Berks Transfer Inc. opened in November 2002 and is located in Ontelaunee Township. The firm is owned by O'Neill Financial Group; the corporate parent of Empire Services, which has been providing excavation and demolition services to Berks and surrounding counties since 1955. Harry J. and Todd M. O'Neill, respectively are O'Neill Financial's president and vice president. Other companies under the O'Neill umbrella include Delaware Valley Contractors, ELK Environment Services, Empire Builders and Surplus Home Center. Costs to contractors are off-set by having job-site deris hauled away by Berks Transfer trucks.

Our service is what we want to emphasize.

The debris, including cardboard, concrete, wood, roof shingles and skids, are taken to the firm's 12 -acre facility on 59 Willow Creek Road, Reading PA 19605 where it is weighed and uploaded inside a cavernous 10,000 square foot transfer building. Workers separate the wood, metal and cardboard for consignment to area recycling firms. Berks Transfer Inc. recycles concrete into aggregate - a pulverized mineral mixture - that is sold to contractors or private homeowners for use as subroadbed material.

Leftover debris - mostly nonrecyclable remnants from demolitions, such as carpet remnants, vinysiding and doors - are trucked to an Ohio landfill.

Berks Transfer Inc. uses 280 rolloff containers in various sizes ranging from 12 cubic yards to 40 cubic yards. Containers can remain at job sites until the client calls for pickup. We do everything on a 24 hr. turnaround.

The recycling industry is strictly regulated by the State Dept. of Environmental Protection, which sets standards for waste storage and cleanliness. Our paved areas of the site are continually kept mud-free and leachate - dissolved contaminants - must be kept in a holding tank. We are built to take in 1,000 tons of debris per day.