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How We Close The Loop

We are a full-service provider for the treatment and recycling of organic waste. Our mechanical and biological processes build on extensive know-how and years of experience. We have the ability to control the entire project and operation cycles to help our customers avoid costly duplications, suboptimal technological solutions and maintain consistent uptime. Our solutions combine quality, creativity and technological expertise to craft a plan that is tailor-made to your specific needs. A one stop solution.

DESIGN + BUILD + OPERATE + SERVICE

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Why We Offer Solutions

Because we care. Because we can. Our ‘closed loop’ business model is one-of-a-kind, aimed to inspire and empower communities to give their resources new life. Closing the loop is about building a sustainable future for all our children through innovative waste management and treatment facilities, and a passion for conserving and recycling previous natural resouces.

Convertus Group – Closing the Loop for a Better Future™

Our Core Values

Our value graphic

Care

We care about our planet and improving our home. We care about our employees and providing them with a safe, healthy, fun workplace that enables them to expand their horizons. We provide the best experience for our customers and maximizing our relationship with our shareholders.

One Team

We are stronger when we work together. We are open and listen to diverse opinions and ideas. We assume positive intent and know the belief in our purpose is our driving force.

Creativity

Creative solutions to improve efficiency of our process. Challenging our own thinking to ensure continual improvement in our processes and ourselves. Think outside of the box.

Our History

Convertus was created in 2019 by the merger of Renewi Canada and Waste Treatment Technologies (“WTT”) North America as a business ideally positioned to be a part of the emerging circular economy – an economy that keeps resources in use for as long as possible through recycling and recovery. Together, we provide our customers with a complete solution for all of their organic waste sector needs.

How we got to where we are today

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  • 2019

    2019

    A New Name: Convertus

    Soon after being acquired by Convent Capital, Renewi Canada (formerly Orgaworld Canada) and WTT merge to form Convertus. Together our history has been a story of opportunity and resiliency – one where we’ve adapted time-and-time-again through technological change and customer demand. Convertus will continue to strengthen our business to help our customers meet their sustainability goals and protect the environment.

  • 2018

    2018

    Expanding Operations

    Building on our global presence, our group opened offices in China, Australia and Canada, completing their first projects in these regions.

     

    Driven by the needs of the market and our expertise, this was also the year our group acquired their first composting facility in Canada in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

     

    During this time, WTT and Renewi (formerly Orgaworld Canada) continued to build their relationship through the retrofitting of the Ottawa facility and upgrading the facility’s odour abatement and capacity.

  • 2017

    2017

    A Year of Change

    Shanks Group, Orgaworld’s parent Company merged with Van Gansewinkel Group to become Renewi plc. Shortly thereafter, Orgaworld Canada re-branded as Renewi Canada.


    Later that year, WTT and Renewi Canada (previously Orgaworld Canada) worked together to finalize construction North America’s First closed-loop organic waste facility in Surrey, British Columbia. A milestone for the waste industry and working towards a sustainable future for all.

  • 2014

    2014

    Building for the Future

    Here is where our stories collide — Orgaworld and WTT worked together for the first time on a Canadian Public Private Partnership (P3) project for the City of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada to Design, Build and Operate (DBO) an organic waste facility. After months of collaboration and hard work, the teams were awarded the contract in 2015.

  • 2013

    2013

    Old Traditions, New Opportunities

    Convent Capital, a long-term Dutch investor that focuses on buying and improving sustainable businesses, acquired WTT strengthening their position in the industry. Over the next few years, they worked together to refocus their strategy on services, operational excellence and project sales.

  • 2011

    2011

    New Technologies

    WTT secured a major contract for a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility in downtown London, England.

  • 2010

    2010

    Canada’s Capital

    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada became the second Canadian composting facility for Orgaworld designed for Canada’s Capital.

  • 2008

    2008

    Canada

    Orgaworld’s first Canadian facility became operational in London, Ontario.

  • 2007

    2007

    New Ideas and Directions

    The development of anaerobic digestion opened a realm of possibilities for WTT. During this time, WTT closed various large contracts as a turnkey supplier of aerobic and anaerobic technologies.


    This was also the year that Orgaworld was acquired by Shanks Group. With over 100 locations worldwide and 75 years’ experience, they were amongst the top-level players worldwide in organic waste recycling.

  • 2005

    2005

    Crossing the Pond

    As a market leader in waste technology, Orgaworld was established in Canada to execute a 10-year contract for a source-separated organics composting facility located in London, Ontario. The facility took two years to complete construction and become fully operational.

  • 2004

    2004

    Growing and Facing Challenges

    Shortly after Horstmann GmbH filed for bankruptcy, WTT became independent through a management buyout. The years that followed gave WTT exciting opportunities to demonstrate the quality of its services in the field of waste management.

     

    A little ways down the road, Orgaworld began construction on a bio-stabilization plant in Nijmegen, Netherlands and an anaerobic digestion plant in Groningen, Netherlands a year later.

  • 2001

    2001

    Expansion and Innovation

    The turn of the millennium signaled a period of rapid expansion for Orgaworld, as they acquired three plants in Europe, including two tunnel composting facilities and one wet anaerobic digestion facility.

  • 1999

    1999

    A Strategic Partnership

    Reflecting on the strength and future of their business WTT operated as a subcontractor in the area of process engineering for Horstmann GmbH projects in the waste industry, eventually taking over as the contractor of choice for Horstmann GmbH projects.

  • 1996

    1996

    Beginnings

    Our history begins in 1996 where our founders, together with Horstmann GmbH and NON B.V. shared one simple goal: to design, construct, build and maintain waste recovery and recycling projects around the world. Right from the start Waste Treatment Technologies (WTT) was characterized by innovative designs and functionality.

     

    Meanwhile, Orgaworld (a Dutch waste processing company) was born with the construction of an anaerobic digestion plant BIOCEL in Lelystad.

Meet Our Team

Michael Leopold
Michael LeopoldCEO
As CEO, Michael oversees the strategic direction of the business enabling Convertus to be a market leader in organic waste treatment technologies. Michael has a proven global executive management track record, earning various senior management roles leading global organizations such as Lafarge and Siemens. In these positions Michael used his passion for building teams and facilitating change to achieve transformational results.

Cornelis Stelwagen
Cornelis StelwagenCTO
Cornelis serves as the Chief Technical Officer for the Convertus Group driving innovation through R&D, technological strategy and maintaining operational excellence across all facilities. Cornelis Joined WTT in February 2010 as a process engineer for anaerobic digestion systems, until he was promoted to Technical Director in 2013. Prior to this role, Cornelis was a process engineer at a Dutch company specializing in wetAD systems at a large dairy firm.

Jamie Jongsma
Jamie JongsmaCFO
Jamie joined Convertus in 2017 and leads the central support functions of the business including Finance, IT and Human Resources. Jamie started his career with Ernst & Young in the assurance practice where he led teams for clients in various industries. During this time he also earned his CPA, CA designation in the process. Since leaving Ernst & Young, Jamie has spent his time working for large multinationals like Applied Industrial Technologies LP.

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Our World, Our Responsibility

Sustainability and environmental awareness are at the core of our business and go beyond the day-to-day activities at our sites. We are continuously seeking opportunities to support groups within our society who share our commitment including municipalities, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and charities. Partnerships such as these within the community that promote the environment are essential for the future. They result in better-educated citizens that are more likely to contribute towards a sustainable future and it is through this that we can achieve our vision to build a better future for our children.

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Building a Better Future

Let’s build a sustainable future for our children together.
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