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.
— Provident Bank Interview
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.”
