1974
Southland disAbility Enterprises Ltd (SdE) was established in 1974 as an Industrial Work Training Unit for People with Disabilities. It was determined that Southland disAbility Enterprises Ltd would be a commercial business with a social purpose. All work would be costed out at full commercial rates, and wage payments were to be made to staff based on their individual abilities and work output (productivity).
1982
SdE formed close links with the IHC, and a number of personnel transferred from the IHC Sheltered workshop to Southland disAbility Enterprises. SdE was offered to the IHC for them to absorb it within their sphere of operations, but it was decided by JB Munro (then CEO of IHC) that SdE should remain independent while receiving administrative and management support instead.
1990
The New Zealand Aluminium Smelter at Tiwai Point offered on-site work for SdE staff, servicing personal protection equipment and packing disposable masks. There was a massive increase in attendees, from 35 to 80, due to CCS closing their workshop. Extensions, including a conference room, a packaging room, and a new canteen, were added to the main building to accommodate the additional workers.
1991
SdE was awarded funding to conduct a pilot study into all facets of Supported Employment. SdE did not believe that ‘placement first’ was the correct method, believing that true successes came when the individual had been fully prepared for employment before being placed into a position. A second work enclave was established, recycling wool packs to the standard of the New Zealand Wool Board. This involved sorting, cleaning, grading and mending with industrial sewing machines and repairing small cuts and tears in second-hand wool packs before re-selling them.
1992
The packaging department was opened for business. SdE quickly gained a reputation for tackling small jobs that were very labour intensive as well as larger contracts. SdE presented the results of their Supported Employment Study to the Ministry of Social Development. The Ministry determined that Supported Employment would work; however, much needed to be done to ensure that the right person got the job. SdE became a founding member of the Association for Supported Employment New Zealand. In Invercargill, SdE determined that pre-employment preparation was critical to ensuring that job applicants had the best possible chance to succeed.
1995
It was decided that we needed to restructure the organisation of SdE and give the decision-making to the workers. This decision was the single most important step in moving SdE from a Sheltered Workshop back to an Industrial Work Unit. The immediate individual growth that the workers and staff displayed at the time was remarkable, and all of the success we have enjoyed since then can be traced back to this time. The Wool Pack enclave “broke away” from SdE and became independent.
1999
A formal contract is signed with the Ministry of Social Development, which initiated the Supported Employment services. As this was something that SdE had always provided, formalising the arrangement and being paid to place and support people in mainstream employment was a natural progression. The decision was made to become serious about supplying kindling wood and firewood. SdE’s kindling wood would be of better value in both quality and quantity than any other on the market. SdE established a Resource Recovery Centre at the city Transfer Station
2000
The re-use of items that people did not want was found to be useful in generating income, so recycling of used candles, books into new paper as well as garden briquettes from old newspapers was started. Wool and other oddments were donated, and the culture became one of accepting any donated items to turn into other products or resell as is. Value would be added to items where possible, especially if there was no major costs involved.
2003
We were offered the opportunity to tender for the establishment and operation of the Invercargill Kerbside Collection “processing depot”. Our quote was accepted. We terminated our contract at the Resource Recovery Centre and offered all staff currently employed there full-time employment at the new Recycling Centre being established. We raised a bank loan and purchased the capital equipment necessary to start. We applied and received a Community Employment Grant (CEGs) of $40,000.00 to assist with the operational costs, along with a Community Organisation Grant (COGs) of $10,000.00.
2004
We applied and received a Community Employment Grant’s (CEG’s) of $30,000.00 along with a Community Organisation Grant (COGs) of $4,500.00. What we did not know and had not planned for, was the amount of product that individuals had been stockpiling. We started drowning under the tonnage that arrived in the initial days.
2006
The tonnage of recycled items that processed at the Kerbside rose to exceed 1800 tonnes per annum. The environment is enhanced by a huge reduction on items that would otherwise go into the landfill. We established a Business Collections Depot, employing five people. It operates independently of (but in close liaison with) the Kerbside recycling Site. The main items collected are plastic bags, shrink film, poly prop bags, car bumpers and bale wrap. By 2009, we will have collected, sorted, baled, and dispatched in excess of 1000 tonnes of product.
2009
We entered the Vero Sustainable Business Awards and won. We updated our Strategic Plan and gathered all of the information and costs to establish a new centre where all business units could be on one site. The Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council and Gore District Council elected to change their Kerbside Recycling System to Wheelie bins. The Richardson Family approached us and offered to build a complex so we could concentrate on fundraising for equipment to offer a full processing service for the new recycling system.
2010
We submitted a proposal to WasteNet Southland to establish and operate a Mechanical Recycling Facility (MRF) to process recycling collected via new 240L wheelie bins across Southland. After public consultation and a fact-finding trip to Timaru's MRF, the wheelie bin system was confirmed as the preferred method. Our proposal was accepted and we were named the preferred supplier. The MRF construction contract was awarded to RDT Australia and Scarlett’s of Timaru, and funding of $250,000 each was secured from the ILT, ILT Foundation, and Community Trust. With the WasteNet contract signed, bank loans approved, and funding received, manufacturing commenced.
2011
The mechanical recycling facility (MRF) begins operation at SdE’s current address. SdE, through our business collections and our contract with WasteNet (WasteNet is the three Southland Councils, which consists of the Southland District Council, the Gore District Council and the Invercargill City Council that provide your kerbside recycling service), receive, process and sell as many and as much recyclable items as logistically possible.
2018
Discussions began to renew the WasteNet contract. These discussions broke down and became very public. 2018 and 2019 became a very stressful time for our employees as we worked through securing a new contract.
2020
In 2020, we successfully re-negotiated the recycling contract with the Invercargill City Council, ensuring job security for our team. We also partnered with SIT to offer staff a Certificate in Supported Living, with 11 team members graduating. The Board approved plans to import machinery for processing rural and domestic plastics at a new facility. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a five-week lockdown, introduced new health and safety protocols, and led to the cancellation of our major awards night.
2021
Despite ongoing disruptions from COVID-19 and lockdowns affecting staff throughout the year, we held a successful and well-enjoyed awards evening at Ascot Park Hotel. Building on the previous year’s success, our SIT Supported Learning Certificate course grew enough to warrant hiring a dedicated tutor. We also secured an agreement with Makarewa Coolstores to develop a site for processing bale wrap and domestic plastics.
Snapshot of our History
Recycle South, formerly known as Southland DisAbility Enterprises, has a rich history here in the South. We’ve come a long way since our establishment as an industrial work training unit in 1974.
Have a look through the milestones of our story below!
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