Ecowaste Solutions buys A-1 McDuffie Sanitation, adds 60,000 customers

Ecowaste Solutions has acquired family-owned A-1 McDuffie Sanitation, expanding its Gulf Coast footprint into more of Alabama and Mississippi. The deal brings more than 40 trucks, more than 90 employees and 60,000 customers into Ecowaste’s network.

Why it matters: - The acquisition gives Ecowaste Solutions a bigger foothold in Mobile County and extends the company’s service area deeper into Mississippi. - The deal adds a large, established customer base and keeps A-1 McDuffie Sanitation’s employees in place. - Ecowaste is using the purchase to deepen its Gulf Coast growth strategy.

What happened: - Ecowaste Solutions announced the acquisition of A-1 McDuffie Sanitation, a family-founded hauler based in Semmes, Alabama. - A-1 McDuffie Sanitation serves 60,000 customers across Alabama and Mississippi. - The company operates more than 40 trucks and employs more than 90 people. - The acquisition strengthens Ecowaste’s presence in Mobile County, where Ecowaste already operates a hauling facility in Mobile. - The deal extends Ecowaste service into Laurel, Noxubee County and Stone County, Mississippi.

The details: - Kenneth Havens’s grandparents founded A-1 McDuffie Sanitation in 1998 and chose the name so it would appear first in the phone book. - Havens joined the family business in 2009 and now serves as chief executive officer. - A-1 McDuffie built its brand around community involvement and education. - In 2014, the company introduced 96-gallon pink carts, with $5 from each cart going to a breast cancer charity. - The company later added a black cart with a red lid, called the mission cart, with $5 from each cart supporting a local nonprofit. - Havens described the company as: “We’re not a sanitation company. We’re a people company that offers a sanitation service.” - Ecowaste Chief Executive Officer Dustin Reynolds said every A-1 McDuffie employee will remain with the company. - Havens will guide the transition alongside Ecowaste leadership. - Ecowaste is welcoming the A-1 McDuffie team to the company. - Ecowaste said the transaction is its 14th acquisition since the merger. - The company followed the deal with the acquisition of Adams Sanitation in Milton, Florida. - Ecowaste operates across ten states in the South and Mid-South and is headquartered in Coppell, Texas. - The company provides residential, commercial, roll-off, portable restroom, recycling and other environmental services. - Ecowaste said it is building the South’s waste collection, recycling and disposal business through strategic growth and community commitment. - More information is available at the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - Ecowaste is buying a company with a strong local identity, not just routes and equipment. - Keeping the full workforce in place should help reduce disruption for customers during the handoff. - The emphasis on carts tied to charity and local nonprofits signals that A-1 McDuffie’s community branding is part of the asset Ecowaste wants to preserve. - The Gulf Coast is becoming a more important growth lane for Ecowaste as it adds adjacent service territories.

What's next: - Havens will help lead the transition as Ecowaste integrates A-1 McDuffie Sanitation. - Ecowaste says it will focus on making the transition as easy as possible for households and businesses. - The company will continue expanding its Gulf Coast footprint after the deal closes.