New York City's plan to deploy 6,500 containerized waste bins across six districts by the end of 2027 has its first specialized truck supplier: Kollekt, the U.S. arm of Germany's Kirchhoff family of companies, which launched at the RCon trade show in St. Louis on Oct. 6, 2026.

Kollekt markets an automated side-loading collection vehicle designed to service the large Contenur "Empire Bins" that New York has piloted for high-density residential buildings. The truck body is built in Italy and mated to a U.S.-assembled chassis. Don Ross, the former chief sales officer at New Way Trucks and a former WM executive, runs the new venture.

"This is a great opportunity for us to showcase a different kind of collection," Ross said in an interview at RCon on Thursday.

What does NYC's containerization push require?

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has committed to containerizing all New York City residential trash by the end of 2031. The Department of Sanitation estimates the shift could add up to 1.2 million additional vehicle miles annually for collection. Six districts will receive bins by the end of 2027, with the broader citywide rollout anchored to the 2031 deadline.

The city's existing automated side-loaders handle single-family routes. Multifamily buildings have largely relied on dumpsters or bagged curbside piles. The Contenur bins, paired with Kollekt's vehicle, target that gap.

"This is another type of automated product addressing a part of the waste stream we've never been able to get to," Ross said.

How does the truck fit existing operations?

The Kollekt vehicle debuted in Europe in 1997 but has seen limited U.S. deployment. Ross said he does not know of another domestic truck capable of handling the Empire Bin system. Kollekt holds no direct contract with DSNY; the company works through dealer partnerships to place vehicles with private haulers and municipalities.

Operating specifics:

• Truck body manufactured in Italy
• Final assembly pairs the body with a U.S.-built chassis
• Ross is establishing a North American parts and service network
• Company expects to evaluate domestic manufacturing as volume rises
• No contract volumes or pricing disclosed

"As they scale, we'll scale," Ross said, referring to DSNY's bin rollout.

Why is automation pitched as a workforce play?

Ross framed automation as a recruitment and retention tool. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows commercial driver's license holders skew older than the broader workforce, and the waste sector has historically struggled to attract drivers.

Automated side-loaders could extend careers for older drivers and lower the physical barrier to entry for new hires by eliminating manual bag-throwing. Ross said those benefits have already shown up on single-family routes, where automated side-loaders have gained share against rear-loaders.

"I think this is a technology that has meaningful purpose," Ross said. "That's how I'd want to go out and be remembered, as someone who made a difference."

What's the competitive context?

Kollekt enters a side-loader market that Federal Signal entered last year by acquiring New Way Trucks. Ross led sales at New Way before that deal closed. Federal Signal and other established OEMs continue to dominate single-family automated side-loader sales; Kollekt positions itself as the first mover in the multifamily container niche.

Ross also chairs the board of trustees at the National Waste & Recycling Association. He has held prior roles at WM.

The company is scouting U.S. and Canadian municipalities pursuing similar containerization strategies. No additional city contracts have been announced.

The next milestone to watch: DSNY's 2027 bin rollout across six districts, and the agency's procurement decisions on collection vehicles servicing those containers. Kollekt's growth hinges on whether competing OEMs field trucks compatible with the Contenur system before the 2031 citywide deadline closes the window for first-mover advantage.