Posts Tagged ‘Rick Rubin’


NABADA to RIPA while some things change, most still remain the Same

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

My great grandfather, Charlie Rubin, was a founding member of the National Barrel and Drum Association. My grandfather, Max Rubin, was a strong supporting member as well, and looked to by many as a patriarch of the organization. He along with my father Richard is only one of two “Father & Son Duo’s” to win the Morris Hershson Award of Merit. I have been active in RIPA for about 2 years now, and it has proven to be interesting and fun. It is the coming together of our Industry from across the country to learn from each other, catch up on family happenings and more. The beautiful thing about this organization, though a decreasing faction, is the pride it takes in the independent family owned businesses that were the original creators of the group, as well as some of the most outspoken and active members. I could detail the history of our families involvement in RIPA for many pages, but I am not writing this article because of that. I actually want to shed some light on another Michigan Family Business, and their legacy.

Peter DeWitt of DeWitt Barrels won the Morris Hershson Award of Merit this year. I want to formally congratulate him on this award, as well as share my thoughts on both of our family’s impact on the Michigan economy. I do not think that it is a coincidence that the previous winner of the award was also a Michigan family owned business (My father Richard won the Morris Hershson in 2009). I also do not think that it is a coincidence, but rather an imperative statement of or our economy in Michigan, that despite a decrease in the amount of jobs and cutbacks in all sectors of government across the board, that these two family owned drum companies still thrived. Maxi provides over twenty families with jobs and benefits. We also try and provide a comfortable and fun work environment. (We even have office cats to lighten up the mood!)

I don’t want to get too far off topic here. Peter DeWitt, like my father, both have driven their respective companies forward at full speed during this most recent recession. Business leaders could learn a thing or two from these guys! DeWitt focuses on the reconditioning process and now Recycling, while Maxi has a broader product offering but doesn’t process drums in house. We do a lot of business back and forth, but more importantly we are both invested in competing with the bigger conglomerates for Michigan customers. It is a testament to both organizations that we continue to thrive in this highly competitive environment.

The message of this blog is too support your neighbor, your friends, and your fellow community members, whether you are competitors or complete strangers. The bottom line is the more you buy local and support your states economy, the more likely the benefits will come back to you. I want to again say that Peter has been a strong voice and active member of RIPA, standing up for reconditioners. Both past Chairman of RIPA, my father and Peter represent something that is dying in our industry:

“REAL BARREL MEN!”

Related Links:

Richards Acceptance speech 2009.

Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA) Website.


Nothing but a Barrel

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

A few years ago, when we set out to get involved in making Rain Barrels and selling other Home and Garden products at Metro-Detroit Green Fairs, we never thought it would turn out so incredibly well. The community involvement with green fairs, charities, school and churches has helped shape our business, continuing over a hundred years of Rubin family involvement in the drum and barrel industry. Now, at Maxi, as the summer comes to a close, so does a chapter of our lives. The Green season is over, there no more events until next Spring/Summer. We all set our sights on the numerous things we have neglected due to the hustle and bustle of the season. We won’t be hibernating this winter, but a part of us will. The Green part.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the events we were involved in (a list is provided at the end of this post). However, certain moments, or days, stand out when looking back from the corner of the autumn and winter seasons. I want to share my favorite “highlights” from this summer with all of you.

Two tents down! Currently, both of our tents need repair. One, we have no idea what happened to, and the other a storm almost swept away! At the St. Clair Shores Green Fair in the Park it was a beautiful day until warnings of a oncoming storm started to spread across the fair (since the Dream Cruise was happening on Woodward Ave. simultaneously, we just checked their twitter feed) Even though the vendors and patrons were advised to leave a little early in hopes of missing the brunt of the storm, we were among the last out of there, and our tent nearly didn’t make it out at all. I went to grab the truck for our final load of Rain Barrels, and when I arrived to our location I find my father (Richard) holding onto a tent that was in shambles. He looked like he was holding onto it for dear life, in high winds and heavy rain. This was a very intense end to a great event.

HOT, HOT, HOT! All of you remember that heat wave in June? Well we can’t forget it. We had three events planned almost simultaneously for that weekend of heat. Friday I spent in Armada while the rest of the Maxi staff was at the Ferndale Live Green Fair. I guess this is one time I lucked out, since at the Lavender Festival in Armada we had a location in the shade and the fair was on grass, not pavement. The staff at the Live Green Fair said it was sweltering hot as the intense sun reflected up from the ground. Also, the way the booths were set up didn’t allow a lot of airflow. On Sunday, I made my way to Ferndale, my father and I did the best we could, but I was definitely suffering during tear down, and was afraid I was going to pass out. My Dad had to stick me in the car with the AC on to get me to stop acting loopy. I am pretty sure I was a second away from heat stroke.

We enjoyed all of the events this year, these two weekends were exceptionally interesting, check out the list below for all of our events this year, and watch out for even more next year! Hope to see you next summer at some of our Green Events!

I tried to remember them all and hopefully, got them all of them here. Click on each to learn more. This list doesn’t include all of the Rain Barrel workshops we have done, just a few of them.

If you know of an event in Metro-Detroit (really anywhere in Michigan) that you would like us to bring our sustainable living setup including Rain Barrels, Composting, and Container Gardening, please let us know. Drop me an email at joshua@maxicontianer.com with the details.

Enjoy this slideshow of photos from our “Green Fairs” Collection of photoset’s on Flickr!

[slickr-flickr tag=”GreenFairs” type=”slideshow” captions=”on” delay=”3″]


Why Waste Yard Waste? – Proposed Bill is Bad for Michigan

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

DIY Compost Tumbler Kit

The Michigan House Committee on Energy & Technology is looking into two bills in committee on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 9am.  HB 4265 and HB 4266 seek to return yard waste to landfills for minor energy production purposes. Both bills are sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Horn, sponsor and Rep. Paul Opsommer, co-sponsor. These Bills are a  bad idea on many levels.

Michigan banned Yard Waste going to landfills in 1995. As a home owner, the impact of this ban was negligible. Instead of putting my yard waste out with my trash, I had to put it in low cost compostable paper bags availble at most hardware stores, supermarkets and big box stores in my area.  In my town of Farmington Hills, MI the yard waste is collected by  The Recycling Authority, and  is taken to a large-scale compost site where it decomposes and becomes a rich, black humus. According to The Recycling Authority, each year RRRASOC residents generate 80,000 tons of waste. At least 30% of that waste can be composted.

Another good use for yard waste is composting at home. Composting at home reduces our dependence on trucks to haul yard waste to large-scale compost sites. It also provides us with our own source of rich humus to reuse in our gardens. Composting at home reduces the use of expensive petrochemically based fertilizers which find their way into our sewers, lakes and streams. It is less costly to produce than buying fertilizers, mulch or hummus at the local garden center. Also, composting at home is inexpensive and easy and creates a sense of connectedness with our natural world.

Here at Maxi Container we are so excited about the benefits of composting at home that we created our DIY Compost Tumbler Kit.  We re-purposed a food grade plastic drum and provide all the parts and information necessary to begin composting at home.

The Michigan Recycling Coalition (of which Maxi is a proud member) is actively opposing these bills.  If you live in the great State of Michigan, please call or write your representative and let them know how strongly you oppose these Bills. If you can, attend the next hearing on these Bills on March 1st at 9am, 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI. Yard Waste can be a valued resource for the home owner.  You should not be charged to give it away for free and bury it in a landfill.


Rick Rubin, owner of Maxi Container was interviewed by Murray Gula of WDFN 1130 AM. Rick was on the air live at 1pm on Aug. 14, 2010 talking about our new products, our Terra Cotta Rain Barrel Kit, and D.I.Y. Compost Tumbler Kit. Check out these photos, article, and link to a video of the interview.

Monday, August 16th, 2010
Murray Gula, Rick Rubin

Maxi Container was at the Summer Home and Garden Expo on Aug. 14th 2010. Selling our very own Terra Cotta Rain Barrel Kit and D.I.Y. Compost Tumbler Kit. Rick Rubin, Owner of Maxi, was summoned by the home improvement radio celebrity Murray Gula to talk about what we are selling here at the Summer Home and Garden Expo.
Rain barrels are a great way to save money and help the environment. Both of these products are previously used food grade barrels. Being green is easy and the advantages are profound. Check out these photos and video. Please come out this weekend and if you can not make it out later today or tomorrow to the Yack Arena in Wyandotte, MI. then contact us at 1-800-727-MAXI (6294) between 7:30 and 3:30 Monday through Friday.

Here is our tent setup with our new Rain Barrel water cycle.
WDFN 1130 Murray Gula interview Rick Rubin of Maxi Container.
Click here for a video of the interview.

Rick Rubin, owner of Maxi Container was interviewed by Murray Gula of WDFN 1130 AM. Rick was on the air live at 1pm on Aug. 14, 2010 talking about our new products, our Terra Cotta Rain Barrel Kit, and D.I.Y. Compost Tumbler Kit. Check out these photos, article, and link to a video of the interview.

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Murray Gula, Rick Rubin
 

Maxi Container was at the Summer Home and Garden Expo on Aug. 14th 2010. Selling our very own Terra Cotta Rain Barrel Kit and D.I.Y. Compost Tumbler Kit. Rick Rubin, Owner of Maxi, was summoned by the home improvement radio celebrity Murray Gula to talk about what we are selling here at the Summer Home and Garden Expo.
Rain barrels are a great way to save money and help the environment. Both of these products are previously used food grade barrels. Being green is easy and the advantages are profound. Check out these photos and video. Please come out this weekend and if you can not make it out later today or tomorrow to the Yack Arena in Wyandotte, MI. then contact us at 1-800-727-MAXI (6294) between 7:30 and 3:30 Monday through Friday.

Here is our tent setup with our new Rain Barrel water cycle.

WDFN 1130 Murray Gula interview Rick Rubin of Maxi Container.
Click here for a video of the interview.