Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN)

Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN) is an integrated solid waste services company that provides solid waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services in mostly exclusive and secondary markets. Through its R360 Environmental Solutions subsidiary, the Company also is a leading provider of non-hazardous oilfield waste treatment, recovery, and disposal services in several of the most active natural resource producing areas in the United States, including the Permian, Bakken, and Eagle Ford Basins. Waste Connections serves more than two million residential, commercial, industrial and exploration and production customers from a network of operations across the United States. We also provide intermodal services for the movement of solid waste and cargo containers in the Pacific Northwest.Our corporate strategy targets secondary and suburban markets that have strong demographic growth trends and where competitive barriers to entry can be developed. We seek to avoid highly competitive, large urban markets and target markets where we can provide either non-integrated or integrated solid waste services under exclusive arrangements, or markets where we can be integrated and attain high market share. We are a leading provider of solid waste services in most of our markets, and approximately 50% of our revenues are derived from market areas where we have franchise or exclusive rights to provide our waste services.We seek to avoid highly competitive, large urban markets and instead target markets where we can attain high market share either through exclusive contracts, vertical integration or asset positioning. We also target niche markets, like exploration and production, or E&P, waste treatment and disposal services, with similar characteristics and, we believe, higher comparative growth potential. We are a leading provider of waste services in most of our markets, and the key components of our operating strategy, which are tailored to the competitive and regulatory factors that affect our markets, are as follows:Target Secondary and Rural Markets. By targeting secondary and rural markets, we believe that we are able to garner a higher local market share than attainable in more competitive urban markets, which reduces our exposure to customer churn and improves financial returns. In certain niche markets, like E&P waste treatment and disposal, early mover advantage in certain rural basins may improve market positioning and financial returns given the limited availability of existing third party-owned waste disposal alternatives.Control the Waste Stream. In markets where waste collection services are provided under exclusive arrangements, or where waste disposal is municipally owned or funded or available at multiple sources, we believe that controlling the waste stream through the provision of collection services is often more important to our profitability and growth than owning or operating landfills. In addition, in certain E&P markets with “no pit” rules or other regulations that prohibit on-site storage or treatment of waste, control of the waste stream allows us to generate additional service revenue from the transportation of waste, as well as the waste treatment and disposal, thus increasing the overall scope and value of the services provided.Optimize Asset Positioning. We believe that the location of disposal sites within competitive markets is a critical success factor in both solid waste and E&P waste services. Given the importance and costs associated with the transportation of waste to treatment and disposal sites, having disposal capacity proximate to the waste stream may provide a competitive advantage and serve as a barrier to entry.Provide Vertically Integrated Services. In markets where we believe that owning landfills is a strategic element to a collection operation because of competitive and regulatory factors, we generally focus on providing integrated services, from collection through disposal of solid waste in landfills that we own or operate. Similarly, we see this strategic advantage in E&P waste services where we offer closed loop systems for liquid and solid waste storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal.Manage on a Decentralized Basis. We manage our operations on a decentralized basis. This places decision-making authority close to the customer, enabling us to identify and address customers’ needs quickly in a cost-effective manner. We believe that decentralization provides a low-overhead, highly efficient operational structure that allows us to expand into geographically contiguous markets and operate in relatively small communities that larger competitors may not find attractive. We believe that this structure gives us a strategic competitive advantage, given the relatively rural nature of many of the markets in which we operate, and makes us an attractive buyer to many potential acquisition candidates.We believe the solid waste service business is a local business managed by professionals living and working in the communities we serve. We strive to provide service excellence for those communities that place their trust in our company and are always dedicated to putting our customers first.