Qobo Recycling Profile

Qobo Recycling CC
Eco-disposals simplified
Table of contents
Introduction Background to Qobo Recycling Future outlook & Industry overview Core Business Strategy: Qobo Recycling Business Identity E-waste Case Study Our Purpose Core Competencies Our Market Our Role Client List 8 9
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QOBO RECYCLING CC
Reg. No: 2007/228482/23 Office: 961 Oudtshoorn Street, Wingate Park, Pretoria Phone: 082 441-3773 Email: info@qobo-recycling.co.za Web: www.qobo-recycling.co.za
Qobo Recycling CC Profile

1. Introduction
1.1.
Background to Qobo Recycling
The beginning Qobo Recycling CC was established in Pretoria East in 2007, the formal incorporation of the business was made in November of that year by Andile and Zomi Mahlangu who each have an equal share in the business. We started in the business by sourcing various (plastic, paper, scrap metal, e-waste) recyclables from Garstkloof landfill in Elarduspark (Pretoria) and reselling these materials as dealers to major recycling buy-back centres located in Pretoria West (Nampak, Remade and Reclam Recycling). Given the initial success of this method of sourcing of recyclables we started sourcing from other landfills in Pretoria namely Onderstepoort, Valhalla, Moloto and Mamelodi. The impact of the landfill environment started to take its toll on us so we decided to phase out that part of the business gradually from early 2009 until it we completely stopped in early 2010. A new-approach We decided to start focusing on companies in Pretoria as a source of our recyclables; through online marketing and cold calling we were able to secure work from a variety of companies (see appendix for client list). We started to co-ordinate the eco-disposal of valuable recyclables for companies; we also did eco-asset-disposal of redundant machinery and electronic waste. Given the diversity of environments that we have operated in and the variety of recyclable material we have handled this has put us in a position of being knowledgeable of the
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QOBO RECYCLING CC
various aspects of the recycling industry from a trading point of view and the materials that are suitable for recycling and also this has allowed us to build a substantial network with recycling companies in Pretoria and the East Rand. currently trade mainly in polymers and electronic waste. We
1.2.
Future outlook & Industry overview
Changing Horizon We aim to achieve our vision of being a recognised service provider in the recycling industry by establishing a business offering that will ensure that the business sets itself apart from the multitude of recycling companies that are in existence and has an offering that will bring great value to our clients. Survival of the smartest The greatest risk to the industry other than environmental compliance is the cost of operating in an industry that is not only labour intensive, but is also energy intensive and also transport intensive. A strike-prone labour market with a low output in productivity, rising costs of energy (electricity), the introduction of carbon taxes, rising fuel prices and now the introduction of e-toll gates within Gauteng will greatly impact the viability of recycling businesses.
2. Core Business Strategy: Qobo Recycling
In the introduction we have given an overview on who Qobo Recycling is and what our future outlook is, we aim to evolve our strategy for the business in accordance with the changes we see happening and we foresee occurring. In this section I would like to break down some issues that touch on our core strategy going forward.
2.1.
Business Identity to eco-disposal of recyclables and
2.1.1. Our offering- An Integrated approach
assets for companies

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QOBO RECYCLING CC
On the one end Qobo Recycling aims to target companies that are looking for a service provider who will dispose of their recyclables and assets in an eco-friendly manner on the other end we aim to provide these recovered recyclables and assets to the recycling industry & refurbishing market also known as the secondary material processers. Thus creating a closed loop for recyclable material and re-useable assets see figure 9.1 (Courtesy of Handbook of solid waste management 2nd Edition).
The function of recovering recyclables from companies or consumers on its own is by no means an innovative offering, how we aim to differentiate ourselves from other service providers is offering a service that will ensure that the process is simplified for the company looking for the eco-disposal of its materials. With this simplified case study below I aim to illustrate the problems faced by many junior employees and office-assistants with eco-disposals. Case Study: E-waste where to?
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QOBO RECYCLING CC
Joann is a junior employee in the environmental management division of the company that she works for, the company is a large mining company based in Cullinan. One day the IT department gives Joan a call telling her that management would like to dispose of the current electronic equipment (e-waste) being utilised in the data centre as it has become outdated and is to be replaced with new equipment. Management has asked for Joann to co-ordinate the whole process of e-waste disposal. Joann is fully aware of the mines stringent policy on asset disposal and environmental management issues and is under great pressure to select a service provider who will be compliant with this policy. This could mean that the service provider must be ISO 14000 compliant, has to have a permit to handle waste etc. To make matters more difficult Joann is notified that the mines management is not willing to pay the service provider for the disposal and in fact they would like to make a bit of money out of it to be used for the Christmas party which is a couple of weeks away. Joann having not dealt with any recycling companies that deal in the recovery of redundant electronic equipment is baffled; she consults her colleagues and friends on any info they can provide on service providers who can help to no avail, she decides to start scouring the internet for service providers. Her search returns a number of hits including a Johannesburg based company that ticks all the boxes (ISO compliant, specialist in e-waste recoveries etc.) she gives them a call but they are not interested in the disposal as they want to get paid for their service because Cullinan is too far out for them. So she continues her search she finds a company in Pretoria and she decides to call them they are geographically closer to her location so logistical cost is not a problem to them and they claim to pay the best prices for e-waste but they cannot provide proof of their environmental accreditations and thus dont comply with the companies environmental policy and so on it goes...Qobo Recycling can co-ordinate the whole disposal for client, according to their requirements.
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QOBO RECYCLING CC
This is the challenge that most people put in charge of recyclable and asset disposals in organisations face on a daily basis. They are selected for these tasks and it isnt their core competency. According to the Google key-word search tool the term Recycling is searched for about 65,000 times every month in South Africa alone. Qobo Recycling aims to provide a service that will comprise the following:
Recyclables and asset recovery from organisations Eco-disposal of recyclables and assets via accredited service providers, whom we are already familiar with.
Solutions for organisations on how to manage their recyclable waste within their organisations to ensure minimal or no contamination of recyclables
A website that will allow organisations to list recyclables and assets they would like to dispose of in an eco-friendly way. The website will function as a marketplace with national vendors registering for the purchase or landfill-diversion of materials they can reprocess. www.go-recycling.co.za/go
2.1.2. Our purpose- Eco-friendly disposals simplified
Qobo Recycling aims to simplify the eco-friendly disposal of recyclables, by utilising information technology, having decent working facilities and employing a well trained workforce. Shareholder value will be created through the establishment of the business as a preferred eco-disposal service provider. 2.1.3. Core competencies
Qobo Recycling CC just like most businesses was established as a means of economic empowerment for the individuals who started the business, who had no background or intrinsic knowledge of the recycling industry but the endeavour to discover and realise opportunities within the industry. In this section I aim to put our core competencies in perspective. Business Philosophy
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QOBO RECYCLING CC
A business should have an offering that creates value for the customer: Good customer experience and valid solutions that lead to cost/time saving and/or create profitability in the execution of a task.
Shareholders or employees of a business should have a sound understanding of the industry they operate in and an even better understanding of their business. This allows them to offer solutions that are useful.
One should establish an expansive professional network. This network functions as a great support mechanism for the individual in the business.
A business should not only embrace information technology as a means of smoothly conducting the internal processes of the business, or communication with stakeholders but also as a tool to develop solutions that will help stakeholders resolve problems (that can be resolved without the need for human contact) efficiently.
Qobo Recyclings current core competencies

A. A good understanding of the recycling industry
We know the markets for the disposal of various recyclables (polymers, e-waste, ferrous/non-ferrous metals and paper).
We are au fait with the requirements for managing the quality of recyclables, minimising the risk of contaminating materials.
We have built a substantial network with recyclers in Gauteng
B. A total solution
We are able to co-ordinate the entire process of eco-disposal from the sorting of recyclables internally in an organisation, to the packaging and subsequent transportation and eco-friendly disposal of materials. focus on their core issues as an organisation.
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Allowing the customer to
QOBO RECYCLING CC
C. Innovation for simplification
We are open to embracing information technology as means to offer solutions that simplify the process of eco-disposals for customers.
2.1.4. Our market:
A. Our Ideal Target Customers. I will use a set of scenarios to illustrate what type of market we are targeting.
A factory manager of a large manufacturing company has been given the task of greening the factory by the owner of the business. The business manager whilst having limited knowledge of the greening process knows that recycling forms a part of it. He decides to use the services of recycling company to recover the recyclable waste which the factory is currently disposing of at landfills.
The office manager of a major accounting firm would like to minimise the amount of waste (paper, plastic bottles and ink cartridges etc.) that the office is generating, she needs a solution that will ensure that a greater percentage of waste is recycled. She reckons the best means of doing this is placing recycling bins in the office and appointing a recycling service provider to empty the bins on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
An asset disposal officer at a government department has been given the task of disposing of e-waste that has been generated by three divisions of the department. The divisions are spread over three locations in Gauteng (Pretoria, Johannesburg and Germiston). The asset disposal committee has a strict policy on selecting service providers that must meet minimum criteria (e.g. Accredited, verified BEE, permitted to handle waste etc.) and the officer therefore has to appoint a compliant service provider. Head of Department in the organisation.
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The committee also requires the service
provider to do an audit on the e-waste disposed they would like to present this to
QOBO RECYCLING CC
The purchasing agent of a medium sized recycling is stumped she cannot source enough materials to meet the quota that has been stated by the manufacturer her company supplies with recycled plastic resin. Her internet searches and coldcalling for suppliers gives her nil in terms of valid leads, she needs to be able to generate high quality leads who can supply her with recycled plastic and this needs to be done in a more efficient and cost effective manner.
As stated before Qobo Recycling aims to offer customers an integrated approach to the eco-disposal of their recyclables and assets this will simplify the process of eco friendly disposals and by positioning Recyclemart as a leading South African internet based national marketplace for the listing and sourcing of recyclable materials we will ensure that access to recyclables and verified recyclers will be accessible in a more efficient way. B. Our role

Recovery of recyclables and other redundant assets Implementing measures to minimise the carbon footprint of organisations Implementing office recycling programs and offering collection services Establishing the www.go-recycling.co.za/go website and managing it.
Appendix: Some of the companies we have worked for: Clients Quebec Electrical Engineers Super Way Construction Task/Scope POLYMER RECOVERY & RECYCLING POLYMER RECOVERY & RECYCLING; ASSET DISPOSAL Petra Diamonds EWASTE DISPOSAL
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QOBO RECYCLING CC
State Information Technology Agency (7 Gauteng branches; 1 Limpopo branch) Westinghouse electrical
EWASTE DISPOSAL
EWASTE DISPOSAL
Department of Rural Development- Deeds EWASTE DISPOSAL office Pretoria. Contemporary Events (SABS & Ernst and Young) Kapsch (E-toll Company) OFFICE RECYCLING-WASTE PAPER RECOVERY EVENT RECYCLING
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Qobo Recycling CC

Qobo Recycling CC Profile

Background to Qobo Recycling

Future outlook & Industry overview

Business Identity to eco-disposal of recyclables and

2.1.1. Our offering- An Integrated approach

assets for companies

2.1.2. Our purpose- Eco-friendly disposals simplified

Qobo Recyclings current core competencies

We have built a substantial network with recyclers in Gauteng

Allowing the customer to

C. Innovation for simplification

2.1.4. Our market:

The committee also requires the service

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