Global Empire

Under the direction of Steve Gibert, Global Recycling Inc. and its affiliated companies continue to grow

A company that has its roots in a one-man scrap brokerage operation may appear ambitious in selecting Global Recycling as its name. However, in the years since its founding, the company has lived up to its name.

At a Glance: Global Recycling Inc.

Executive Staff: President Steve Gilbert, CFO Christine Winder, Senior Vice President of Purchasing and Sales Scott Greenberg and Executive Vice President Richard Gilbert

Locations: Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., with a satellite yard in Little Rock, Ark., operated by Sol Alman Co.

Affiliated Operations: Global Recycling Transportation, Gilbert Iron & Steel and Gilbert Industrial Alloys

No. of Employees: 70 people, including employees of affiliate companies

Equipment: Material handling equipment from Sennebogen, Caterpillar, Bobcat, Komatsu, Case and Clark; a Magnetech ScrapStar magnet; a
Jewell JSG75S grapple; a Genesis 400 shear; a Sierra 4200 portable logger/baler; and a 21st Century Programming retail system

Services Provided: Export of copper-bearing electric motor scrap through Global Recycling; trucking through Global Recycling Transportation; shearing and baling of ferrous and nonferrous scrap through Gilbert Iron & Steel; and procuring stainless steel for a specialty foundry through Gilbert Industrial Alloys

Since 1998 Global Recycling Inc., based in Charlotte, N.C., has specialized in copper-bearing electric motor scrap, shipping the material to customers in China and the Pacific Rim.

Under the direction of President Steve Gilbert and a team of executive managers that includes Gilbert’s brother Richard, who serves as executive vice president, CFO Christine Winder and Senior Vice President of Purchasing and Sales Scott Greenberg, Global has not only expanded into scrap processing from Gilbert’s history in the brokerage business, but also has launched affiliated companies that further diversify its overall operations.

While Global Recycling’s history dates back to the last decade, Gilbert’s connection to the scrap recycling industry runs much deeper.

EARLY EXPOSURE

Many people who are exposed to the scrap industry at an early age say they are unable to resist the siren song that calls them back to the yard years later, and Gilbert is no exception.

For three generations, Gilbert’s family owned and operated Gilbert Iron & Steel in Beaver Falls, Pa. Working beside his grandfather and father as a teenager, Gilbert got his initial introduction to the metals recycling industry and the values that form the foundation of Global Recycling and its affiliated companies. "I grew up in this industry alongside my grandfather," Gilbert says. "He taught me to accept a man’s handshake as his word."

Unfortunately, Gilbert would not have an opportunity to run the family business, as a declining U.S. steel industry forced Gilbert Iron & Steel out of business in the 1970s. After attending college and working in a number of other industries, Gilbert could no longer ignore the lure of the scrap industry. He worked for several brokers and recycling facilities throughout the Northeast, where he gained experience in the fledgling market that involved buying and processing export-grade copper-bearing electric motor scrap, or elmo, its Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI) specification.

In the mid-1990s, Gilbert opened Gilbert Metal Trading, a brokerage operation specializing elmo. Seeking a more hands-on experience, he formed Global Recycling Inc. in 1998, adding processing and reloading to his export activities.

"I am blessed and lucky I get to do a job I love," Gilbert says. "I always felt like scrap recycling was in my veins. It was always the thing I wanted to do most."

GLOBAL GROWTH

Self-Certified Status

Global Recycling Inc., Charlotte, N.C., obtained Class B CCIC (China Certification & Inspection Co. Ltd.) certification nearly seven years ago, which enables the company to inspect its own shipments destined for that country. This certification does not permit Global to inspect shipments for other companies, however.

“We identified the need for a company like ours to be closely involved with CCIC North America,” Steve Gilbert, president of Global Recycling, says of why he explored the self-inspection option.

Gilbert says the company originally had four employees certified as inspectors. With its recent renewal, however, Global has increased its number of CCIC-certified employees in light of the growing amount of material it is shipping.

“We are involved very closely with the CCIC North America office in Los Angeles and we are very happy with the level of cooperation,” he says. “They really helped us a lot, and we feel that we represent them well.” Gilbert adds, “It’s really important for me to know that I am doing a good job for China and for North America.”

The Class B option was available for a limited time only from CCIC North America. CCIC North America currently issues a Class A certificate if the shipment was visually inspected by an employee of CCIC North America, while a Class C certificate is issued if the shipment was inspected by a third-party inspector engaged by CCIC North America for that purpose.

In addition to its Class B CCIC certification, Global received its AQSIQ (General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) license from the Chinese government in 2005. 

Today, Global Recycling operates an anchor facility in Charlotte and a satellite operation in Little Rock, Ark., in which it partners with the Sol Alman Co. The companies began this partnership in 2001 following Gilbert’s buyout of his former partner in Global Recycling.

Gilbert describes the Sol Alman property as "a fantastic industrial and peddler scrap yard" owned by Larry and Charles Alman. He says the company’s Little Rock location as well as its honest, professional approach appealed to him.

"They provide great service for us," Gilbert says of Sol Alman. "We purchase the material and we share rental on a loader. They load the material for us, and then we pay them a loading fee."

Global Recycling shipped nearly 6,500 metric tons of scrap per month to Asian ports in 2007, Gilbert says. The company is on track to ship an average of 7,500 metric tons per month this year. "The material is not processed, although Global does sort out free iron, dirt, nonmetallics and nonconforming materials to ensure quality that meets or exceeds all customs regulations and consumer expectations," he says.

Gilbert gives a great deal of credit to his team for steadily increasing the company’s volume of business. "Christine Winder has played a pivotal role in developing efficient and accurate document procedures, allowing us to provide excellent customer service to our international customers," he says. "Rick Gilbert has guided us through a variety of legal and regulatory hurdles, and Scott Greenberg has done a terrific job leading our purchasing team."

To strengthen Global’s purchasing team, Gilbert recently brought on nonferrous scrap industry veteran Steve Nedelman as an account executive. Nedelman spent more than 24 years at Steiner-Liff Iron & Metal/PSC Metals, where he served in several positions, including vice president of nonferrous. Jim Hurlburt rounds out the purchasing team. Before joining Global Recycling, Hurlburt spent seven years with Colonial Metals specializing in brass and bronze scrap.

In addition to Global Recycling, Gilbert has expanded his business operations to include Global Recycling Transportation LLC, Gilbert Iron & Steel and Gilbert Industrial Alloys, his newest venture.

Gilbert launched Global Recycling Transportation with five new Volvo tractors and aluminum dump trailers and a drayage truck in 2005 in response to decreased availability of transportation equipment following Hurricane Katrina. Today, the company, which Mark Cox manages, operates three drayage vehicles, 27 tractors and 25 dump trailers, providing bulk material transport and container drayage services for Global Recycling and its vendors.

"We are very happy overall with how that division works," Gilbert says of Global Recycling Transportation. "With the transportation company, it’s not about how much profit we make; it’s about having the ability to control our inventory on the inbound for the export company."

Global Recycling handles from 50 to 100 dump truck loads per week at its Charlotte operation, Gilbert says. "The fact that we own the trucks ourselves really gives us a leg up."

Gilbert has continued to add affiliated businesses. Within the last 30 months,

Model Citizen

Recognizing the threat materials theft represents to the scrap metal industry, Global Recycling Inc. and its affiliate Gilbert Iron & Steel, Charlotte, N.C., have worked with local law enforcement to combat materials theft.

North Carolina enacted legislation in 2007 that requires metals recyclers to maintain detailed records of transactions involving the public. In advance of the law going into effect, Global Recycling Executive Vice President Richard Gilbert met several times with Detective Tom Geisler of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to develop documentation and recordkeeping procedures that would ensure compliance with the new law.

Global Recycling also puts its retail staff through extensive training regarding the new legal requirements, posted prominent notices to the public and instituted a practice of hiring off-duty police officers to provide on-site security to deepen ties with local law enforcement. To protect itself from metals theft, the company has installed a Guard Dog electric fence system and a video surveillance system at the Charlotte yard.

The police department provides Gilbert Iron & Steel with a do-not-buy list that includes information on people suspected of selling stolen material. "We do not buy off of anyone on that list," Gilbert says.

The company makes its records available to the police department weekly, and Richard has made presentations to local business groups, educating them on how to prevent any report metals theft. He says the company’s goal is to demonstrate that it is fully committed to working with law enforcement and the public in the fight against metals theft.

That approach has paid off, according to Gilbert. "Global Recycling has been recognized by the police and local community leaders in Charlotte as a model of compliance with the law," he says.

Gilbert formed Gilbert Iron & Steel to generate cut and baled ferrous grades as well as loads of aluminum. The company handles from 150 to 200 peddlers daily and produces more than 1,000 tons per month of sheared scrap and more than 1,000 tons per month of baled scrap. Gilbert Iron also produces more than 1,000 tons per month of shredder logs and more than 1,000 tons per month of painted and galvanized (P&G) bundles.

The newest addition to Gilbert’s business empire is Gilbert Industrial Alloys, which he began in 2008. Gilbert Industrial Alloys focuses on procuring specialty grades of stainless steel and other alloys for the stainless steel industry.

Gilbert attributes the growth of Global Recycling and its affiliate companies to a number of enduring values.

REPUTATION FOR RELIABILITY

"Global Recycling’s main strengths are its integrity, strict quality control and strong, long-term relationships with both suppliers and consumers," Gilbert says. "Two key practices that reflect these values and set our company apart are that we are always buying material, regardless of market conditions, and that we honor all purchase order contracts. This long-term approach to business and business relationships is what makes suppliers and consumers trust us."

Gilbert adds, "Despite all of the technological innovation, globalization and industry consolidation that is going on, our business is and always will be built on personal relationships."

Scott Greenberg, Global Recycling’s vice president of purchasing and sales, joined the company 10 years ago from Franklin Smelting and Refining Corp., Philadelphia. "As the company has grown over the last 10 years, Steve has always stressed to me to provide the most competitive price possible in the marketplace while not sacrificing service," Greenberg says. "Our goal is volume, and working closely with our suppliers, we achieve our goal by utilizing the 50 years of combined relationships Steve and I bring to the table." He adds, "That is why the majority of our business is repeat business from long-term customers."

The personal relationships Gilbert formed early in his career also help Global make the most of export opportunities.

Gilbert says his early introduction some 15 years ago to the Chinese market offers advantages to Global Recycling. "We’ve been ahead of the curve because we have experienced a lot of the different pitfalls over time," Gilbert says. "I’ve actually been to China more than 35 times. It did take time, but when I finally partnered up with the right people, it really did pay off big," he says.

Gilbert observes a difference in the way the Chinese do business compared to their American counterparts. "Many times Americans think business is a telephone call and it’s done. China is different than that," he continues. "They want to know you, know about you and feel that you have their best interest at heart along with yours."

EYE ON EXPANSION

STRATEGIC SUCCESS

With its foundation in export sales, Global Recycling Inc., Charlotte, N.C., is managing to successfully weather the recent problems the scrap recycling industry is encountering with container availability. The company’s success has to do with its strategic location in Charlotte and its relationships with various steamship lines, according to Gilbert.

“There were several factors that determined us setting up the Charlotte location,” Global Recycling President Steve Gilbert says. The variety of businesses located in North Carolina makes the area a hub for export containers, he says. Additionally, Charlotte itself offers considerable potential for growth, coupled with the fact that North Carolina has been a great state for business, according to Gilbert.

Contrary to the unwelcoming attitude many recyclers have been met with when attempting to expand or site yards in new areas, Gilbert says Charlotte welcomed Global Recycling, with the local redevelopment authority offering the company money to rebuild a dilapidated site in the city. Global enjoys a good relationship with local law enforcement as well, thanks to its efforts to deter materials theft. (See sidebar, “Model Citizen.”)

Gilbert says Global Recycling’s close relationship with the steamship lines it uses gave the company insight into the coming container shortage. Global Recycling’s transportation affiliate also helped the company secure additional containers. “Because we own our own transportation company, we identified some other places from which we could pull containers and bring them to Charlotte,” Gilbert says. Global Recycling Transportation bought another flat-bed trailer as well as a trailer that can haul two 20-foot empties or one 40-foot empty to help it transport empty containers to Charlotte for loading. “When there was a container deficit, we came up with some creative ways of addressing the problem,” he says.

Gilbert says container availability will remain tight as long as the dollar is weak relative to other currencies. “Over the mid- to long-term, it should loosen up because there are going to be more containers manufactured by the steamship lines and put into service,” he adds.

Global Recycling is looking at ways to maximize its current relationships in the Chinese market, including a possible expansion involving one of its Chinese partners that would establish a few facilities to receive additional ferrous grades. "We are only in the infancy stages," Gilbert says of the project. However, he adds that within the next 36 months, the company is hoping to partner in five transloading operations in the country.

Global is also eyeing growth opportunities within the United States. "We are in the beginning stages of a three-part plan," he says, which includes evaluating possible locations. "North America is a big place. There is plenty of opportunity to set up a small to medium-sized yard and to do what it takes to be successful."

The author is managing editor of Recycling Today and can be contacted at dtoto@gie.net.

September 2008
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