Waste Management
Terrace, British Columbia, Canada
890
1 year
The Challenge
We had to find the right buyer who was sophisticated enough to see the business as it was and its opportunity.
Buyer education + lender fit: Buyers (and sometimes banks) don’t always understand recycling revenue mechanics (program-driven volumes, acceptance categories, customer mix), so the deal can take longer to underwrite.
Perceived operational complexity: A broad materials acceptance list can look “complicated” (sorting, contamination control, storage, safety, compliance), even when the business runs smoothly day-to-day.
Dependence on stable supply/partners: Buyers may worry about continuity of inbound material flows and downstream processors/partners (even if nothing is actually at risk).
Labour + owner reliance: These businesses can be operationally hands-on; if the owner is central to operations, buyers will push for training/transition terms.
Capex perception: Vehicles, bins, balers/handling equipment, site improvements—buyers often assume “big replacement costs” and use that to negotiate.
The Strategy
Same as usual for VBS, a structured marketing plan and reach out to existing leads to generate multiple offers and have them compete
The Result
10 competitive offers came in. The marketing campaign attracted multiple qualified buyers and produced competing offers. That competitive environment strengthened the owner’s position and resulted in a fair, market-tested outcome. We always want to have multiple offers for any business we sell and do not give any one buyer an exclusivity clause which forces us to take the business off the market while they compete due diligence.
Customer Testimonial
From start to finish the team at VBS was great to work with. I had many interested buyers and the vetting process is very valuable.
Buyer Testimonial
VBS has been great. Special shout to Michelle whom I give a lot of credit for her ability to manage difficult situations and have the knowledge, patience and professionalism to maneuver her way forward. I will be looking forward to working with VBS again.