In April of 2020, we opened our new Eco Center after it was completely destroyed by an EF3
tornado that hit the Vermeer campus in 2018. Here is where we handle all hazardous waste
generated at Vermeer with the goal of safely reusing the materials leftover from our operating processes.
As the equipment produced in our facilities helps manage natural resources around the world,
we are committed to managing our resources in a way that positively impacts the communities
and environment around us.
Rated with the highest safety classifications, this facility has a built-in grounding grid,
humidity-controlled air and an automatic flammable vapor sensing system, creating the safest
environment to handle waste and hazardous materials.
Aside from traditional recycling efforts, such as paper and cardboard products, the team
working in the Eco Center has taken on a number of other resources used in manufacturing.
Solvents are key to effectively cleaning paint lines and paint guns because clean paint
tools help mean a quality paint job as our
team brings yellow iron to life.
In a year, the Eco Center collects and recycles all the solvent Vermeer uses,
which is more than 60,000 gallons.
Oil is used in a variety of ways and is critical to the way we work. At Vermeer, all used oil
is collected and recycled or used as an alternative energy source.
Wood waste on campus comes from various sources – primarily the pallets bringing steel,
engines and other components used in the manufacturing process.
Wood waste is sorted, and 40,000 pallets a year are reused.
What can’t be reused as a pallet is our specialty. We use an HG4000
horizontal grinder in our test area to grind
it into mulch.
Yellow iron starts as raw steel before hitting machining centers, lasers, cutters and more.
Scraps and metal dust from these processes are collected. Because we recycle these
more than 40 million pounds of scrap metal each year,
we are one of the largest manufacturing recycling companies in Iowa.
We collect all electronic waste, or e-waste, and partner with recyclers to disassemble
and reuse the metals and potentially toxic
materials while maintaining information and
data security. In addition to recycling, this team is also
safely handling our hazardous materials. A chemical warehouse secures all hazardous chemicals
with additional safety features.
Nearby, our solar field, installed with Vermeer equipment, captures sunlight and distributes
this green energy to our facilities. What
isn’t used onsite is fed to our community’s grid.
We’re proud of the work our teams do to
make a real impact on jobsites and communities
around the world, but we’re especially proud of our own jobsite and what we do to positively
impact our own communities and environment everyday.
