Orientation

The fundamentals of being inside a metal scrap yard.

What is a Scrapyard

Description A scrap yard is where the end-of-life metal comes to be processed. When looking at the three ‘R’s’: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is always last. When an item can not be reused, it should never be thrown in the garbage; instead, it should be taken to a scrapyard. At the scrapyard, metal will be sorted, […]

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Software

Description Most scrap yards in today’s business environment will use some form of electronic operating system. Industry-specific software such as GreenSpark has helped transform the scrap business from pencil & paper to digital records.  With access to digital records, scrap yards have become much more efficient, which has led to improved customer service.

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Payment

Description Once weights have been captured, the material has been graded and priced; payment will be issued. There are various payment methods, such as check, cash, wire, or ATM slip. Due to a rise in metal theft, most municipalities have introduced bylaws that require government-issued ID to issue payment to an individual.

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Purchase Price

Description The purchase price is the price a scrapyard pays for each commodity. The purchase price of a commodity tends to fluctuate depending on the market value (LME, Comex) of the type of metal. Ferrous material is typically priced monthly, while non-ferrous prices change daily.  Pricing can also change depending on the amount of material

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Weight Deductions

Description In some cases, additional weight can be found on a scale ticket known as a deduction. A weight deduction is a weight subtracted from the net weight of your material. The inspector typically estimates the deduction amount. These deductions are entered due to non-metallic (dirt, garbage, wood, water) items mixed in with the delivered

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Material Handler

Description Material handlers (also known as cranes) are either tracked or on solid rubber tires intended for vertical lifting. They have a very long reach with the combination of a boom and a stick and come standard with a cab capable of raising to see the contents of bins they’re loading or unloading. These machines

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Skid Steers

Description A skid steer is a compact, lightweight machine that can withstand the rugged demands in the scrapyard. These small machines are typically used to handle loose material during processing and/or loading. Standard skid steer attachments are buckets, forks, shears, and grapples. Most skid steers used in a scrapyard have a 2,500 lbs lift capacity

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Forklifts

Description A forklift is a small, powered industrial truck used to lift and move materials over short distances. The forklift’s backside is a counterweight, and the front side has two tapered steel forks that can be raised and lowered.  The counterweight will determine the lift capacity or the weight it can lift.  Due to packaging

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Tools

Description There are various tools required to process scrap metal; however, the following are the most basic yet most effective. Sensory Faculties Three of the five senses (sight, sound, and touch) are perhaps the most effective free tools available to distinguish between the various grades of scrap metal. For example, when looking at a shiny

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