ERI Announces Location Updates
ERI’s CEO has estimated that its electronics processing capacity could be increased by as much as 30 percent when its current plans for facility realignment and expansion are completed. The well-known electronics reuse and recycling company has declared that it will shut down its smallest Colorado location while inaugurating three much bigger facilities in 2024.
John Shegerian, co-founder, CEO and chairman of ERI, recently expressed his thoughts on how the organization’s newest project will impact its standing as one of North America’s most prominent e-scrap firms.
“This is just sort of an evolution based on our clients’ logistics needs,” he explained. “It was existing clients who were telling us they were opening up different logistics lanes and they wanted us to continue to evolve to meet their needs.”
Aurora Plant to Close
ERI is headquartered in Fresno, Calif., and has other facilities located in Badin, N.C.; Flower Mound Texas; Goodyear, Ariz.; Holliston, Mass.; Lincoln Park, N.J.; Plainfield, Ind.; and Sumner, Wash. By the conclusion of 2023 however, its Aurora plant, the smallest at 80,000 sq. ft., will be closing its doors.
However, by the end of 2024, ERI plans to expand its operations with three new large facilities in the United States. This will bring its number to a net total of 11 plants across the country. Estimating that leases have yet to be signed and schedules may still change, Shegerian speculates that the first site may be open as early as Q1 of 2024, with the remaining two tentatively scheduled for Q2 and Q4.
“We have the areas we’re negotiating but we don’t have anything signed yet,” he stated. When asked what kind of financial commitment would be required, he did not disclose a dollar amount.
New Facility Details
According to Shegerian’s estimation, the future facilities could range from 50,000-100,000 square feet each. Additionally, there is a potential for an expansive plant located on the East Coast that could rival the size of ERI’s largest sites in Fresno and Plainfield, both totaling over 700,000 square feet.
ERI plans to equip one site with a large-scale e-waste shredding and separation system while the other two locations will boast AI driven robots designed specifically for dismantling devices. The firm has initiatives to add even more robots to its existing Fresno and Plainfield sites as well.
In the company’s 2022 ESG report, ERI was able to process a total of 121 million pounds of electronics last year. Shegerian projected that the realignment plan could increase this figure by up to 30 percent.
Also, this year, ERI opened the Goodyear plant as its latest venture. Per a recent announcement, Shegerian asserted that the firm is in the process of merging operations at the Aurora location with the newly established Goodyear facility.
The Retail Business Transforms
ERI’s clients, which mostly comprise of retailers, have evolved from heavy in-store sales to primarily utilizing e-commerce platforms. This alteration has necessitated Shegerian to modify the footprint of his company. “That whole industry has sort of dictated a change in the logistic footprint of America,” he stated.
And in light of tumultuous trucking markets, ERI has taken steps to reorganize its infrastructure to serve all ZIP Codes in the United States. This realignment, “is designed to further streamline logistical accessibility and operational efficiency,” the company noted.
By 2024, ERI is expected to have reached its goals for growth in the U.S., according to Shegerian. However, plans are also in motion for expanding operations beyond American borders. ERI continues to pave the way with its continual adaptations to better serve its customers.
