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Austin’s A-Team
A few weeks ago I grabbed a coffee with Sal Bartone, manager of Austin’s A-Team. If you live in South Austin, you’ve most likely driven by one of their many green dumpsters along Manchaca Rd. The offices of Austin’s A-Team are located in the back of the Moontower Saloon.
While you’re sure to run into him talking up the locals at the bar, he’s often decompressing from a very long, early day. ‘I wake up sometimes anywhere from 2 am to 5 am to do paperwork, and then hit the job-site, then my truck drivers come in.’ His day usually starts when most Moontower patrons are hitt’n the hay.
Meet Sal Bartone
In a thick New Jersey accent, Sal greets everyone with a ‘How YOU doin?’, which if you know Sal, you know this is his signature greeting. He goes on to say ‘Lots of people tease me because I’m an Italian from Jersey in the trash business.’ This is followed by a grin.
‘Well, how did you get into the business?’
‘I had a remodel company, and was having a hard time getting dumpsters when I needed them, where I needed them, so I bought a dump trailer. I thought, there’s gotta be a need for it in this area. It took off.’
Sal’s been in construction for 44 years. Austin’s A-Team started in 2016. The owners of Austin’s A-Team, Larry Bumb, Josh Bumb and Richard Veregge are also the owners of the Moontower Saloon, located on Manchaca Rd.
‘In the trash business, it’s not just about going to the landfill. It’s about customer service. And it’s about recycling.’
It’s About Recycling
‘What about recycling?’ I ask.
‘If you are renovating a building over 5,000 square feet, the City of Austin says you have to recycle about 50% of what get’s pulled out. So we take this to five different places to recycle the dry wall, metal, concrete, tile. You don’t have to recycle it all but I’m really into it. For concrete they crush it up and sell it for road base, tires get turned into rubber mulch, shingles get turned into asphalt. Fridges get recycled.’ Says Sal.
According to the City of Austin’s website, ‘construction and demolition debris makes up approximately 20 percent of material going to Austin landfills.’ In an effort to meet Austin’s Zero Waste Goal by 2040, the city is rerouting this debris to recycling centers to find the highest and best use of the materials.
Customer Relationships
Who’s your future customer, reading this blog right now?
‘Oh, you know, builders, real estate investors, contractors, landscape companies and the like. Also homeowners who may be doing their own remodel. We have what is called an Open-Top Container Roll-Off. They come in any size from 20 yards to 40 yards. These units have a small footprint, roughly the size of a single parking space, making them ideal for residential or commercial projects.’
Sal says their 20 yard dumpsters are great for estate sale cleanups and spring cleaning projects. They can run anywhere between 350.00 to 450.00 depending on the type of materials.
Sal says a lot of his business centers in 78748, probably due to the visibility of his branding, but also as a result of the real estate activity in the area. With tiny home communities, small business development, a pool of general contractors and individual homeowners readying their homes to list, he’s got a steady stream of business.
Sal is a family man, with his wife of 15 years KB, and his four children and two grandchildren. Whether you’re in the middle of a remodel or you just see him at HEB, make sure to tap him on the shoulder. Don’t forget to ask him ‘How YOU doin?’
