2014 Molok North America Ltd. Celebrates: 15th Anniversary, Entrepreneur of the Year Award and PROFIT 500 ranking

Molok North America Ltd. Has Many Reasons to Celebrate 
Molok North America Ltd. Celebrates 15th Anniversary, Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and PROFIT 500 ranking. 

Mount Forest, Ontario (June 12, 2014) - Molok North America Ltd. has many reasons to celebrate this year: May marked the company’s 15th year anniversary, June awards Marja Hillis with Entrepreneur of the Year award, as well as ranks Molok North America Ltd. on the PROFIT 500 for the second year in a row. 

In the spring of 1999, Marja Hillis, started Molok North America Ltd. She was committed to sharing the user-friendly waste solution of Molok® Deep Collection™ with Canada. Now, 15 years later, the Molok® Deep Collection™ system proves to be an effective solution for tens of thousands of users across Canada. 

On June 3rd, 2014, Mrs. Hillis was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, presented by the Canada Finland Chamber of Commerce and the Osuuspankki Finnish Credit Union. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award is awarded annually to recognize the achievements of an individual in the business community and their contributions to the Finnish-Canadian community. 

June 12th, 2014, Molok North America Ltd. ranked on the 26th annual PROFIT 500 list of Canada’s FastestGrowing Companies, for the second year in a row. Ranking No. 280, Molok North America Ltd. improved their ranking from 2013, up 84 positions. Molok North America Ltd. made the PROFIT 500 list with five year revenue growth of 195%. 

“The members of the PROFIT 500 are the elite of the country’s entrepreneurial community,” says James Cowan, Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Business and PROFIT. “Their stories are lessons in business strategy, innovation, management excellence and sheer tenacity.” 

Marja Hillis, Molok North America Ltd. CEO says, “Counting my blessings every day, I’m overjoyed by the fact that we have such an amazing group of people in our team, or Molok family, as I like to call it. Without them none of this would be possible. As this family of ours keeps growing, whether as employees, distributors, customers or other stakeholders, I’m looking forward to the future with its challenges and opportunities.”


Link to press release

Tim Corcoran Joins Molok® Family

Tim Corcoran Joins Molok® Family as Business Development Manager for the Greater Toronto Area 

Mount Forest, Ontario (May 12,2014) – Molok North America Ltd. is pleased to welcome Tim Corcoran to the Molok® family as Business Development Manager for the Greater Toronto Area. 

In this position, Tim will focus on building relationships with key stakeholders and partners, expanding the presence of the Molok® Deep Collection™ system throughout the GTA. 

Tim joins Molok North America Ltd. with 15+ years of senior management experience in business development and sales management roles, where he provided leadership to sales teams across Canada, and managed budgets of up to $75 million. 

Link to press release

Molok North America Ltd. Celebrates 15th Year Anniversary

Molok North America Ltd. Celebrates 15th Year Anniversary 
Molok North America Ltd. is pleased to announce that May 5th, 2014 marks the company’s 15th year anniversary. Since 1999, Molok North America Ltd. has helped users save money and the environment with the Molok® Deep Collection™ system. The crane-lift, semi-underground design of Molok® containers proves to be an effective solution for tens of thousands of users across Canada. 

There’s a Story Behind It… It’s Deep. 
The Molok® Deep Collection™ system was created and developed by Veikko Salli in the 1980's in Finland. In the mid to late 1990’s, Molok® was introduced to Canada. Research began regarding the Canadian waste and recycling market, and North American sales of Molok® were being directed from Molok Ltd. in Finland. In 1997, Marja Hillis, Veikko Salli’s daughter and co-owner of Molok Ltd., came to Canada and began showcasing the Molok® system on behalf of Molok Ltd. at events such as the Canadian Waste and Recycling Expo. Knowing that the Molok® system was a perfect fit, Mrs. Hillis started Molok North America Ltd. in the spring of 1999. She was committed to sharing the user-friendly waste solution of Molok® Deep Collection™ with Canada. 

The first few years were a struggle as local waste haulers were not interested in emptying these new generation waste and recycling containers. Molok® was generally seen as a threat to the existing waste industry, a view that was based on a misunderstanding as Molok® was simply introducing a new way of doing things. Because of this lack of support, all sales efforts were focused on municipal, provincial and national parks market, where the park staff was able to empty Molok® containers by using their own equipment. 

Since then, Molok® has been accepted by other waste haulers and Molok® Deep Collection™ containers are now being used by restaurants, multi-residential properties, churches, universities, schools, retirement homes etc. across Canada. 

2012 saw the Grand Opening of their new 39,000 sq.ft. facility in Mount Forest, Ontario. In 2013, they were recognized as one of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies, ranking No. 364 on the annual PROFIT 500. In the fall of 2013, Mrs. Hillis ranked No. 84 on the W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs.


Link to press release

Marja Hillis Ranks No. 84 on the W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs

Marja Hillis Ranks No. 84 on the W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs 

Mount Forest, Ontario (October 15, 2013) – Today, Marja Hillis, CEO of Molok North America Ltd., ranked No. 84 on the 15th annual W100 ranking of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs, produced by PROFIT Magazine and Chatelaine. Ranking Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs on a composite score based on the size, growth rate and profitability of their businesses, the W100 profiles the country’s most successful female business owners. Published in the November issue of PROFIT and the December issue of Chatelaine and online at PROFITguide.com and chatelaine.com, the W100 is Canada’s largest annual celebration of entrepreneurial achievement by women. 

“This year’s W100 are a dream group of ambitious, forward thinking entrepreneurs who defy outdated notions of female entrepreneurship,” said Ian Portsmouth, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of PROFIT. “They are running sophisticated and sizeable businesses in challenging industries, and finding new ways to operate and innovate for growth and sustainability.” 

Marja Hillis says, “It's been a challenging ride from the time I first came to Canada 16 years ago to start a business, to where we are now. Even though W100 is celebrating the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada, I can honestly say that behind this all is an amazing group of dedicated employees without whom none of this would be possible. I'm looking forward to keeping the momentum going and having a great time with my team while doing it!”

Link to press release

Alternative containment works in Kitchener

Municipalities and property owners are increasingly interested in alternatives to the traditional stand-alone dumpster, the unsightly wooden enclosure or, more recently, the fully enclosed and roofed structure. According to Mount Forest Ontario-based Molok North America, their Deep Collection™ system is a refuse and recyclables containment revolution that could drastically improve the way in which waste materials are dealt with.

In place of ugly containers hidden in the back corner of a property, these Deep Collection™ systems can be prominently displayed in common areas and incorporated into site design. They can be used for many kinds of developments, including IC&I or residential applications, and for parks and public spaces.
The concept of the Deep Collection™ system takes advantage of the laws of nature: earth temperature and gravity. With two thirds of the eight-foot container installed below grade, waste materials are kept cool in the summer, odours are virtually eliminated, and the ground’s insulating effect prevents freezing in the winter.

The small surface area (relative to the depth of the container) and its cylindrical shape cause materials to naturally compact by gravity, increasing capacity by 1.5 to 2.5 times the container’s actual volume. This compaction leads to less frequent pick-ups.

Additionally, these units are rotation-molded from a single piece of polyethylene plastic and are entirely leak-proof, so soil and groundwater are protected from contamination. Molok® Deep Collection™ systems are available in different sizes (in a variety of above-grade finishes to suit any development), and for a variety of materials such as mixed waste, recyclables, cardboard and even organics and cooking oil.


City of Kitchener

The City of Kitchener, Ontario’s initial interest in Deep Collection™ started about 10 years ago, in the multi-residential sector, where systems were installed in low rise apartment complexes. Since then, the systems have gained popularity, and now over 80 percent of site plan applications submitted to the City use Molok® Deep Collection™ systems as their preferred choice for waste management.
According to Molok®, Deep Collection™ units can be located virtually anywhere, resulting in greater flexibility of a site plan layout. The space savings, compared to traditional waste enclosures, allows for more amenity space or landscaped areas on a site, and on small properties, these units can make it easier to meet regulatory requirements for setback and parking.

“While I was with the City of Kitchener the use of the Molok® system was such that approximately 80 to 90 percent of all new site plan applications were using this system for their waste and recycling containment,” says Brian Page, VP of Municipal Affairs, Molok North America.

“Essentially this system did not require a full enclosure complete with roof and a garage door as it provided its own aesthetically pleasing enclosure, used less land area, and required less number of pick ups. This, in turn saved the developer money and provided more land area for development which gave him/her a greater return on investment, while still fulfilling all the requirements of the City’s Site Planning Requirements.”

Kitchener planning staff has been impressed with Molok® solution and has supported the trend towards their use by installing the Deep Collection™ system at city facilities and parks. The City recently installed 40 units along its prominent downtown King Street, when the area was revitalized.

Molok® says the aesthetic benefits of these units on Kitchener’s King Street, are many. No longer are businesses piling bags of waste on the city’s main street seven days a week. With the Deep Collection™ units, all materials are conveniently contained and pick up has been reduced from seven days per week to three or four days per week. Plus, with a recent increase in public events and festivals in Kitchener’s downtown, the City says their Deep Collection™ units have been able to meet the needs of the event goers without having to place numerous portable containers on the street.


From site layout to site safety
Plus, with an increasing demand for in-fill development on older, small properties, Molok® says the Deep Collection™ system can make the difference between being able to redevelop or not. In addition, traditional dumpsters are limited in their placement by the way they’re emptied, requiring a straight-on approach by a truck, which typically results in the need for additional paved surfaces.

Molok® Deep Collection™ unit, on the other hand, uses a reusable lifting bag that’s raised by a knuckle boom crane, and can be approached from any direction. When emptying, the release mechanism on the bottom of the bag is opened, allowing materials to fall neatly (and cleanly) into a truck, and then the emptied bag is returned to the unit. As these units protrude only three feet (0.9m) above grade, they are also user friendly and easily accessible by persons with disabilities, as well as children.
In many municipalities, with evolving municipal garbage and recycling separation requirements, the number of containers required on site has increased. Unfortunately, existing waste material enclosures typically cannot accommodate additional containers, often resulting in new containers being placed outside of the original enclosure. In some cases these additional containers are being located in parking spaces or being placed in landscaped areas, creating unattractive and potentially unsafe sites.

Alternatively, when additional Deep Collection™ containers are required, they have a much smaller footprint and avoid the need for an enclosure, making source separation relatively easy.

With respect to the City of Kitchener’s focus on safety (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), the Deep Collection™ unit is proving to be an excellent alternative to traditional enclosures they’ve used in the past. The City says they like that the units can be prominently displayed on a site, serving as an activity generator, and creating opportunities for natural surveillance. The units also eliminate the risk of entrapment or ambush and naturally deter graffiti because of their round shape and exterior finish.

Link to web article

Molok North America Ltd. announces return of Mark Hillis to the Molok® family

Molok North America Ltd. announces return of Mark Hillis to the Molok® family 

Mount Forest, Ontario (August 9,2013) - Molok North America Ltd. is pleased to announce that Mark Hillis has returned to the Molok® family as Chief Operating Officer after working for Waste Management as Business Development Manager. Waste Management will continue to be a non-exclusive distributor and service provider of Molok® containers. In his new position, Mark will run the day-to-day operations with a focus on forging new partnerships and working with national customers, service providers and installers. As Chief Executive Officer, Marja Hillis’ focus will be on long-term strategy as the company continues to grow. 

Link to press release

Molok North America Ltd. Ranks No. 364

Molok North America Ltd. Ranks No. 364 on the 2013 PROFIT 500 
PROFIT Magazine unveils 25th annual list of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies 

Mount Forest, Ontario (June 3, 2013) - PROFIT Magazine today ranked Molok North America Ltd. No. 364 on the 25th annual PROFIT 500, the definitive ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. Published in the Summer issue of PROFIT Magazine and online at www.PROFITguide.com , the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian businesses by their revenue growth over five years. 

Molok North America Ltd. made the PROFIT 500 list with five-year revenue growth of 127%. 

“To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Fastest-Growing Companies in Canada, the PROFIT 500 has expanded to recognize the entrepreneurial achievements of more than 500 Canadian companies,” says Ian Portsmouth, Editor-in-Chief of PROFIT Magazine. “PROFIT is proud to now showcase Canada’s forward thinking small business entrepreneurs and honour their talents and innovations.” 

For Molok North America Ltd. being in the incredible group of PROFIT 500 is an enormous honour. President and CEO Marja Hillis expresses her gratitude by saying: “I feel like I’m at the Academy Awards ceremony receiving an Oscar and trying to fit all the people in my short speech whom I want to thank for making this possible. It is an impossible task as there is a countless number of individuals, organizations and other partners who have worked with us in achieving the growth we are seeing now and in the future. A special thanks goes to our incredible staff – I couldn’t ask for a better crew – they simply make my job a pleasure every day!”

Link to press release