Private equity-backed Momentum Environmental acquired Corbett Industrial Cleaning Services. The deal advances Momentum’s goal to be a vertically integrated leader in environmental services and non-hazardous waste in the U.S. Northeast.
Momentum was co-founded in 2024 by Bill Hunter, who is the company’s CEO. It operates with a fleet of 152 vehicles based in seven locations across New York state that extend into neighboring states. The company also owns two centralized wastewater treatment plants with solidification pits and infrastructure for managing solids, as well as a soil recycling facility.
Hunter said Momentum’s current service footprint spans from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Worcester, Massachusetts. Its acquisition of Corbett densifies its services in the eastern portion of its existing footprint. That’s by design — Hunter said he sees abundant opportunity for growth in New England.
This is Momentum’s fourth acquisition over the last two years. Hunter said he sees plenty of runway to expand in the region both through acquisitions and organic growth. The rise of solar and wind manufacturing has created new business for Momentum, and Hunter expects artificial intelligence-related industries to also spur the creation of new manufacturing capacity with waste and recycling needs.
He also said tight disposal regulations in the Northeast create further opportunities for Momentum, especially with its water and soil treatment facilities.
“There's a lot of laws that have hit the books in both Massachusetts and New York that makes it tighter for the materials that are eligible for landfill disposal. So we're focused on that,” Hunter said.
Corbett is based near Albany and specializes in industrial cleaning and waste management for manufacturers, environmental service providers, engineering firms, municipalities, and general contractors, per the release announcing the deal.
“Becoming part of a larger, vertically integrated organization allows us to broaden what we’ve created while preserving the relationships that have defined our business for more than a decade. I am excited to continue leading our operations as we scale across eastern New York and New England,” Craig Corbett, founder and president of Corbett Industrial Cleaning Services, said in a statement.
Hunter previously co-founded and led North Carolina-based Terra Nova Solutions. The company built a significant presence in the Carolinas, providing wastewater treatment and solidification services for commercial and industrial clients.
Hunter said he remained a shareholder in Terra Nova but departed amicably to work closer to his home in New York. Clean Harbors announced it acquired Terra Nova in May for $225 million.
Momentum has been backed by Nonantum Capital Partners since it launched in 2024. The middle-market private equity firm’s portfolio also includes Minnesota-based LJP Waste Solutions, which produces refuse-derived fuel and provides waste and recycling services to commercial clients.
