Overhauling bottle recycling management system: 25% faster report generation

Innowise upgraded a recycling management system by improving reporting speed, integrating metal can tracking, enhancing collaboration, and refining the user experience.

Customer

Industry

Ecology

Region

Client since

2024

Our client is a leading company in the recycling industry. They help manufacturers, governments, and logistics companies track plastic bottles throughout their lifecycle, making certain that bottles are returned, recycled, and properly accounted for.

Detailed information about the client cannot be disclosed under the terms of NDA.

Challenge

Scaling the recycling management system to handle multiple materials, large datasets while improving reporting accuracy

Our client’s recycling system faced growing challenges as their operations expanded. Initially designed to track plastic bottles, the system struggled with large datasets and slow, inaccurate report generation. The client needed to add metal cans to the system, but the existing setup couldn’t handle different materials. It lacked the ability to distinguish between plastics and metals, even though each material had unique recycling requirements and costs.

Manufacturers required a straightforward way to enter production and recycling data. Logistics companies needed clear visibility into the movement and storage of bottles and cans. Government regulators depended on precise reports to track recycling compliance. Additionally, the system had to support up to 1,000 users, each with specific roles and responsibilities, which further strained its capacity.

The client turned to us for a solution that could:

Seamlessly integrate metal cans into the system alongside plastic bottles;
Deliver faster and more accurate reporting;
Handle large volumes of data and users efficiently;
Simplify data input and provide clear insights for all stakeholders.

Solution

Upgrading the client’s system with metal can tracking, modular libraries, ETL, and performance optimizations for better scalability and collaboration

Innowise tackled the client’s challenges by designing a clear solution that improved the system and made it easier to use. Each improvement solved specific problems and delivered real results.

Adding metal cans to the system

One of the client’s main requests was to expand the system to track metal cans in addition to plastic bottles. To achieve this, we added functionality that allowed the system to handle metal cans as a separate category. Our engineers included features to track each can’s type, size, and barcode, as well as to calculate recycling fees specific to metal. This differentiation ensured the system could generate clear reports that distinguished between plastic and metal recycling. In doing so, we created the solution that gives stakeholders precise data tailored to the unique recycling needs of each material type.

Supercharging data management

To speed up reporting and improve data analysis, the Innowise team implemented an ETL (extract, transform, load) process. This process consolidated data from multiple sources — like manufacturers’ records and government databases — into a single, unified format. By cleaning, standardizing, and centralizing the data in a warehouse, we eliminated inconsistencies and made the system much more efficient.

Additionally, the team focused on improving database performance to handle the high volume of data. We added caching to accelerate access to frequently used information, introduced queues to manage peak data loads without disruptions, and optimized SQL queries to reduce the processing time for complex operations. These steps ensured the system could deliver reliable and fast reports, even when under heavy usage, helping stakeholders make better and faster decisions.

Streamlining user tasks with a ticket system

To improve task management and collaboration, our engineers built a ticketing system. This system gives users the tools to create tasks, assign them to team members, and track their progress. Tickets are categorized by type and assigned specific priorities so that users can group tasks and quickly identify which ones require immediate attention.

In addition to standard task management, tickets are also created when issues arise during bottle transportation or handling. This functionality helps parties in interest promptly identify and resolve operational problems, thereby reducing disruptions and improving workflows.

On top of that, our experts added features like commenting and updates directly within the tickets, enabling effective communication and reducing errors. This system supports stakeholders such as manufacturers and regulators in addressing issues faster and more effectively by centralizing task management and reducing the time spent coordinating between teams.

Improving system performance and quality

To elevate the system’s speed and reliability, we upgraded the front-end framework to Angular 14, which allowed us to introduce new features and improve overall responsiveness. To further optimize performance, our team implemented lazy loading, ensuring that only the necessary data and components were loaded at any given time. This reduced startup times and improved the user experience.

On the backend, we migrated from Spring Boot 2 to Spring Boot 3, which resulted in performance and scalability. Our engineers also added OAuth2 with Redis to manage service-to-service communication. This change made the system more secure by handling access tokens safely and limiting what each service could do.

We also applied an OnPush change detection strategy, which avoided unnecessary re-renders in the app, making interactions faster and more fluid. To maintain high-quality code, experts integrated tools like Sonar for code quality checks and ESLint to enforce clean coding practices. These tools helped us identify and fix potential issues early, keeping the system robust and scalable.

Finally, our team conducted thorough integration tests to validate that all components of the system worked together seamlessly. This testing phase allowed us to identify and address bottlenecks before deployment, ensuring the system could handle heavy user loads and complex workflows without issues.

Keeping data accurate and reports clear

Our well-versed team revamped the system’s reporting capabilities using Jasper Reports, giving stakeholders access to detailed and accurate analytics. These reports provide insights into how many bottles and cans were produced, returned, and recycled. They also highlight discrepancies, such as unprocessed items, and calculated fees for those items. By offering clear and actionable insights, we helped stakeholders track compliance and make informed decisions. These improvements ensured the client could meet regulatory requirements while optimizing their recycling operations.

Simplifying the system with modular libraries

Our experts in the field restructured the recycling management system by breaking down the monolithic codebase and creating new libraries, with at least three built from scratch. This approach made the system more modular and easier to manage. The libraries can now be reused in our clients’ other projects, saving time and reducing duplication. Smaller libraries are also much simpler to test and maintain than large and complex codebases. These changes simplified updates and debugging and provided a solid foundation for future growth across client projects.

Integration with GS1

The Innowsie team integrated the system with GS1, a global database for product codes, to simplify the process of adding new bottles and cans. With this integration, manufacturers can scan barcodes to automatically retrieve and register product details like type and size. This eliminated the need for manual data entry, reducing errors and saving time. By ensuring the system always had up-to-date and accurate product information, we enhanced both data quality and user efficiency.

Documentation and support

To help users navigate and maintain the updated system, we created detailed documentation and PlantUML diagrams. These resources visualized workflows and made it easier for stakeholders to understand the system’s functionality. By providing clear guides, Innowise made sure that the client’s team could manage the system independently and scale it as needed.

Technologies

Frontend

Angular, Angular Material, RxJS

Backend

Java, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud

Databases

MySQL, MongoDB

DevOps

Docker, Jenkins, Gradle

Revision control systems

Subversion (SVN)

Testing

Mockito, Cucumber

Caching

Redis

Message Broker

RabbitMQ

Process

Discovery and system design

Innowise started by analyzing the client’s current system to identify challenges like tracking metal cans and improving reporting. After understanding the specific needs, our team developed a scalable system architecture to address data handling and operational requirements. This phase set a solid foundation for the next steps, making sure every improvement aligned with the client’s goals.

Development and integration

Building on the system design, the development team overhauled the system’s functionality to support metal cans and improve overall performance. These updates provided seamless integration of new features with the existing setup. The focus remained on simplifying workflows and minimizing errors, preparing the system for thorough testing in the next phase.

Testing and QA

Once the development was complete, the QA team thoroughly tested the system to confirm that all components worked together smoothly. We identified and resolved any issues during this phase, making sure the system met the client’s performance expectations. This step increased confidence in the solution before deployment and gave users a reliable system for their daily operations.

Deployment and support

With testing complete, we deployed the recycling management system and provided the client with the necessary tools and training for successful adoption. Documentation, user guides, and training sessions helped the client’s team understand and use the system effectively.

Team

Back-End Developers

Front-End Developer

Mobile Engineer

Project Manager

Business Analyst

Team Lead

QA Engineers

Results

25% increase in reporting speed and exceptional data accuracy

Faster reporting

With the ETL process and database upgrades, report generation became 25% quicker. Stakeholders now access real-time insights without delays.

Metal can tracking integration

The updated system tracks metal cans alongside plastic bottles, clearly separating them in reports and applying accurate recycling fees. This improvement boosted data accuracy by 30% and reduced manual errors.

Better collaboration

The ticketing system improved communication and task management. Stakeholders handle tasks and resolve issues more quickly and effectively.

Enhanced user experience

Upgrades like faster loading times and a modern interface made the system more responsive and easier to navigate, even during busy periods.

Project duration

March 2021 - Ongoing

25%

faster report generation

30%

increase in data accuracy

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