Dot-coms come out of woodwork for Expo

Waste News
By: Allan Gerlat
June 05, 2000

ATLANTA -- Business' biggest trend arrived at the waste industry's biggest show, as at least 10 dot-com companies had a presence at Waste Expo 2000. Companies at the Atlanta show included Analine.com, Fibermarket.com, PaperExchange.com, Wasteclick.com, Wastebid.com, EWaste.com, Woodfuel.com, Wwwaste.com, Wastedepot.com and Wastesaver.com Inc.

Exhibit attendees showed a good amount of interest in the e-commerce sites, but the industry's awareness of the opportunities falls short of other businesses, several people said. `The waste group is way behind where I thought they'd be," said John F. McQuillan Jr., president and CEO of Analine.com. "There's not a great understanding about where it can go."

One of the newer companies at the meeting was Wastesaver.com. Steve Hammer, its president and CEO, said the company expects to go live in mid-July, with the aim of bringing New York City-area haulers and their customers together to reduce waste. He said he was uncertain to what extent haulers had Internet access. "Are we too early?" he wondered.

Vince Bankoski, president of EWaste.com, said educating the industry on the business benefits of the Internet will be key to which dot-com companies succeed. He also said incentives, such as EWaste's giveaway of a PT Cruiser through a drawing of EWaste registrants, will be key to survival. "This is the way business will be done on the Internet," he said. "It's part of the human condition, that they need an incentive to switch."

But if the waste industry is lagging behind on the latest business wave, several firms are just getting started now as well. "I don't think a lot of the companies are up to speed, but they're getting there," said Jack R. Casagrande, of Wwwaste.com. Suppliers clearly are ahead of haulers. He said he doesn't expect his firm, which will emphasize providing information, to operate at 100 percent until July.

All the dot-com companies interviewed said they were glad to see lots of competitors at the show. "It helps create confidence and acceptance" of e-commerce in general, said Jan Reisman, vice president of marketing for Fibermarket.com.

"People know it's the next wave -- it's just a matter of when," said Robert H. Brickner, chief marketing officer for Wastebid.com. "In this industry, it'll take a while -- it's not as high-tech. It'll happen more as the younger generation comes on."

Wastebid.com went live in late April. The site addresses several areas of interest: news, auctions, information, requests for bids, government regulations. "We're trying to blend the traditional and the 21st century to accomplish some reasonable harmony," he said.

In a presentation at the meeting, McQuillan outlined his views on e-commerce and the waste industry. "For the waste hauling business, e-commerce is going to have an impact," he said. "It can provide a diversity of roots, customers and efficiency." In e-commerce, he said, "There's a phenomenal push to get there as fast as possible, as expertly as possible."

With e-partnerships, "You've got to think about your means to market now, and your means in the future." Analine itself has partnerships with the Bureau of National Affairs and Dun & Bradstreet, among others. It partnered with a company looking for disadvantaged businesses. Analine gains purchasing demand or user qualifications, while the partners get increased revenue or viewer traffic. "E-commerce extends the reach of both buyers and sellers in every market," McQuillan said.

What a firm is seeking in a partnership can fall into several categories. "You can have financial, content, real-world [specific niche needs], and technology, which brings you up the curve faster."

Afterward, McQuillan said he believes the potential for e-commerce in the waste industry definitely is there. How many of the new Internet companies will be around to see it realized is another matter. "One year from now many will fall out; some will be successful, but smaller," he said.

Wwwaste.com's Casagrande was even more succinct. "Next year some of us will be here and some won't."

For more information, contact:
Mr. Robert H. Brickner, Chief Operating Officer
WasteBid.com, Inc.
(703) 698-5001