who we are
Our History
Who would have predicted that a company established in 1982 focused on providing innovative environmental solutions would have such an impact on the treatment and disposal marketplace. Our sustained success stems from our ability to constantly reinvent and evolve our products and services to exceed the expectations of our client base. Our rich heritage of innovation has carried us through various business cycles, industry upheaval and allowed us to stay on the leading edge.
In 1982 WTS was founded by Gary P. Hall and Craig E. Avery. In early 1983, Michael C. Oliver joined the WTS team to help service a rapidly growing client base. In 1984 the first national agreement was signed with a Fortune 500 client to provide services to a variety of plant locations throughout the northeastern United States.
During 1985, the WTS project team was founded to provide turnkey project management, load preparation and packaging of chemicals. By 1986, the client base had more than tripled from its first year of business and supplier relationships built on honesty, trust and integrity were taking shape. At the same time, our technical department established the WTS Environmental Audit program to ensure that superior suppliers were being utilized for the management of our client’s materials.
Universities and specialty chemical companies began to realize the benefits of having WTS as their environmental services provider in the late eighties allowing further expansion and growth of WTS. During this time, WTS maintained is perfect compliance record while continuing to help clients navigate through an ever changing regulatory landscape.
As we entered the nineties and the industry matured, WTS was at the forefront of preserving clients from Superfund sites. In particular, WTS identified a facility that was being utilized by our clients that represented a potential CERCLA liability exposure. By moving quickly to remove any of our client’s materials off of this site and disapproving of the facility for all future shipments, WTS was able to help our clients avoid major environmental liabilities related to this eventual superfund site.
New offices were opened in Connecticut and Virginia in 1995 to further our reach and allow us to be closer to our clients in New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions. At the same time our audit program was further enhanced with financial reviews of all facilities. Long-term agreements were implemented with a number of our clients and we began leading the way to re-use and recycling options for our clients.
As the treatment and disposal marketplace experienced a decade of losses, an imbalance of supply and demand and barriers to exit, WTS continued to expand and profitably grow throughout the decade while sharing savings with our clients. By 1999, WTS was named as the highest rated systems supplier for a Fortune 500 company, and was firmly established as a quality environmental consultant ready to face the challenges of a new century.
During 2001 and 2002, WTS increased its insurance package by receiving disposal site selection and arranger endorsements on its policies (view insurance certificate). A significant real estate liability transfer was completed in Columbus Ohio and our project team managed a number of government clean-ups throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
In 2003 our solutions were more widely recognized amongst our client base as further contract renewals were implemented and our business continued to expand to new industry segments. Our capital catalyst program, whereby WTS provides financial assistance to our clients to aid in their achieving productivity enhancements in exchange for long-term partnerships, was also initiated.
Also in 2003, in response to the needs of our clients, the WTS compressed gas cylinder team was formed filling a major void in the marketplace created by the closure of the Clean Harbors BDT facility.
We moved into our new corporate office in 2004. At this time, the WTS Electronic Data Management system was upgraded, our training facilities were completed and every process updated to improve our responsiveness to our customer base.