Is Lassila & Tikanoja’s purpose to remain mainly in logistics (apparently also some waste disposal operations, pallet rental, etc., etc., etc.) or does the company plan to enter the actual recycling business?
I mean something similar to what Lamor and Neste do with plastics, Betolar with mining waste, Foamit with glass, and EcoUP with insulation waste. I would also include some form of sorting in this “recycling business,” where robots sort recyclable material from mixed waste (which no listed company in Finland seems to do). Processing bio-waste into biogas is, I suppose, relatively simple, but from what I understand, it is highly competitive and the margins are probably reflective of that. Correct me if I’m wrong.
So, is the intention to invest in this type of heavier waste processing and become a true circular economy company, rather than just a logistics operator in the field (of course, they already have those previously mentioned smaller operations + some vague mentions of the possible existence of this type of activity without a more concrete description)?
In the video, Rauli mentioned that this is possible. But are there any concrete plans regarding this, beyond just the theoretical possibility? And if L&T were to go down this path, would it fundamentally be a good or bad thing? Naturally, it depends on what they would start doing and at what price.
To summarize:
- Does L&T have concrete plans to get more broadly involved in waste processing in addition to current logistics?
- Would this type of expansion be a good or bad thing? (again, depending on what and at what price)
EDIT:
A comprehensive report on the “new Tikanoja” has already been released. It states the following: “From now on, Lassila & Tikanoja’s business will consist purely of circular economy-related activities based on returning waste and side streams to circulation at the highest possible degree of processing.”
The mention above would suggest that something like this already exists, but I haven’t found what it is in concrete terms. If something already exists, I’ve completely missed it, and I can’t find any detailed descriptions of what is being done. I only found vague mentions suggesting that something like this might already be in place. Either I failed in digging up information, or L&T has failed in its communication. In their communication, the garbage trucks and waste bins are always what’s remembered.
Also, “industrial services and water treatment” make up 19% of the company’s operations according to Inderes’ comprehensive report.
Bonus questions: In the company’s case, is water treatment practically just collecting sludge from small-scale treatment plants in rural areas? Or is there some major industrial water treatment? Do they process it themselves or are they just in logistics with vacuum trucks etc.? There would be an opportunity for biogas and other things here. In Rovaniemi, sewage sludge is incinerated for energy. That’s also an interesting idea. It is, of course, a different matter whether this is an actual gold mine. At least not yet.