Dive Brief:

• OnePlus Corp., a portfolio company of ParkerGale, has acquired SmartBin. The combined company will be headquartered in Chicago and Dublin. 
• OnePlus focuses mainly on remote monitoring and data collection for compactor units. SmartBin specializes in smaller bins and underground containers.
• This deal comes on the same day that SmartBin announced its new "Metro" series which is geared toward use in cities. The series includes a range of units that can handle waste, recycling, oil, grease, and organics. The Metro series has Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity as well as ultrasonic and infrared fill-level detection.

Dive Insight:

OnePlus currently has more than 200 clients in all 50 U.S. states and SmartBin has more than 100 clients in 25 countries. This deal is good for all involved, expanding opportunities in new markets that neither company had a strong presence in before. 

Now that the company can offer services for everything from compactors to small bins it will be better-equipped to get involved in retail, grocery, municipal, and other sectors. SmartBin has already seen success in municipal settings with recent deals in Portugal and Australia. Their underground bins are especially useful for urban areas with limited storage.

This is just the latest development in the growing field of waste container technology. Companies such as Rubicon and Recycle Track Systems have also been using sensors and data to optimize collection. Knowing when bins are full and what's in them will help make truck routes more efficient and potentially reduce emissions in the process.