North America's largest glass recycler, Strategic Materials, Inc. (SMI), today announced the acquisition of Kansas City, Missouri based Ripple Glass. The acquisition will accelerate SMI's plan to bolster glass collection programs and increase glass recovery rates across North America.

"We are excited to bring Ripple Glass into the fold, which includes a talented team, a premier glass collection model and another glass recycling facility," said Chris Dods, President & Chief Executive Officer for SMI. "Solving complex challenges in glass collection is critical for us. With Ripple's proven track record of success, we are confident the model will play a significant role in expanding our recovery efforts, in addition to our current partnerships in single-stream recycling."

"SMI's position in the marketplace is unmatched and their mission and values closely align with ours – it was natural fit to combine forces," said Greg Orman, an owner of Ripple Glass. "Our partnership will springboard the Ripple collection model nationwide and bring glass recycling to underserved areas."

All Ripple Glass employees were retained by the company.

About SMI

With a 125-year history, SMI is North America's most comprehensive glass recycler, with nearly 50 locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company continues to be focused on passionate advocacy, operational excellence, and collaborative partnership. SMI is a trusted partner to cleaner, more efficient glass production, providing customers and suppliers with economical and environmentally viable products and solutions for reuse of waste streams. www.smi.com  

About Ripple Glass

Founded in 2009, Ripple Glass is a leader in passive collection and other creative collection solutions for post-consumer and post-industrial glass. The company is a key partner to local communities, retailers, and other businesses throughout the Midwest to meet sustainability goals and give glass bottles a second life. Ripple operates a state-of-the-art glass processing facility in Kansas City, Missouri. www.rippleglass.com