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For and about the diversified people and business of Soave Enterprises
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ENTERPRISES
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Spectrum
MPS Group Breaking
New Ground with Batteries
Four mpS Group team members work on site at mpS
Group Operations in romulus, michigan to complete
the project that is currently estimated to last between
New Families, New
Trails, New Models
Washington D.c. is the centerpiece of the American
government. Just a few miles away, the community of
Brambleton is the centerpiece of many Americans’
dream. Filled with master-planned neighborhoods,
convenient shopping and family-oriented amenities,
Brambleton continues to attract a record-setting
number of residents to its northern Virginia setting.
“the first nine months of 2012 brought 390 new
families to our community,” commented Kim Adams,
Brambleton’s Director of marketing. “they are drawn
by the outstanding quality of life offered here in
Loudon county, as well as the ideally designed
homes featured by our top notch builders. Not
surprisingly, money magazine recently included our
hometown of Ashburn on its ‘Best places to Live’ list.”
that quality of life is further enhanced by the several
eight and 13 months. there is the future potential of
expanding total on-site personnel by 12 workers.
A123 Systems supplies batteries for vehicle
manufacturers worldwide, including Fisker, Gm and
BmW. the Waltham, mA-headquartered company
previously sent the obsolete, damaged and used
batteries to universal waste recyclers, where the units
were not as extensively dismantled.
“the net result is a cost savings for the client and less
waste in landfills,” sums up Weems.
new miles of trail that have been added – earning
Brambleton a coveted designation of “runner
Friendly” community by the road runners club of
America. Additionally, Brambleton home builders,
Winchester Homes, Beazer Homes and Van meter
Homes, are constructing new models to ensure a
perfect fit for each family’s needs.
Ferrous Processing
& Trading Company
Security Guard Matt
Girard was recently
honored as an
invaluable resource
for the Auburn Hills
Police Department
in reporting metals
purchases and
thefts, which have
resulted in multiple
arrests and property recovery. At a May 20, 2012
reception and awards ceremony attended by
FPT executives, Girard was presented a Citizens
Certificate of Appreciation.
“I’m very proud of what he has accomplished in
earning a good reputation for Ferrous Processing
& Trading Company with the law enforcement
community,” commended his supervisor, Chief
Security Officer James A. Saffold.
With a technology savvy population and access to
the Verizon’s latest innovation, Home monitoring &
control, Brambleton’s residents can keep tabs on
their homes like never before. the home automation
system lets service subscribers monitor their home
environments for safeguarding and energy efficiency.
Fiber optic technology allows residents to remotely
adjust a thermostat through a computer or most
smartphones, track where and when electricity is
being used, view the inside and outside your home,
and lock or unlock doors.
“this technology is a terrific fit with our community’s
rigorous expectations,” explains Adams. “It’s another
plus for our plugged-in families-on-the-go.”
ENTERPRISES
Soave SPECTRUM is developed and published by Soave Enterprises, LLC for and about the employees and companies owned by Anthony Soave.
Entire contents © 2012 Soave Enterprises LLC. All rights reserved; reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Soave Enterprises LLC
3400 East Lafayette
Detroit, MI 48207
Nissan Signs With FPT for US Plants
A Recipe
for Success
At Soave Enterprises, our
corporate culture actively
nurtures a feeling of
belonging across our family
of businesses. Seemingly
unrelated industries – from
metals recycling and
residential communities to
luxury automotive dealerships
and hydroponic greenhouses
– are linked by a common
philosophy and a communal
goal. In keeping with my
personal beliefs, each
Soave company strives not
just to be good, but to set the industry standard.
Each of us actively pursues a best-in-class ranking.
This pursuit of excellence extends to my daughters,
Andrea and Angelique, who also share my passion
for food and cooking. An opportunity to indulge our
mutual interests recently arose in the form of The
Hill Seafood & Chophouse. Located in Grosse Pointe
Farms, Michigan, The Hill is a long-established
eatery that serves as a local gathering place. Its
welcoming atmosphere and award-winning cuisine
allow a close-knit community to come together over
world class dining.
Have an Idea for a Story?
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Spectrum
Metal Thieves Beware!
New technologies bring new opportunities – and
mpS Group is embracing both. After beginning total
waste management services for A123 Systems, a
manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate® lithium
iron phosphate batteries, in may 2012, the new client
quickly expanded mpS Group’s duties to also include
dismantling batteries two months later.
“mpS Group and A123 jointly invented the process
for recycling the lithium ion batteries by working
backwards through the original manufacturing steps,”
explains mpS Group regional manager Don Weems.
“this opportunity allows us to conduct hands-on,
investigative research to help determine if recycling
batteries via a dismantling process could be a future
service line for our company.”
ENTERPRISES
Fall 2012 Issue
If you have information to share with co-workers across
the Soave family of companies, please contact the site
reporter at your location. A complete listing of reporters
is available on-line at: www.soave.com
The Spectrum publishes articles focusing on the
professional and personal successes of Soave team
members. Photos to accompany story ideas are
appreciated and greatly enhance the information
provided. Story ideas include: updates or changes in
business activities, accomplishments by employees and
their family members, employee appointments and
events, or awards received. Thank you for your help in
making our newsletter an important employee link
across our diverse company.
To ensure The Hill’s continued run as a neighborhood
social hub, the Soave family has moved from a
partial owner of the restaurant to the sole owner.
The kitchen has been updated and the menu finetuned. The new offerings, which will debut shortly
before Thanksgiving, embrace the farm-to-table
movement and feature only the finest ingredients.
Diners will be able to celebrate a special occasion
with a superlative steak and fine cabernet, or relax
on a weeknight with a signature burger and an
Atwater Brewery favorite.
Andrea and Angelique will be taking the restaurant to
the next level, but staying connected to our much
respected community. It will reflect the overall Soave
commitment to quality and distinction that all of our
endeavors do. As we welcome General Manager
Gretchen Meeuws, Executive Chef Matthew Kouri and
the entire staff at The Hill to our extended team, we
also celebrate the ongoing commitment to the highest
ideals that each of you display in your daily efforts.
In a significant acknowledgement of Ferrous processing &
trading’s outstanding customer service and technological
advancements, Nissan North American has committed to
Fpt for five more years as its sole u.S. Scrap metals manager.
the contract covers all three of Nissan’s u.S. plants – two
in tennessee and one in mississippi. extending the business
relationship that was first established in 2008, the new
contract will dramatically expand Fpt’s role in support of
Nissan’s strategic plans for managing its metal resources.
New Fpt initiatives, focused primarily at Nissan’s largest u.S. operation in Smyrna, tN,
include the construction of a new scrap handling site, new railroad scales, the installation
and operation of Fpt’s proprietary clipress processing system for steel stamping scrap, plus
customized processing for the increasing volume of aluminum stamping scrap.
“Since taking over as Nissan’s Scrap metals manager in 2008, Fpt has been proactive in
developing new competitive and innovative metal recycling and marketing concepts for
Nissan, and their management recognizes what we bring to the party,” says rob Bakotich,
Fpt’s executive Vice president of Sales and marketing.
When coupled with the auto
maker’s projected production
increases over the next few
years, including a new lithium
battery plant and assembly
capacity for the all - electric
Nissan Leaf, the new fiveyear agreement helps further
cement Fpt’s position as
America’s leader in managing
automotive scrap metal.
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ENTERPRISES
Spectrum
WAY TO GO!
Special achievements deserve
special recognition. Hats off to
the following for a job well done!
Recycling 2.0
at Parts Galore
Always noted for its cutting edge automotive recycling
program, parts Galore’s newest location has added a
second environmental triumph to its roster. Seeing a
• Recent Kansas State graduate and golf team
member Kyle Smell, son of Jaguar / Land Rover
Service Manager Kevin Smell, scooped up the
university’s amateur championship trophy during a
July tournament at Sand Creek Station Golf Course.
His victory came after being down three holes with
11 holes remaining to his former roommate.
team members Kay Feaganes, reva thuot, Kathy tyler,
tonya Wood and Ashley Allen decided to literally dig
deep into their backyards and recycle their own plants
and bushes. the environmentally-minded gardeners
transplanted the greenery to parts Galore’s location
and added organic beauty and color to an attractive
brick facade. Horticultural contributions included easter
lilies, day lilies, bleeding hearts, hostas, black-eyed
Susans, and sedums.
And the Award Goes to...
Willoughby Iron and Waste Material LLC
Not only does Willoughby Iron and Waste Material LLC, a subsidiary of Ferrous
Processing & Trading, bring value to its corporate network, it contributes to
the local community as well. Earlier this year, the Willoughby Chamber of
Commerce presented the company with a 2012 Best of Willoughby Award.
"I can't really explain how I feel just because I knew
this was the only tournament I haven't won as a
junior and as an amateur, so winning this was huge.
After how close I came last year, this is exactly what
I wanted to do, so I'm glad I got to do it," said Smell.
• As of July 2012, Adam Boutros, son of Zalev
Brothers Company’s Office Manager Cheryl Boutros,
was admitted to the partnership of
PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada. He will be an
audit partner in the Toronto, Ontario office overseeing
the audits of U.S. and Canadian public companies.
Adam currently has the distinction of being the
youngest partner in the Canadian division of PWC.
• Jessica Huddleston,
the daughter of MPS
Group’s Business
Development Manager
Harvey Huddleston,
competed at the U.S.
Gymnastics Association,
Michigan Level 4 State
Meet. She successfully
earned first place in the
Beam (9.5), Floor
(9.35), Vault (9.45) and
All Around (37.5) for
the Senior 1 division.
The Featured Source in National Level News Publications
The Detroit-based self service salvage yard’s President Bill Wild was contacted
by Popular Mechanics to assist with an article on the growing trend of do-ityourselfers in the automotive repair business. The magazine’s Associate Auto
Editor Ben Wodjila is both an avid automotive DIYer and a frequent visitor to
Parts Galore facilities. Wodjila proposed an opportunity for nationwide exposure
and a chance to spread the word about the savings and availability of quality
used auto parts to repair older vehicles.
“We thought it would be a great idea to use our recycling
theme to decorate and enhance the landscaping,” said
parts Galore Assistant manager Ashley Allen. “they
have brought environmental recycling to the next level.”
Newly promoted Flat rock Store manager Joe
reynolds loves the idea of the recycling theme not only
because of the improved aesthetics, but it also keeps
his cost down. “All of the plantings are low
maintenance and drought resistant,” he noted.
Smell was on the opposite end of last year's State
Amateur finals, placing second. Regardless of being
a 2007 junior amateur champion and four-ball
champion, the title has been elusive.
Parts Galore
Gets Even More “Popular”
need for additional landscaping, the Flat rock location’s
employees responded to a challenge from company
president Bill Wild. they devised a landscaping plan
to improve the front entrance’s appearance.
Naples – and
Moraya Bay– Enjoy a
Rebounding Market
As 2012 draws to a close, sales at moraya Bay continue
to best the competition. the stunning beachfront
residential tower in Naples, Florida boasted over $33
million in sales in the first three quarters of 2012.
Importantly, the entire Naples real estate market is now
heading upward – and moraya Bay leads this trend.
The Willoughby Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses
throughout the area. Each year, the chamber identifies companies that have
achieved exceptional success in their business category and enhance
the image of small business through service to customers and community.
“We are beginning to see the results of the inventory
decline coupled with the increased median closed price.
In less than eight months, the local market shrank to
an overall inventory of 6,043 in August 2012 from 7,860
in January 2012. the last time we saw the inventory
this low was in 2005,” commented Inga Wilson, the
development’s Vp Sales & marketing.
Part of the Willoughby, Ohio landscape since the 1960s, the scrap metal
recycling company joined the Soave Enterprises family in 2005. GM Dave
Constantine operates the 2½ acre facility with 14 full-time employees.
Wilson’s Naples Area realtor Board-based research
of key indicators reveals that in the local coastal area
for the 12 month period ending August 2012:
“The dedicated team members at Willoughby Iron and Waste Material LLC
are proud to be part of this vibrant community and will continue to be civically
active in the future,” said Constantine.
• Overall median closed price increased 10 percent.
• Overall inventory decreased by 13 percent.
by six percent.
• Overall pending sales increased 10 percent and
closed sales increased 9 percent.
• Overall pending sales increased 16 percent in the
$500,000 to $1 million category and 10 percent in
the $1 million to $2 million category.
Deploying a New Technology
responding to customers’ needs swiftly and effectively
is essential for a successful service company. mpS
Group’s Don Wiltse ardently adheres to this business
philosophy to the delight, and cost savings, of his client.
Wiltse, eHS/program manager at Gm’s Wentzville facility,
designed and built an airbag deployment unit – twice –
at the request of his Gm customer.
By missouri state law, undeployed
air bags must be shipped as
hazardous waste. plant managers
approached Don to help them solve
the problem of scrap airbags that
accumulated during the production
process. With the cost of hazardous
waste shipping, an on-site method
of handling the bags would result
in a substantial cost savings.
Don began what he describes as
his “side job” in 2009, devoting 40
hours of manpower to developing,
building and testing his first airbag deployment unit.
then he did it again three years later for his recently
unveiled, second generation unit.
“the unit deploys four airbag modules at a time, with
an attached exhaust fan to help ensure operators are
not exposed to the fumes associated with setting off
the modules,” explains Wiltse. “After the airbags are
deployed, they become 100% recyclable and our clients’
shipping costs are reduced 75%.”
While every state has its own
shipping regulations regarding
airbags, mpS Group’s new valueadded technology addresses an
up-and-coming hazard. “there
are other potential applications
including automotive scrapyards
handling end-of-life vehicles
and their undeployed airbags,”
notes Wiltse. “We look forward
to assisting our current and
future customers handle this
growing issue cost effectively.”
to continue sales in this revitalized market, the luxury
gated residence is showcasing a new model to potential
residents. the thoughtfully designed and well-appointed
“Beach House” model offers an impressive entry, a
gourmet kitchen and dramatic beach views. each of the
seven exclusive floor plans includes 3-and 4-bedrooms
and square footage from just under 4,000 to 4,500.
“I want to get back to the grassroots of what Popular Mechanics magazine was
all about in my article, the do-it-yourselfer, and thought what a better place
than Parts Galore,” said Wodjila. He and his photographers spent over 10 hours
shooting pictures and interviewing employees. The article, entitled “Junkyard
101: How to Find Cheap Car Parts,” was published in the magazine’s September 2012 issue and can be
viewed online at: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/
Wodjila referred to Parts Galore as a benchmark of the industry’s best practices, referring to it as “welloperated” and possessing an “underlying logic” to the organization of vehicles. He also praised the usefulness
of the yard’s database of all interchangeable components as a means of helping locate needed parts.
Based on the article’s success, Popular Mechanic’s sister Hearst publication, Car and Driver, requested access
to film a “Saturday Mechanic” segment which appears on their YouTube channel. Filming took place in August
with producers and crews from New York, Chicago and Detroit congregating at the Flat Rock facility. The
segment features Wodjila removing parts from Parts Galore vehicles and using them to repair a broken down
vehicle. Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA4E4251B8C7B6B82&feature=plpp