Making the switch from Grinding
Service Vendor to Composter takes a little planning.
If you are an onsite grinding
contractor or even if you currently have a mulch or soil yard and want to make
the switch to full scale composting. What do you do? Most of the Mulch
suppliers are quasi-composters. They pile up wood or bark Mulch and let it darken
before they sell it. Well, THAT IS COMPOSTING!
So what are some points you
should consider:
What are the Site needs? And do you currently have what
is necessary?
·
What are you going to Compost? Yard Waste,
Sludge, Food Waste
·
Type of Composting- Windrow, Static Pile, Aerated Systems
·
Permitting- Depends on State
·
Space- Windrow, Piles
·
Water- YW mostly, Sludge and Food Wastes maybe
not necessary
·
Leachate Collection
·
Contouring of Property for drainage
·
Additional Feedstocks- Mixing, Cover Material
Use these points and apply them to your current situation
and see what you can achieve with what you currently have as a facility.
What additional Equipment needs are necessary?
·
Equipment Utilization is the Key
·
Can you use Subcontractors? Grinding, Screening
·
Do you need more Wheel Loaders? Moving
Materials, Turning Screening, Etc.
·
Another Grinder? Or Subcontract
·
Windrow Turner- Number One Question? Do you need
one?
·
Screen- Need to sell the product you create
·
Water Truck or Water Pumps- Water and oxygen
equal composting
·
Compost Equipment- Temperature Probes, Testing
Sieves
Do you have what is needed or do you need to purchase
more equipment?
How do you change operationally?
·
Contracts- Need materials to compost and blend
·
Marketing- Have to find the customers
·
Screen Sizes- For screener and grinder
·
More Products- Soils, Potting Mixes
What can you use internally and what volumes do you need
to sell?
What are the projected goals?
·
Increase Revenue? Diversify?
·
Exhaust Inventory? Eliminate current
inventories?
·
Reduce/Eliminate Competition? If you don’t,
someone will
If you have been a
subcontractor grinding for others that may be in the business or a similar
business, learn from your customers:
·
See what they do and how they do it
·
Note what you like
·
Note what you think is not working
·
Ask for Advice- There are others that have been
in your situation
Dave Whitelaw “The Grinder Guy” www.askthegrinderguy.com
