One Man’s Trash, Another Man’s Treasure
Waste management has evolved considerably since Charles’ parents founded Pinto Service. As local communities have become more conscious of the rapid depletion of the world’s nonrenewable resources and the fragile state of the environment, Charles has found his customers are thinking more critically about how to dispose of waste—and who to choose for the job.
An interview with Provident Bank Connect, Winter 2013.
Pinto Service, Inc.
When co-owner Charles Pinto talks about the history of Pinto Service, Inc., there’s an unmistakable hint of pride in his voice. That’s because the waste management company his mother and father began in 1960 has come a long way from its humble beginnings. When Joseph and Gloria Pinto started the business, Pinto Service consisted of a single trash truck. Today, Pinto service provides comprehensive waste management services for residential, commercial, and industrial customers in six counties and employs nearly 50 workers. Thanks for strategic partners and smart business choices, Pinto Service and its affiliates have become leaders in New Jersey’s waste management industry.
“Most people call it trash, but for Charles Pinto, waste is a commodity that has kept his family business thriving for more than five decades.”
Dirty Job, Clean Air
The company was incorporated in 1963 but didn’t see major growth until mid-1970s when Joseph and Gloria decided to partner with National Transfer, Inc., one of the first waste removal companies in the area to offer recycling services. That decision proved wise. Pinto Service gained a considerable advantage in the the industry when rising energy costs led to a nationwide investment in recycling efforts. While keeping pace with the recycling boom of the 1970s secured the family business financially, Charles says recycling at Pinto Service has always been about more than making money.
“In all honesty, I’m an environmentalist,” Charles says, “I believe that if we don’t change the way we manage waste now, our children’s generation will be in trouble.”
To comply with new and evolving regulations surrounding waste removal in the United States, Pinto Service is in the process of replacing its older waste trucks with pollution control-compliant models that feature specialized filters designed to remove particulates from the exhaust. These trucks require less fuel, and the exhaust they produce pumps fewer pollutants into the air. Roughly half of Pinto Service’s fleet of 32 trucks have already been replaced or converted to satisfy clean air standards.
Meeting The Challenge of a Changing Industry
As Charles notes, waste management has evolved considerably since his parents founded Pinto Service. As local communities have become more conscious of the rapid depletion of the world’s nonrenewable resources and the fragile state of the environment, Charles has found his customers are thinking more critically about how to dispose of waste—and who to choose for the job.
“During the last five decades, proper waste handling has become universally important,” Charles says. “Our job is now more than simply collecting and transporting waste. People are now asking, ‘Where does my garbage go?’”.
At Pinto Service, a carefully devised system has been established in coordination with National Transfer to make sure no waste ends up in a landfill. First, recyclables are extracted from the waste flow. These resources are returned to their natural states and sold to manufacturers to make new products. Meanwhile, the non-recyclables are sent to local incinerators that use heat from the process to convert water to steam. That steam powers electricity for local homes and businesses.
While Pinto Service has managed to stay at the forefront of waste management innovations over the years, the company wasn’t immune to the economic downturn. As construction and demolition projects have steadily decreased since 2008, Pinto Service has experienced business fluctuations. For a company the relies heavily on transportation, it feels the pinch of the rising cost of fuel. Though some companies might focus on increasing revenue at the expense of meeting customers’ needs, Pinto Service has continued to make the customer its priority. Pinto Service has worked with customers who are struggling financially by offering flexible payment schedules. That flexibility, Charles says, wouldn’t be possible without receiving the same flexibility from their bank.
“You’re only as good as the businesses you surround yourself with, which is why we chose Provident Bank for our banking and loans,” Charles says, “What we appreciate most about Provident Bank is that they’re there when you need them. We’ve gone to other banks before, but we’ve only gotten a lot of red tape and answering machines. I make one phone call to our representative at Provident Bank and that’s it—we’re taken care of.”
All In the Family
Despite the uncertainties of a sluggish economy, Charles Pinto, co-owner of Pinto Service, Inc. says Pinto Service is well positioned for the future, thanks to the company’s reputation for translating family values into sound business practices.
“As a family-owned and family-operated company, we’ve learned firsthand that communication is vital,” Charles says, “Listening to our customer’s needs and responding with fast, cost-effective solutions is what we do best. That’s why more and more customers are seeking out family businesses rather than the big guys.”
Charles now co-owns Pinto Service with his brother, Steven, and has plans to pass ownership along to the next generation of Pintos someday.
“My brother and are I proud of the upcoming generation and their excitement about expanding the business,” Charles says. “Family businesses are more reliable—they’re more hands-on. We’ve worked hard to earn that reputation, and we plan on putting it into practice for many decades to come.”
Pinto Service Testimonial for PKF O’Connor Davies
My name is Charlie Pinto, President of Pinto Service, also Vice President of National Transfer and co-owner with my brother Steve for various residential and commercial properties.
Transcript, from June 2018.
My name is Charlie Pinto, President of Pinto Service, also Vice President of National Transfer and co-owner with my brother Steve for various residential and commercial properties.
Accounting to me is Cornerstone. In 1982, we started with PKF O’Connor Davies and from there—through their acquisitions and their growth—we grew with them.
It’s not only what you make in revenue, it’s also what you save. If you don’t have good people behind you, you’re not going to get that full value.
My connection with Joe Fazio is very strong. We’ve been with him for 25 years. He’s been more than just an accountant; he’s a friend, and I can almost call him family. We’ve been with him for so long that he knows everything about us—and that’s what makes it very important because you can’t have an accountant, or an accounting firm, that doesn’t click with you.
If I can sum up my experience with PKF O’Connor Davies it is: Being personal, knowing everything—knowing what we need—and being there for us.
Customer Bill of Rights
7:26H‐5.12 Customer Bill of Rights
7:26H‐5.12 Customer Bill of Rights
1. A commercial, industrial or institutional customer has the right to select their solid waste collector on a competitive basis and to discontinue at any time, unless contractually obligated by a service agreement, provided that the collector is provided with a minimum of seven days written notice.
2. Residential customers who are responsible for hiring their own collection service have the right to select their solid waste collector on a competitive basis and to discontinue service at any time, provided the collector is given seven days written notice.
3. The solid waste collector shall provide collection service in the service territories listed in its tariff
4. A statement that the solid waste collector’s tariff showing terms and conditions is available for review at the department and that a complete list of solid waste collectors registered to provide service in their territory is available from the Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste.
5. The solid waste collector shall handle customer complaints in a prompt, courteous, and efficient manner and that in the event a solid waste collector fails to pick up solid waste on a regularly scheduled day and such failure is not caused by an act or omission of the customer, the collector shall make the pick up as soon as possible, but in no event shall it be later than the next regularly scheduled collection day. Should a collector fail to pick up solid waste from a commercial, industrial or institutional customer on two consecutive collection days, and such failure is not caused by an omission or act of the customer, the customer may cancel any service agreement or contract with the collector.
6. The solid waste collector shall remove and transport solid waste in an environmentally sound manner that safeguards the public health and preserved the quality of the environment.
7. The solid waste collector shall notify its customers in writing at least 10 days prior to any increase or decrease in rates.
8. The solid waste collector shall provide ten days written notice to the customer prior to the discontinuation of service. A collector may discontinue service for nonpayment of bills provided it gives the customer at least ten days for payment of the bill before issuing the ten day notice of discontinuing service.
9. Where solid waste collection service is provided in containers or other equipment supplies by the solid waste collector, and the service is discontinued either by the solid waste collector or the customer, the solid waste collector shall be required to remove its container or other equipment from the customer’s premises within three days of the effective date of discontinuance regardless of the status of the account.
10. The Department is available to resolve service or pricing issues and disputes and the solid waste collector shall not terminate service for non‐payment of disputed charges during a Department investigation.
11. The customer may make partial payments on collection service and disposal fees without risk of additional charges, penalties or disruption of service on the unresolved amount of a service or pricing issue or dispute and/or dispute‐forwarded to the Department for resolution.
12. If a customer will be absent from their residence or business for at least 30 days the customer may request suspension of solid waste collection services and billing for that period without charge.
13. The collector is responsible for assisting the customer in the selection of the most favorable service to meet the customer’s needs at the most reasonable rate.