Company: Advanced Drainage Systems
Nomination Submitted by: Paul Werth Associates
Company Description: ADS, is a leading provider of innovative water management solutions in the stormwater and on-site septic wastewater industries and the largest plastic recycler in North America, ensuring over half a billion pounds of plastic is kept out of landfills every year.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Company of the Year - Manufacturing - Large
 Nomination Title: Advanced Drainage Systems
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated organization since January 1 2022, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 184 words used.
ADS’ purpose and promise is to protect and manage water, the world’s most precious resource. ADS does this through engineering and manufacturing products that protect water throughout its life cycle, capturing, conveying, storing and treating water. Since 1966 ADS has grown into a worldwide company managing stormwater for commercial, residential, agricultural and infrastructure uses with about 70 manufacturing plants and 37 distribution centers. Now a public company with annual sales of more than $2 billion, ADS employs more than 5,000 globally.
While water management is its purpose, ADS also protects the environment as one of North America’s largest plastics recyclers, keeping about 600 million pounds of plastics out of landfills each year. In fact, more than 60% of pipe revenue is derived from re-manufactured products. To accomplish this, ADS relies on its long history of innovation in materials science. ADS was the first to create pipes from corrugated plastic, and one of the first to incorporate recycled plastic into its products. Its plastic pipes today can last 100 years. More than 10 billion feet of ADS pipe are in place around the world.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the organization's achievements since the beginning of 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
In 2022 and 2023, ADS continued to mark successes. For example, ADS:
- Announced in late 2023 its largest capital investment to date: a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Lake Wales, Fla. to better serve our growing customer base throughout the southeastern U.S.
- Broke ground in Fiscal 2023 on a new Engineering and Technology Center near its headquarters. The $65 million facility will be one of the world’s most advanced stormwater engineering centers in the world, bringing together teams from material science, product innovation and manufacturing engineering.
- Continued to develop a supplier sustainability program and a supplier code of conduct, the latter of which is being implemented throughout Fiscal 2023.
- Supported pediatric mental-health care providers in 2023 through a $3 million gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, one of the country’s largest pediatric hospitals.
- Finalized plans in late 2022 to award $500,000 to the Nature Conservancy over three years to advance water conservation efforts in California, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.
- Increased its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, establishing in Fiscal 2023 an ADS Culture Exchange Council, increasing diversity at the management level by 39%, and completing culture of belonging training for leadership across our manufacturing facilities.
These efforts are paying off. Despite a challenging demand environment and a near doubling of interest rates in 2022, ADS sales revenue in both 2022 and 2023 reached nearly $2.8 billion. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) increased, and our most recent fiscal results show adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) increased 20.3% to $204.2M.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 231 words used.
ADS stands alone within the water management industry. The company is both the global leader in production of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes and North America’s largest recycler of HDPE. The plastic, which is widely used in the manufacture of containers such as milk jugs, shampoo bottles and bleach containers, too often is thrown away. By recycling HDPE, ADS gives these single-use products an extended life of up to 100 years, keeping hundreds of millions of pounds of plastics out of landfills each year. In fact, more than 50% of material used in ADS products are recycled plastic.
Additionally, ADS is a leader in the sciences that have led to its achievements. From vortex hydrodynamic separators that protect receiving waters by removing suspended solids, to mobile apps that help agricultural planners calculate drainage volume and pipe, and even research that studies the efficacy of drainage products for specific markets, ADS is always developing innovative products and solutions that advance the world's water infrastructure.
In September 2023, the company broke ground on a $65 million Engineering and Technology Center to invest in product engineering, material science and manufacturing research for future products that make even greater use of recycled materials. ADS continues to deliver tremendous service to its customers with the industry’s largest company-owned fleet, an expansive sales team, and a vast manufacturing network of approximately 70 manufacturing plants and 37 distribution centers.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 8 words used.
Some links have been placed throughout this nomination.
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