Veolia North America: A Case Study on the Opportunities to Grow Your Business in Missouri
- March 16, 2022
Leading infrastructure and environmental services company Veolia North America has been operating for many years in Louisiana, Missouri. When the time came to expand with a new processing facility, the company found its existing central location in Missouri and local talent pool could provide everything it needed.
/Background/
Veolia North America (VNA) is the U.S. and Canada subsidiary for the Veolia Group, a $35 billion global infrastructure and environmental services company specializing in waste management, remediation, water and wastewater treatment, and energy efficiency. With more than 179,000 employees worldwide and more than 10,000 in North America, the group designs and provides game-changing solutions for waste, water, and energy management.
In 2020, VNA entered into a pioneering multi-year agreement with GE Renewable Energy to recycle wind turbine blades at the end of their life. Through this partnership, VNA developed its Repurposed Engineered Materials (REM) program in which complex composite materials – such as the fiberglass composites found in standard wind turbine blades – are shredded, sorted, and blended into a product for repurposing.
/Challenge/
VNA has owned and operated a waste management facility in Louisiana, Missouri, for several years. However, the company needed to build a new processing facility to support the REM program.
A central location in the U.S. that was easily accessible to target markets and suppliers was critical. Would the existing Missouri location still be fit for purpose, and would the company have enough skilled workers to support operations during the pandemic?
/Solution/
VNA found the answer on its doorstep. Its existing location in Louisiana, Missouri, was ideal for expansion to incorporate the REM program, offering sustainable solutions for renewable energy processes and other uses.
/Benefits/
The central location in Missouri meant markets could be easily reached, offered the necessary space to expand, and helped minimize transportation distances for managing materials. Furthermore, Missouri’s workforce has risen to the challenge during the pandemic, ensuring operations continue as normal.
/Veolia/
Quote from Chris Howell, Senior Director of Operations – Industrial for Veolia North America to others who might be considering a geographical expansion
“We’re fortunate that Veolia North America did not encounter any significant roadblocks in expanding and growing our REM processing facility in Louisiana, Missouri. In fact, we have found Missouri to be a welcoming and supportive environment to expand our operations in a way that provides the scale and geographical footprint to manage increasing volumes. The support received from the local and state authorities encouraged us to settle down and continue to operate efficiently.”