Glass Half Full Opens New Recycling Facility, Boosting Capacity 30-Fold

CHALMETTE, La. - March 19, 2025 - PRLog -- Glass Half Full, an entrepreneurial business that is revolutionizing glass recycling across the Gulf South, has opened a new state-of-the-art glass recycling facility in St. Bernard Parish.

Positioned on a 3-acre site in Chalmette, Louisiana, the 10,000-sq.-ft. warehouse building has a recycling capacity that exceeds 300,000 pounds of glass per day, a 30-fold increase in capacity from the company's previous facility in the Upper Ninth Ward. This boost in productivity will enable Glass Half Full to expand its collection radius to several surrounding states.

The addition of advanced optical sorting machinery equips Glass Half Full to begin producing cullet, the raw material used in manufacturing glass bottles. The company also produces sand for coastal restoration projects in Louisiana, which loses a football field of land every 100 minutes, and across the Gulf Coast.

"Our new facility underscores our commitment to amplifying the recycling infrastructure and sustainable practices across the Gulf South," said Franziska Trautmann, Co-Founder and CEO of Glass Half Full. "Not only does it help advance our work in addressing the region's coastal erosion crisis, but it also lays a strong foundation for creating jobs and economic opportunity."

The RNGD Building and Steel teams collaborated on the construction of the facility, which is a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) assembled from prefabricated steel components designed, engineered, and manufactured by RNGD's building manufacturing partner, NUCOR Building Systems.

Delivered ahead of schedule, the building's compact footprint and expansive outdoor spaces support Glass Half Full's commitment to efficiency and sustainability.

The building's interior design features custom terrazzo flooring, supplied by Terrazzo Masters, that integrates polished recycled material produced by Glass Half Full.

"The RNGD team was honored to partner with Glass Half Full to create a hub for environmental innovation that will benefit our entire region," said Erin Comeaux, team leader at RNGD.

Prior to planning and constructing the new facility, the Glass Half Full leadership team visited several glass recycling facilities across the U.S. to assess best practices and gather valuable insights from owners. That feedback informed the selection of the 3-acre site along Paris Road, which is conveniently accessible and surrounded by additional land to accommodate future expansion opportunities as the business continues to grow.

Glass Half Full currently employs a team of 20, with plans to double its employment within the next two years.

Other building team partners include Williams Architects (architect), Morphy, Makofsky, Inc. (structural and civil engineering design), HG Engineering, LLC (HVAC and plumbing design), and Cambas Electric (electrical design).

About Glass Half Full

Founded in 2020 by two enterprising students at Tulane University, Glass Half Full has recycled over 8 million pounds of glass. The company repurposes glass into valuable products, including sand crucial for coastal restoration projects. Glass Half Full has already contributed to four restoration projects in Louisiana, partnering with valued organizations such as The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and the Pointe au Chien Indian Tribe. To learn more, please visit www.glasshalffull.co.

About RNGD

With offices in New Orleans, Nashville and Huntsville, RNGD is a top-tier national leader in construction services and one of the fastest-growing businesses in the Southeast U.S. Since 2013, the company's "renegade mentality" has challenged the status quo and brought an entrepreneurial mindset to the construction industry. Repeatedly honored by Inc. magazine, Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) and Engineering News-Record (ENR), RNGD continues to innovate with renegade thinking and revolutionary results. To learn more, please visit www.rngd.com.