In 2023 Anker Andersen A/S signed a contract with RetuRO SGR - administrator of the national Deposit Return System (DRS) in Romania - for the establishment of regional counting and sorting centers for used beverage packaging.
Over the past year, Anker Andersen A/S has directly supplied HLZ® counting and sorting machines for this project, and as the turnkey supplier, the responsibility has been to oversee the manufacturing and distribution of all essential equipment. With the expertise and capabilities of our PMO office, the project will be steered to successful completion in strong collaboration with international high-end manufacturers of machinery and equipment.
The Romanian DRS system is still under development, and as reason for choosing Anker Andersen A/S as turnkey supplier, Gemma Webb, CEO and President of the RetuRO Executive Board, states:
Finding a capable and experienced partner who can provide not only the necessary state-of-the-art
equipment but also ensure on-site installation and testing, specialized training, maintenance, service,
and the provision of spare parts, has been an important step for us. This comprehensive and customized
approach to services offered by Anker Andersen A/S in the implementation of Deposit Return Systems
worldwide played a significant role in choosing the technical partner for Romania”.
Reflecting on the progress made so far, Gemma Webb further comments:
“The progress in the DRS system made so far is remarkable, and it proves to be an effective tool for supporting recycling efforts. Returning beverage packaging is becoming a recurring practice for consumers, reflecting a growing understanding of the system and an appreciation of its environmental benefits. The continuous expansion of the infrastructure is essential to meet the ever-evolving needs of the DRS system and increase recycling rates in order to achieve recycling targets set by the European Union”.
For more information about RetuRO SGR, please visit:
In East Haven, Connecticut, the local redemption Center East Haven Bottle Return underwent a remarkable transformation that significantly improved the bottle counting and sorting process, making life easier for both customers and machine operators. Before the introduction of an automatic counting and sorting machine, this Center faced numerous challenges that hindered efficiency.
Before the innovation, manually counting and sorting bottles was a cumbersome task. It was a labor-intensive process that demanded extensive manpower and was prone to errors. Customers who brought in their bottles for redemption often experienced long wait times, and the process was far from accurate. It was clear that a change was needed.
The turning point came when East Haven Bottle Return decided to invest in a state-of-the-art HLZ® automatic counting and sorting machine from Anker Andersen A/S. This decision revolutionized their operations. Today, the process is a model of precision and efficiency.
For customers, the experience is now hassle-free. They simply bring in their bottles, and the machine swiftly and accurately counts and sorts them, providing a quick and accurate refund. No more waiting in long lines or concerns about incorrect counts.
From the perspective of the machine operator, the change has been equally transformative. The HLZ® machine requires minimal oversight, allowing operators to focus on other aspects of their work. It has streamlined operations, reduced labor costs, and eliminated the need for extensive training on manual counting techniques.
Notably, this automation has boosted the Center's activity by a remarkable 10 percent. The increased throughput benefits both the Center and its customers, with shorter wait times and faster processing.
Furthermore, the machine's versatility is a glimpse into the future. It has the capacity to handle a wide range of bottle variants, and it is adaptable to accommodate even more in the future. This means the Center can accept an expanding variety of bottles, making recycling and redemption more accessible to the community.
In the words of Priyal Garala, General manager of East Haven Bottle Return, "The introduction of the automatic HLZ® counting and sorting machine has been a game-changer for us. It has not only improved customer satisfaction but also made our operations more efficient and cost-effective. We are now able to serve more customers in less time, and the accuracy of the counting process is remarkable. It's a win-win situation for everyone."
In conclusion, East Haven Bottle Return’s journey from manual bottle counting to automation stands as a shining example of how technology can transform traditional processes, benefiting both customers and operators. The implementation of the automatic counting and sorting machine has made bottle redemption a hassle-free experience, significantly increased activity, and positioned the Center to embrace a broader range of bottle variants in the future.
To learn more about East Haven Bottle Return and to watch a video of the HLZ® machine in operation, visit:
In 2005 CLYNK pioneered Bag-Drop container return for customers in the United States and Canada. The CLYNK system provides the most convenient way for consumers to return their containers to the recycling stream and receive their deposit value. Customers simply fill their bags, attach their unique barcode tag which links to an online funds account, and leave their bags at an unmanned drop-off depot typically found in common stop locations like grocery stores, beverage retailers, or transfer stations. CLYNK then transports the consumer bags to high volume consolidated processing centers for counting and sorting, crediting the consumer’s account with their returned deposits. CLYNK is both a large processing center operator in Maine and New York, and a licensor of their patented Bag Drop technology platform to other small and large processors across those States and Canadian provinces that have Deposit Schemes.
Since its inception, CLYNK has processed billions of containers, first on counting machines developed inhouse, then on those developed by other vendors, and finally on Anker Andersen HLZ® Ultra machines which both count and capture barcode data. Through this evolution, CLYNK has found the Anker Andersen HLZ® machines provide superior performance in the market. The HLZ® systems process a wide range of container types and sizes at a very high rate of speed. The HLZ® Ultra machines count and collect data with industry-leading accuracy, delivering a comprehensive data package for CLYNK’s billing systems to use. This efficiency is critical for CLYNK to be able to continue offering the level of convenience and accuracy their consumers expect. Additionally, CLYNK confirms that the HLZ® machines are reliable and simple to maintain by inhouse staff, with parts and remote support available after sales.
Anker Andersen A/S has customized the CLYNK version of these machines to work seamlessly with the specific needs of the CLYNK Bag-Drop Technology platform. CLYNK has a strong culture of innovation, relentlessly upgrading its own processing facilities and processing software to improve efficiency for its users, and Anker Andersen A/S has matched that innovative spirit in their willingness to continuously adapt their machinery and software. CLYNK has come to rely on Anker Andersen HLZ® Ultra machines as a key component in the end-to-end CLYNK solution.
For more information about the CLYNK Bag Drop Technology Solution, please visit Partner With Us - Clynk:
In the autumn of 2014 the national deposit system in Estonia (EPP) opened a bottle redemption center at the outskirts of Tallinn. The new redemption center receives used beverage containers (cans, PET bottles, one-way and refillable glass) in bulk from the public.
The center is equipped with the latest model of the Cash & Go machine from Anker Andersen A/S, which is capable of counting and handling the empties with a speed of up to 300 containers/minute. The PET bottles and cans are sorted and forwarded into 20’ press containers in order to minimize the volume of the containers and to optimize transportation costs and thus reducing the CO2 emission. One-way glass bottles are sent into special containers. Refillable glass bottles are stored in crates for reintroduction at the breweries’ filling lines.
The redemption center has a footprint of 9.0 x 5.0 meters with a designated customer area of 1.5 x 4.0 meters, where the beverage containers are filled into the bulk feeder for processing. The customer interacts with the touch screen to start and finish the counting. When the counting is finished, the customer will get a receipt, which can be used at a supermarket center nearby.
The public has received the introduction of this new technology overwhelmingly, and the average amount of received beverage containers is about 16,000 empties per day, with a peak as high as 32,000 empties/day.
In cooperation with Dansk Retursystem A/S (operator of the Danish deposit and return scheme) Anker Andersen A/S has developed a new deposit return system, where you can quickly and easily return large quantities of empty glass bottles, PET bottles and cans and have your deposit transferred to your account shortly after.
The new concept is called Drop & Go, and the machine is able to receive up to 300 bottles/cans at a time and count up to 120 beverage containers per minute, which is three times faster than the reverse vending machines we know from the stores.
At present the Drop & Go machine is tested to find out whether this return method becomes popular with the consumers, and according to plan the system will also be tested at some of the summer music festivals in Denmark.
For further information about the Drop & Go system please see this news from the Danish TV-channel TV2 Lorry:
Over the years, as beverage container recycling has increased, the demands on Regional Recycling’s largest locations have increased significantly. When COVID-19 protocols dictated that customers needed to sort their beverage containers outside, owner of Regional Recycling, Rod Lotzkar, knew that he needed to find a solution to help speed people through the recycling process and help eliminate lines in the parking lots. Aware of the opportunities to automate the recycling process using machines to sort and count refundable containers, Regional Recycling consulted with others in the industry who had leveraged the use of technology to make the recycling process more efficient.
The main attributes that helped Regional Recycling make the decision for Anker Andersen equipment were build quality and because the systems are user serviceable. The other options in the market had very expensive maintenance programs. Comparisons between systems showed that the main difference was operator satisfaction. In addition, Anker Andersen was more knowledgeable about how to keep their machines up all the time instead of relying on service technicians.
To differentiate the depots where Regional Recycling use Anker Andersen equipment and to promote it as an added value service to customers, Regional Recycling created the name Quikcount: these state-of-the-art machines are designed to sort customer’s beverage containers at lightning speeds, processing hundreds of items per minute. This means customers can bring in their bags of unsorted recyclable beverage containers, including pop cans, beer cans, and plastic bottles up to 1 litre, and witness them being deposited directly into the Quikcount System.
The containers are instantly sorted and counted, allowing customers to calculate their return on the spot.
Rod Lotzkar expresses his satisfaction with the Anker Andersen equipment in this way:
“Thanks to the Anker Andersen state-of-art machines, estimates indicate that our customers reduce their time spent at the depot by up to 30%. This not only benefits customers but also has a positive impact on the community. Reduced time at the depot means less traffic in parking lots, leading to decreased engine idling and smoother traffic flows. By choosing Quikcount and Anker Andersen, our customers are not only earning faster returns but also actively contributing to a greener neighbourhood”
Regional Recycling is part of a family-run business that has been a leader in the recycling industry in British Columbia for more than 100 years and today they run 8 recycling location across BC.
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