Rumpke Waste & Recycling continues to set new performance records and expects more growth as the company capitalizes on its core values, industry expertise, innovation and fiscal strength. Rumpke again set new records as its 2024 revenues topped nearly $1.2 billion and Rumpke finished 2024 as the tenth largest waste and recycling firm in the country, with the 8th largest vehicle fleet, the 6th most landfills, and the largest recycling center in North America*.
Throughout 2024, Rumpke completed 10 acquisitions including two new landfills, and several hauling operations and customers throughout its five-state service area of Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and West Virginia. Since 2016, Rumpke has completed 72 acquisitions averaging one a month.
鈥淥ur goal is to acquire operations that complement our existing footprint, include essential infrastructure, and facilitate opportunities for more growth,鈥� said Bill Rumpke Jr, President & CEO at Rumpke. 鈥淲e are constantly researching opportunities, but I feel our niche is fellow private or family-owned companies. As leaders of a family company, we relate to those owners and their needs to ensure a smooth transition for their family, employees and customers. We work with each company we acquire to ensure their distinct needs are met.鈥�
Last February, Rumpke purchased certain waste collection assets from family-owned Sanitation Service, Inc. (SSI) in Effingham, Illinois. The acquisition marks Rumpke鈥檚 first landfill, transfer station and hauling operation in the state. 鈥淭he transition to Rumpke was incredibly smooth,鈥� said Austin Hayes, former SSI employee and manager of Rumpke鈥檚 landfill in Effingham. 鈥淪ince joining Rumpke, it feels like I鈥檓 still working with family. Everyone has been extremely helpful and supportive, from top to bottom, and the family culture Rumpke has established aided in a seamless transition for our team, customers and community.鈥�
听In 2024, Rumpke听 opened new landfill gas to energy systems at its Beech Hollow Landfill and Pike Sanitation Landfill in Ohio and at its Montgomery County Landfill in Kentucky bringing the total to nine landfill gas to energy systems. Together these plants supply enough energy for more than 70,000 homes and businesses. Additionally, Rumpke鈥檚 landfill teams constructed almost 40 acres of landfill capacity.
Rumpke developed new infrastructure including a hauling operation in Delaware, Ohio, new office and maintenance center in Greenville, Ohio, new transfer stations in Covington Kentucky, and Cincinnati and Zanesville, Ohio. In all Rumpke operates 26 transfer stations. Throughout the year Rumpke added 1,011 employees bringing its total headcount to about 4,400. Together the Rumpke team is servicing about 2 million accounts and 471 municipal contracts including curbside recycling services for Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. Throughout 2024, Rumpke forged new contracts with 38 municipalities and renewed 218 contracts.
To meet the demands of its growing service regions, Rumpke added 469 pieces of equipment, pushing its total compressed natural gas units to 663 and the company鈥檚 total fleet to almost 2,450 units. The grand opening of the 226.000 square foot Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center in Columbus, Ohio was a major accomplishment in 2024. The facility鈥檚 enhanced sorting capabilities and ability to swiftly recover 99 percent of recyclables at a rate of 60-plus tons per hour set a new standard for single stream processing in North America. In all, Rumpke鈥檚 16 recycling centers processed about 1.3 billion pounds of material in 2024.
All the growth and success were further celebrated as Rumpke ownership and company earned awards throughout 2024. Rumpke secured its place among Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal鈥檚 US Best Company list for the fifth consecutive year. President & CEO Bill Rumpke Jr. was inducted into the National Waste & Recycling Association Hall of Fame, while President Emeritus William J. Rumpke Sr. was honored with the Carl H. Lindner Award for entrepreneurial and civic spirit.
Rumpke continued to climb the Deloitte Cincinnati 100, a ranking of the 100 leading private companies in Cincinnati. The rankings are based on annual revenue, and Rumpke ranked 14, up from 17 in 2023.听Rumpke also took home a Smart Business Pillar Award for community service and three Cincinnati Public Relations Society of America Blacksmith honors for social media campaigns, event planning and promotion and internal communications.
鈥淟ooking back 2024 was a banner year for Rumpke. I am extremally proud of our team. This new year will mean more acquisitions, more new equipment and more new infrastructure projects,鈥� adds Rumpke. 鈥淭hrough Rumpke鈥檚 core values of teamwork,听 quality, perseverance,听 growth and responsibility, Rumpke will continue to achieve its mission of delivering exceptional waste and recycling solutions to our customers and communities through a commitment to safety, service, the environment and the growth of our people.鈥�