optical sorting will drive improvements to cost, recycling rates, and the quality of recycled materials.
鈥淲e are very excited to get these machines up and running,鈥� says Rich Dubiel, General Plant Manager at the Fremont Recycling and Transfer Station. 鈥淭he robots and optical sorters will make our operations significantly more efficient, and we will be able to recover an additional 3 million pounds of recyclable material each year. That is a huge benefit to the community and the environment.鈥�
In addition to purchasing the new optical sorters, BLT made substantial improvements to the facility鈥檚 employee amenities, including creating new, modernized gathering spaces; updating interior and exterior paint and fixtures; and upgrading restrooms throughout the facility. BLT also removed the existing solar panels and installed newer, more efficient models which provide clean power to over 65% of the facility.
鈥淲e started our business in waste management 40 years ago with material recovery facilities and transfer stations throughout California,鈥� explains Shawn Guttersen, President, Recycling & Waste Management at BLT Enterprises, a firm that at one time owned and operated six waste facilities in California and recycled more than 11,000 tons of waste per day. BLT Enterprises has a longstanding relationship with the City of Fremont, having served its waste management needs in a public-private partnership for more than two decades. 鈥淲e remain dedicated to helping the City of Fremont create a cleaner, more sustainable future. We鈥檙e excited to be able to bring this state-of-the-art technology here to Fremont and to continue our work with the community.鈥�