Appliance Recycling Centers of America Announces New Business Unit - Customer Connexx Contact Center

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARCI), a leading provider of appliance recycling and retailing services, has announced a new business unit – Customer Connexx – an ARCA customer-care and contact center – opened in November 2016. Customer Connexx is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ARCA, Inc.

ARCA's new contact center, located in Las Vegas, NV, supports scheduling and customer service for its current utility programs and other standalone ventures. The contact center seats 90 agents, with room for future growth. Customer Connexx provides a full suite of services, including inbound and outbound customer calls, chat, email, IVR solutions, and many other state-of-the-art call center capabilities.

JP Harper, ARCA Inc. Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, states "This is a huge accomplishment for ARCA and represents a large step forward for us in terms of our abilities to provide a world-class customer experience for our utilities and their end-use customers. Our vision for Customer Connexx is to provide exceptional customer service to ARCA Recycling utilities and the residential customers that participate in the recycling, replacement, and kit programs we offer.  In addition, Customer Connexx will soon be providing standalone customer care and call center capabilities to utilities and other industry verticals."

Frank Royal, who is new to the ARCA team, will lead the Customer Connexx business unit. Royal joins ARCA from CLEAResult where he led their CustomerLink call center business, which employed over 400 call center representatives in Duluth, MN and Tempe, AZ. Royal has over 20 years' experience in the customer service industry. He has managed thousands of customer service agents in the US and globally. He is adept at growing and building world class organizations from various stages of development.

Harper said "I am excited to have Frank on-board with us. He is very knowledgeable on contact centers, customer service, and overall business. Frank is a great team player who will help take ARCA to the next level as we transform our business into a leader of providing customer service and customer experiences on behalf of our utility partners."

About Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA)
ARCA's three business components are uniquely positioned in the industry to work together to provide a full array of appliance-related services. ARCA Advanced Processing, LLC employs advanced technology to refine traditional appliance recycling techniques to achieve optimal revenue-generating and environmental benefits. ARCA is also the exclusive North American distributor for UNTHA Recycling Technology (URT), one of the world's leading manufacturers of technologically advanced refrigerator recycling systems and recycling facilities for electrical household appliances and electronic scrap.

ARCA's regional centers process appliances at end of life to remove environmentally damaging substances and produce material byproducts for recycling for utilities in the U.S. and Canada. Eighteen company-owned stores under the name ApplianceSmart, Inc.® sell new appliances directly to consumers and provide affordable ENERGY STAR® options for energy efficiency appliance replacement programs.

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements as defined within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding ARCA's future success. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including the risks associated with the general economic conditions, competition in the retain and recycling industries and regulatory risks. Other factors that could cause operating and financial results to differ are described in ARCA's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other risks may be detailed from time to time in reports to be filed with the SEC.

SOURCE Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.