Written by A.J. Dilenno —April 14, 2021 —Vice President of Commodity Managed Services, RWS Facility Services
Discarding, destroying and recycling unwanted products is an important part of any supply chain strategy. After all, just tossing old or unneeded materials is an ineffective and unsafe way to dispose of items that may contain your intellectual properly. To better handle this element of supply chain, look to obsolete destruction.
Obsolete destruction is the process of earmarking items to be destroyed and discarded, then documenting that these actions were properly executed. In terms of scope, almost any business — from retailers and restaurants to manufacturers — can benefit from obsolete destruction. The relevant types of items include any damaged, expired or surplus products or packaging associated with your brand, especially anything printed with your logo.
Businesses wanting to cut costs during trying times may wonder whether obsolete destruction is worth the additional expense and effort. However, failing to securely dispose of outdated goods and packaging can affect brand integrity if unscrupulous resellers market the defective products or sell the surplus inventory at a discount. An obsolete destruction investment also preserves the value of limited-time promotional items by preventing their resale on e-commerce platforms. Furthermore, the practice bolsters the value of new product launches by preventing the unauthorized sale of products from retired lines that could compete with the new items.
Of course, obsolete destruction also plays a pivotal role in boosting supply chain sustainability and can even provide an additional source of revenue. Much of the material in items scheduled for destruction has value as scrap commodities that can be recycled or sold. Reclaiming materials and reusing them on production lines and diverting materials from landfills also can increase the profitability of your business by reducing costs associated with production and waste disposal. Moreover, the practice of recycling materials shows stakeholders and customers that you prioritize sustainability, which enhances your reputation as an ethical business.
Note that, if you do plan to recycle materials, it’s important to understand where obsolete destruction takes place in your supply chain so that you can identify recyclables before they are inadvertently destroyed. For example, although most manufacturers destroy outdated inventory at the plant level, many restaurants and retailers rely on distribution centers to handle destruction. Before this point in the process, discarded content should be reviewed so that the recyclables can be separated for reuse or resale rather than sent to a landfill.
Eliminating unwanted inventory also can cut storage costs, particularly for companies that rent storage space. The potential to save on storage costs by freeing up space is an evergreen benefit of obsolete destruction.
Next steps
A certified obsolete destruction partner can help you achieve all of these benefits and more. However, it is important that you properly vet your vendors before using their services.
A major source of intellectual property theft occurs at docks, landfills and distribution centers where enterprising individuals keep an eye out for items with potential resale value. To prevent the wrong people from getting their hands on your unwanted goods, check the references and certifications of any company you plan to use for obsolete destruction. You also should request a step-by-step breakdown of their disposal processes as well as photos or videos of the processes.
It also is critical that your selected vendor provides you with certificates of destruction. These certificates provide proof that items have been destroyed and cannot be used for resale. These documents include the serial numbers and other identifying information about your products, so you can hold liable the vendor if your unwanted goods reenter the market. And if these items do make a surprise appearance, just cross-reference the information on the certificate of destruction to prove that they were not destroyed according to the terms of your agreement.
Even once you select a reputable vendor, it is important to perform periodic waste audits. Many businesses adopt a set-it-and-forget-it attitude. However, frequent staff turnover can erode practices over time. Waste audits ensure that your vendors consistently deliver high-quality services.
Many emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and blockchain, promise to bring more traceability and value to the waste stream, enabling businesses to track unwanted goods at each point in the supply chain. But until these technologies are fully mature, it’s crucial to effectively identify the value in your waste products and ensure that unwanted goods are disposed of appropriately.
Keypoint Intelligence recorded, monitored phade® straws to demonstrate biodegradability in salt water tanks
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga., Aug. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New WinCup Holdings, Inc. has released a time-lapse video and an accompanying report showing the rapid biodegradation of its phade® straw in a controlled marine environment. phade® is the world’s first marine biodegradable drinking straw. The video and report are the result of a project conducted by Keypoint Intelligence, a product testing firm, that involved placing phade® in two unique saltwater tank environments and monitoring the biodegradation process. While petroleum-based plastic straws are estimated to take at least 200 years to biodegrade, this project showed that phade®, made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a substrate derived from the fermentation of canola oil, achieved complete biodegradation in just 58 days.
As part of its assignment, Keypoint Intelligence established two marine tanks to monitor and evaluate the biodegradation of the phade® straw. Marine life in the form of Clown Fish and snails were added to both tanks to replicate ocean conditions and to show that the tanks could support marine life. After 58 days (Tank 1) and 54 days (Tank 2) of exposure, there were no visible signs of the two phade® straws in either tank. Keypoint Intelligence captured photos and monitored by video throughout the process, which have been used to develop a time-lapse video showing the breakdown of the straw in Tank 1. The video is intended to help anyone understand what the biodegradation process might look like if a phade® straw were to end up in a marine environment.
“We all remember the viral video of a sea turtle found with a plastic straw in its nose,” said WinCup President and Chief Revenue Officer Michael Winters. “That image showed the world the impacts of plastic pollution, and it also marked a turning point for us at WinCup. We developed a mission to do our part and create viable sustainable products, by exploring ocean safe alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics. Our straws are such a relevant innovation towards addressing the ocean plastics issue, our hope is that the phade® brand becomes a symbol for meaningful sustainable solutions for many years to come. This time-lapse video is evidence of that, and we are excited to share it with the world.”
The key to phade® is PHA, which is used as a food source by bacteria that consumes the phade® straw in a matter of months, as the time-lapse video demonstrates, instead of hundreds of years like petroleum-based straws. The rate of biodegradation for a phade® straw in a marine environment will likely vary from the rate of 58 days shown in the video because how quickly something biodegrades is dependent on the level of bacteria present in an environment and other actual conditions.
A phade® straw is intended to be composted after use and should never be disposed of in a marine environment. The reality is that petroleum plastic straws are often found as litter on beaches and in the ocean. phade® was designed to be consumed by bacteria, so in the unfortunate circumstance where a phade straw might end up in an ocean it will biodegrade due to the presence of bacteria. However, the proper disposal of phade® is in a home compost pile or an industrial compost bin, and it should never be littered.
The emergence of phade® straws comes as demand increases for a viable alternative to a traditional petroleum based products. Both paper straws and vegetable-based polylactic acid (PLA) straws present performance and sustainability challenges that phade® overcomes. Paper straws lack durability, get soggy, and breakdown during use. phade®, on the other hand, maintains the feel and user experience of a traditional plastic straw. In addition to its ability to biodegrade in marine environments, phade® is also home and industrially compostable, unlike PLA which will only beak down in an industrial composter.
“We remain focused on addressing the global plastics pollution crisis and this time-lapse video is a tremendous step in educating the world on what an alternative to petroleum-based plastic truly looks like,” said WinCup Chief Executive Officer Brad Laporte. “We feel strongly that the marketplace is a major driver in eliminating demand for petro plastics, and manufacturers have an obligation to alter business practices to contribute to the cause. We are incredibly proud of the innovation behind our product that allows for this rapid biodegradation process, and we remain committed to continuously improve the sustainable attributes of our products.”
The development of phade® involved a rigorous testing and certification process. TUV AUSTRIA, a globally recognized independent third-party certifying body, certified phade® as both industrial and backyard compostable in a matter of months. TUV also certified the material from which WinCup’s phade® straw is made as marine biodegradable. Additionally, the Biodegradable Products Institute Inc. (BPI) has certified phade® as industrially compostable.
WinCup has won numerous awards for the development and launch of phade®, including the 2021 Innovation in FoodService Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief and 2020 Innovation in Bioplastics Award from the Bioplastics Division of PLASTICS (The Plastics Industry Association). Most recently, in May, 2021, WinCup’s phade® brand was recognized out of a pool of more than 4,000 global entries by Fast Company Magazine as a finalist or honorable mention winner in the Consumer Products, Enduring Impact, General Excellence and World Changing Ideas categories.
WinCup’s focus on sustainable solutions was enhanced in September 2020 when Los Angeles-based Atar Capital, a global private investment firm, acquired the company. Among Atar’s core principles is a commitment to sustainability and investing in companies that work toward protecting the environment.
About WinCup, Inc.
WinCup, Inc. is headquartered in Stone Mountain, Georgia. WinCup is a leading manufacturer of traditional and sustainable disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids, and straws. The company’s eight manufacturing locations are committed to high-quality products and superior customer service. To learn more, please visit www.wincup.com and www.phadeproducts.com.
About Keypoint Intelligence
For 60 years, clients in the digital imaging industry have relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data and extensive market research to drive their product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry’s most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis, and awards due to decades of analyst experience. Customers have harnessed this critical knowledge for strategic decision-making, daily sales enablement, and operational efficiency improvements to increase bottom lines. With a central focus on clients, Keypoint Intelligence continues to evolve as the industry changes by expanding our offerings and updating methods, while intimately understanding and serving manufacturers’, channels and their customers’ transformation in the digital printing and imaging sector. To learn more, please visit https://www.keypointintelligence.com/.
Cyrus Nikou Founder and Managing Partner Atar Capital
Cyrus Nikou is the founder and managing partner of Atar Capital, a private investment firm based in Century City, where he oversees the firm’s strategy, including M&A, operations, and business development. Atar was founded in 2016 and focuses on buyouts of underperforming companies within the lower middle market. In fewer than four years, Atar has built an impressive portfolio of 11 companies with an aggregate revenue of over $1 billion per year, with over 12,000 employees, and operations located throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Nikou attributes the success of his firm to building a team that is nimble, adaptive, and responsive to market conditions. During the 2020 lockdown, he guided the firm to acquiring two healthcare companies that are focused on behavioral health and one company focused on sustainable food packaging.
Once stigmatized and even taboo, mental health has thankfully become more mainstream. Despite an increase in mental health awareness, people still find it tough to get the support, information, and help they need. That’s where employers can make a huge difference.
More than half of the U.S. population holds down at least a part-time job. In other words, most people deal with employers on a regular basis. Therefore, employers can play a frontline role in bringing mental health resources and support to their team members.
To be sure, companies can’t be expected to tackle this important matter without help. While some try DIY methods, they tend to be inadequate because they’re not created by experts in the health field. That’s where Pathways at Work comes into the picture.
Offering Employees a Path to Mental Wellbeing Amidst a World of Changes
Pathways at Work is a program offered by Pathways, one of the biggest providers of behavioral health services in the United States. Pathways at Work offers customized live webinars, on-demand training workshops, interactive discussions, and other tools to organizations’ employees.
Each Pathways at Work program is thoughtfully and expertly developed by behavioral and mental health specialists. Certified professionals lead all presentations and discussions, fostering an environment of trust and openness among participants. Popular program courses address common mental health concerns, as well as how the pandemic and recent racial and social injustice have impacted employees’ mental health.
Partnering with Pathways at Work affords organizations several key benefits through the personalized approach to managing the emotional needs of their employees.
1. Reduced stress and anxiety across the workforce.
Many people are living with increased stress and anxiety. Perhaps they’ve had to return to work after telecommuting since Covid began. Maybe they’re dealing with financial problems at home due to a partner’s recent unemployment or illness. Whatever the reason, they may be burned out, or close to it—and that’s not good for them or their employer.
Being able to learn ways to take care of their mental health proactively can help employees become more engaged in all aspects of their lives. A proactive approach to behavioral health also allows them to practice healthy coping and communication methods. The more confident they feel about addressing their emotional needs, the more likely they are to be productive and content day to day. In fact, one company partnering with Pathways at Work was able to identify early warning signs of burnout among its people. The company then worked with Pathways at Work to implement a customized series of workshops to address its 200 employees’ most pressing mental health concerns to stave off problems.
2. Improved use of mental health and general healthcare benefits.
It’s hardly a secret that employees rarely utilize the health-related perks available to them through their companies. For instance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) usage often hovers below 10% of any given organization’s population. This means that many workers either don’t realize they have the resources and benefits available, or they don’t feel comfortable taking advantage of them.
After undergoing Pathways at Work sessions, team members are better equipped to identify and address the mental health stressors in their lives as they arise. They may also have less reluctance to get mental health help when they need it most. They also may be more inclined to make and keep medical appointments with their primary care providers. The upshot of increased preventative healthcare visits can be less absenteeism, lower turnover, and higher morale, not to mention early detection of acute and chronic diagnoses.
3. Heightened sense of camaraderie among colleagues.
Workers who like each other tend to work better together, and more efficiently toward common goals. Of course, the reverse is also true: employees who feel disconnected from one another hold back their creativity and ideas. In a highly disruptive, competitive economic environment, companies want their teams to feel free to innovate. Implementing Pathways at Work programs and discussion groups can fuel a sense of togetherness among coworkers.
This heightened camaraderie may even spill over into strengthening an organization’s core culture overall. Each corporate culture is made up of many factors, including the bonds that employees have with one another. Going through workshops side by side allows workers to better relate through common experiences. As a result, they further their connections, which encourages them to see their workplace as a collaborative and inclusive environment.
4. Reinforced positive responses to common workplace stressors.
Every employee can expect to experience moments of heightened stress. Customers get upset. Miscommunication with coworkers creates built-up tension. Vendors go out of business and cause supply chain nightmares. Nevertheless, employees who have undergone mental health and wellness training have the tools and perspective to respond to stressors in healthier ways.
Let’s face it: Managers and executives can’t intervene every time a stressful moment occurs. This means that workers need to understand how to deal with issues constructively on their own. Pathways at Work’s training workshops and other tools are designed to provide recommendations for handling difficult situations. The training workshops incorporate the specific situations employees find stressful and address them in real-time with constructive responses and coping methods. Including these real-world scenarios during workshops allows participants to put their learning into action and feel less overwhelmed in their daily lives.
Years ago, mental health wasn’t something that most employers spent time considering, let alone talking about with teams. Fortunately, society has come to appreciate the advantages of having a workforce that prioritizes healthier living. Pathways at Work is making it easier and more convenient for all organizations to look out for their most important resources— their employees.
Keypoint Intelligence (KPI), the industry’s most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis and awards, announced today that Anthony Sci has joined the company as president and CEO. With a long history of success in the office technology industry, Sci will build on KPI’s reputation for delivering world-class information and analysis, continuing the organization’s 60 years of expertise in offering the tools and depth of knowledge businesses leverage for their success. His responsibilities will include the implementation of the company’s growth initiatives as KPI continues to forge new opportunities in marketing and e-commerce solutions.
Sci comes to KPI with more than 30 years of experience in the office technology industry working for both dealers and manufacturers. Most recently, he held the position of senior vice president at LDI, a leading provider in the supply, sale and service of digital office solutions. Prior to LDI, Sci was senior vice president at Sharp Business Systems, where he led a national organization responsible for products such as MFPs, printers, whiteboards, managed IT, UCaaS and software solutions.
Keypoint Intelligence is headquartered in Fairfield, New Jersey with offices in Weymouth, Massachusetts; Wokingham, United Kingdom; Tokyo, Japan and Hong Kong.
About Keypoint Intelligence
Keypoint Intelligence is the global data and market intelligence leader for the digital imaging industry for over 60 years. The company is the authoritative provider of test-based analytical information, competitive intelligence and sales enablement to the digital imaging industry. Its portfolio of products and services covers hardware, software, consumables and document management. Along with providing clients access to a range of SaaS tools and platforms, the company offers the most comprehensive independent research and data in the industry.
Keypoint Intelligence supports the industry’s leading original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors and more than 2,000 dealers and leasing companies active in the digital imaging industry. The company’s core platform, bliQ, is based on its sophisticated and proprietary analytical testing capabilities, powering a product offering that includes field and laboratory test reports, product evaluations and outsourced testing services. Most recently, the company introduced UVERCE™, a cloud based B2B e-commerce and sales enablement platform that gives office dealers and resellers in the print industry a B2B e-commerce selling portal, embedded virtual communication capability (chat/video) and bliQ testing and product intelligence data in one tech-enabled selling tool. In addition, Keypoint Intelligence is widely recognized as the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the imaging, document solutions, production print and digital media industries. For more information, please visit: www.keypointintelligence.com
MAY 25, 2021 – FAIRFIELD, N.J. – WRITTEN BY: DONNA O’MALLEY
Keypoint Intelligence®, the world’s most trusted source for testing services, market intelligence, and tools to the document imaging industry, is proudly celebrating its 60th anniversary.
“We’ve come a long way since Arthur saw a need and took action in 1961, and we look forward to powering our client’s growth and success for the next six decades with the tools and advice the industry needs to thrive.”
Keypoint Intelligence®, the world’s most trusted source for testing services, market intelligence, and tools to the document imaging industry, is proudly celebrating its 60th anniversary. Since its founding in 1961, the company has kept pace with the rapid evolution of the technologies, business models, and strategies that have taken place across the industry—changes that could hardly be imagined six decades ago.
Arthur Kallet, legendary founder of Consumer Reports, saw the need for businesses to have access to third-party, testing-based analysis on major product purchases and he subsequently started Buyers Lab™ in Hackensack, NJ. What began as a consumer-based publication about office equipment quickly became an all-encompassing business-to-business (B2B) resource for unbiased test data and competitive selling tools for the document imaging space. In 2015, Buyers Lab and InfoTrends™, a leading global market research consulting firm, came together to form Keypoint Intelligence.
Keypoint Intelligence’s core product, bliQ™, started as a book that was published and sent monthly to customers and has grown into an online database platform to deliver sophisticated and proprietary analytical testing capabilities, lab and field test reports, product evaluations, and outsourced testing services. Most recently, the company introduced UVERCE™, a cloud-based B2B e-commerce and sales enablement system that gives dealers and resellers in the print industry the ability to connect with clients in an ever-growing digital world. UVERCE™ combines a turnkey and maintenance-free portal with embedded virtual communication capability (chat/video) as well as bliQ testing and product intelligence into one tech-enabled selling tool.
“It gives me great pride to join Keypoint Intelligence’s colleagues and customers in celebrating our 60th anniversary,” said Mack Brothers, CEO and President of Keypoint Intelligence. “The need for objective sources of information and insight has never been more critical as companies deal with operational and strategic challenges driven by the shift to digital business models rooted in new technology and fast-changing customer expectations. We’ve come a long way since Arthur saw a need and took action in 1961, and we look forward to powering our client’s growth and success for the next six decades with the tools and advice the industry needs to thrive.”
Cyrus Nikou, Founder and Managing Partner of Atar Capital, a private investment firm that acquired Keypoint Intelligence in October 2019, commented, “The Atar team congratulates Keypoint Intelligence on 60 years of accelerated growth, built on its recognized expertise for offering independent and reliable business and product intelligence that fuels customer success. We look forward to supporting Keypoint Intelligence’s talent and innovations as the company forges new market opportunities.”
Keypoint Intelligence is headquartered in Fairfield, New Jersey, with offices in Weymouth, Massachusetts; Wokingham, United Kingdom; Tokyo, Japan; and Hong Kong, China.
Written by A.J. Dilenno —April 14, 2021 —Sr. Director of Procurement, RWS Facility Services
The economic disruptions of COVID-19 have caused many restaurants and retail businesses to look for ways to cut costs and find new revenue streams. But many businesses don’t realize that up to 40% of their trash—from post-consumer plastics, such as hangers and water bottles, to metals to fibers, such as corrugated containers, office paper, newspaper, and even food grease—can be diverted from landfill to generate income. In my recent article in SupplyChainBrain, I outlined four ways to transform recycled waste into commodities gold.
You can start by giving your trash a closer look with regular waste audits. In a waste audit, a qualified team goes through everything in the compactor, separating your waste into different categories: corrugated cardboard, post-industrial and post-consumer plastics, glass, and so forth. From there, how much is Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and how much is recyclable commodities is calculated. The team then identifies potential places to sell the commodities and puts together a waste management plan.
Next, we suggest you reverse-engineer your waste stream to maximize volume and value. Recyclable commodities are usually generated and identified in two places, at the store level and at distribution centers. Retracing waste from distribution centers’ back to individual stores is one way to drive additional revenue. At RWS, we provide the tools to audit waste at each individual store and identify what is going in the compactor. We then help determine if consolidating waste from each store will increase the overall volume of commodities sold to buyers, seeing that buyers pay more for commodities sold in bulk.
Finally, it is vital to make sure the price is right for your scrap commodities. Businesses that have long standing relationships with waste management vendors aren’t always maximizing the profits of their recyclable commodities. Even the most well-meaning companies can be complacent in informing their customers of pricing changes. To generate the most income from your scrap commodities, we recommend researching pricing when contracts with your waste services vendors come up for renewal.
Commodity recycling can be confusing because there are so many moving parts, but it doesn’t have to be. When you partner with a professional like RWS, we make sure that nothing slips through the cracks. We help you conduct a waste audit and identify valuable commodities, prepare a waste management plan, get the best price for your commodities and even train your staff in proper waste recycling.
Contact us today so we can assist you in generating new streams of revenue by transforming your recycled waste into commodities gold.
Written by Jill Winters —Pathways. Originally published on Recruiter.com – March 19th, 2021. Employee behavioral health and well-being dramatically affect a company’s culture, productivity, and overall success. Robust behavioral health and well-being programs are considered reliable indicators of a positive culture, and many candidates specifically prioritize employers with such programs in their job searches. That’s why recruiters would be wise to highlight their company’s commitment to behavioral health and well-being in their efforts to attract top candidates.
Healthy Employees Create a Healthy Culture
Many of us are struggling with behavioral and mental health issues like anxiety, stress, and burnout in the wake of COVID-19, according to the CDC. Four in ten adults report experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression during the pandemic, a fourfold increase from 2019. Even those who are not currently struggling realize they could face behavioral and mental health challenges in the future.
Applicants understand that companies that value employee mental health and well-being are more likely to foster positive cultures. They also know these companies will support them with understanding managers, flexible work practices, and robust benefits programs that provide affordable access to necessary services.
Most workers want their future employers to provide a safe and welcoming environment. That means many applicants expect to hear about how your company supports employee mental health during the hiring process. By shining a spotlight on what their company does to help employees find balance, fight burnout, and stay healthy, recruiters can attract more applicants and hire better employees.
The business case for providing behavioral and mental health programs includes their value as a recruiting and retention tool. Appropriate investment in these programs sends a powerful and positive message to all employees and candidates: “You’re not alone. You’re facing something we’re all facing, and it doesn’t reflect poorly on you. The company hears you, and we care about you.” When employees experience such a supportive culture, they won’t hesitate to speak highly of your company to colleagues, customers, prospective candidates, and employer review sites like Glassdoor.
Healthy Employees Stick Around
Retention matters. There’s little value in hiring the best candidates if the company can’t keep them. Plus, prospective employees will want to know about retention rates because low retention rates are red flags suggesting a negative culture.
When employees struggle with their mental health, they may be forced to exit the workforce if the company offers inadequate support. That has an effect on your retention rates — and, in turn, it affects how prospective hires view your company. Programs that support employee mental health and well-being can keep more employees at your company for longer. These programs also make employees feel more valued — another key to keeping retention rates high. And as we know, retention of quality workers helps to attract quality recruits.
Even In-Office Employees Want to Know: How Do You Support Remote Workers?
Many of us spent 2020 working partially or fully remotely. Although most companies learned that remote work can be a successful and productive arrangement, they also learned about the potential pitfalls of working from home: isolation, a poor work/life balance, burnout, and other mental health challenges that hurt employee morale and productivity.
After facing these challenges head-on over the course of the past year, remote workers are looking for employers who will lend a hand when trouble inevitably arises. A company’s willingness to allow remote work and support remote workers with programs that address isolation, work/life balance, and burnout is a major selling point in this talent market. Candidates will see these things as indicators of a culture that genuinely values individual workers and accommodates their needs.
Progressive thinking concerning remote work and employee well-being leaves a positive impression on candidates, who will see the company as an innovative and forward-thinking business. That’s why wise recruiters will emphasize how the company supports remote workers’ behavioral health and well-being — even when recruiting candidates who may not be working remotely. After all, candidates understand that today’s in-house employee could be tomorrow’s at-home employee.
Better Wellness Programs, Better Hires
After the tumultuous year we’ve all had, it should come as no surprise that employees care deeply about the mental and physical health benefits your organization has to offer them. If your company makes robust behavioral health and wellness resources available and a competitor company doesn’t, you have an important feature that differentiates your organization from the rest.
Supporting employee mental health and well-being is essential for effective recruiting and overall business success. Recruiters should tout your company’s high-quality health and wellness programs. If they do, they’ll attract better applicants — and attracting better applicants will help justify your company’s continued investment in these programs. It’s a virtuous cycle, which is why robust mental health and well-being programs are powerful recruiting tools.
LOS ANGELES, CA—October 5, 2020—Atar Capital, a global private investment firm, announced today that its portfolio company, Pathways Health and Community Support, LLC (Pathways), one of the largest providers of behavioral and mental health services in the United States, has acquired three Community Intervention Services, Inc. (CIS) subsidiaries: Access Family Services (AFS), Family Behavioral Resources (FBR) and Autism Education and Research Institute (AERI), which will operate as a combined entity, FBR-AERI. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Atar Capital acquired Pathways in 2018 as part of a strategy to put the firm’s cross-functional expertise to work in a critical and fast-growing segment in the healthcare space. Cyrus Nikou, founder and managing partner of Atar Capital, said, “With this acquisition, Pathways further strengthens its capabilities and ability to meet the increasingly critical need for mental and behavioral healthcare services in the U.S. It is an exciting achievement for Pathways and for Atar as we continue to expand upon our common goal of providing excellent behavioral healthcare services for all the individuals Pathways has the privilege to serve.”
Pathways provides a range of services for adults, children and families that include counseling, telehealth, autism services, case management, therapeutic foster care, parent education, supportive employment and substance use services and provides employer-based services through Pathways at Work. AFS and FBR-AERI’s service offerings align with Pathways’ mission to improve the lives of people by inspiring personal growth, health and wellness. AFS offers community-based, school-based and outpatient behavioral health and autism services in North Carolina and South Carolina. FBR-AERI, serving 30 locations throughout Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of outpatient and community-based behavioral health services. s
“I’m honored to lead this growing team of committed and talented behavioral health professionals,” said Jill Winters, CEO of Pathways. “By joining forces, we can reach and assist more children, families, adults and employees with services tailored to help them reach their goals. This acquisition fulfills our commitment to deliver behavioral health services to more individuals and more communities in inclusive, open, ethical and positive environments.”
Nikou led the Atar investment team that also included Senior Managing Director Robert Lezec, Managing Directors Stanley Huang and Vijay Mony and Senior Associate Roman Zelinsky. Duff & Phelps Securities, LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to CIS in the transaction.
About Pathways
Pathways Health and Community Support, LLC is one of the largest providers of behavioral and mental health services in the United States. Originally founded in 1997 as Providence Service Corporation, Pathways’ mission is to improve the lives of people by inspiring personal growth, health and wellness. The organization offers a full spectrum of social services and behavioral health solutions, including mental health support, youth and family services, adult services, and prevention services, to clients in their homes or through telehealth and community-based resources. The company also offers employer-based programs to help employees manage stress, anxiety and other behavioral health challenges through Pathways at Work. For more information visit www.pathways.com.
About Atar Capital
Atar Capital is a global private investment firm that acquires a wide range of lower middle market businesses exhibiting opportunities for growth, revitalization and significant value creation. Atar Capital’s principals have completed more than 80 private equity transactions across North America, Europe and South America.
Atar Capital’s combination of operational expertise, industry knowledge and investment experience provide a unique edge in creating value and working as a true partner with its portfolio companies. The firm assists in activities ranging from growing the business to improving operations and financial performance, leveraging all available resources and talent within Atar’s leadership team, as well as its bench of seasoned senior advisors with deep sector and functional expertise. For more information, please visit www.atarcapital.com.
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga., Sept. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — WinCup®, a leading manufacturer of disposable foodservice to-go ware, has commercialized and is now shipping phade®, a new line of marine biodegradable straws and stirrers. Phade® products are made with Danimer Scientific’s Nodax™ PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a naturally occurring material derived from canola oil. These products are also soil biodegradable, as well as home and industrial compostable. Unlike other eco-friendly straw options, phade® does not sacrifice performance and has the look and feel of traditional polypropylene straws.
“Phade® represents WinCup’s commitment to the environment and our customers. We are the first manufacturer in the U.S. to successfully develop commercially sellable straws from this unique material and straws are just the first step,” said Brad Laporte, WinCup’s Chief Executive Officer. “We will soon be announcing many other foodservice and consumer products using this groundbreaking new material that will expand and complement our existing product line.”
On August 21, 2020, the Bioplastics Division of the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) announced WinCup and Danimer Scientific as the joint winners of the 2020 Innovation in Bioplastics Award for their development of phade®.
WinCup is actively shipping customer orders for phade® straws and stirrers throughout the United States. “Consumers’ reactions to this innovative new product have been extremely positive. Phade® has rescued them from the soggy straw experience,” said Michael Winters, WinCup’s President and Chief Revenue Officer. “If you are ready for a relevant sustainable straw option that does not sacrifice performance, then ask for the phade® blue straw.”
Danimer Scientific’s Nodax™ PHA has been certified by TUV AUSTRIA as marine biodegradable and soil biodegradable, home and industrial compostable, and is 100% bio-based.
About WinCup, Inc.WinCup, which is headquartered in Stone Mountain, Georgia, has recently been acquired by Atar Capital, a Los Angeles based global private equity investment firm. WinCup is a leading manufacturer of traditional and sustainable disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids, and straws. The company’s eight manufacturing locations are committed to high-quality products and superior customer service. To learn more, please visit www.wincup.com and www.phadeproducts.com.