Best Front Loader - Abitibi Consolidated, Recycling Division Houston

While many dogs have been trained to retrieve the paper from the end of the driveway, Abitibi's Paper Retriever knows how to take that paper to the MRF. With its distinctive yellow and green color scheme and endearing mascot, it's easy to see why the company's front loader (Peterbilt with McNeilus body) was selected for a design award.

Ken Gould, who was the brand manager for Abitibi before moving on to new business development, says the company wanted a design that was engaging without going over the top. “It's not trying to over-promise to the consumer and say that we're going to do something we're not. It's just very straightforward. We're delivering good, solid recycling services every day to our accounts.”

Though it's not terribly exciting, Gould says having local contact information on the side of the truck is the single most important element of the design. “I think one of the things we've found about accounts and consumers is that they need to know how they interact with us. And this is one great, rolling way to do that.”

The coloring and decals are meant to pair Abitibi's trucks with its 7-yard bins and its 20-foot and 40-foot roll-off containers, which bear the same coloring and design elements. Many of these larger containers are used to collect recyclables at partner sites, such as H.E.B. grocery stores, where the distinctive branding acts as free advertising. For office customers, the company provides a set of collapsible cardboard recycling bins with the same branding. The yellow and green color scheme is even employed on the exterior of the company's offices.

“In marketing terms it's what we call IM: integrated marketing,” Gould says. “We're trying to have a consistent, uniform message across our selling platforms and across the ways we talk to consumers so they'll know it's us and won't confuse us with anyone else.”

The Winners

Best Overall - City of Philadelphia
Best Front Loader - Abitibi Consolidated, Recycling Division Houston
Best Side Loader - City of El Paso, Texas, Environmental Services
Best Rear Loader - Texas Disposal Systems Buda, Texas
Best Container Delivery Vehicle - E.O.M.S. Recycling West Bridgewater, Mass.