Some 220 auto shredding plants are tearing away at car bodies and other scrap across the country, according to the latest survey of the shredding plant landscape conducted by Recycling Today’s staff.
In the two years since this list was last published, pricing and demand for scrap metals have soared, giving shredder operators the confidence to upgrade many of the plants on the list. New plants have also been added.
Long-time shredding equipment vendor Jim Schwartz of Metso-Texas Shredder called the phenomenon "shredder mania" at the spring 2006 BIR (Bureau of International Recycling) World Recycling Convention. Schwartz said that he knew of some 26 shredding plants having been installed or that were underway between the October 2005 BIR meeting and the spring conference, which was held in late May of this year.
Schwartz estimated that about 25 percent of the plants were new shredder installations while the remainder were expansions or upgrades of existing plants.
He also noted that many of the new plants are large models powered by 6,000-hp or larger motors, as the world’s scrap recyclers push past more than 100 million tons of shredded scrap produced annually.
This year’s Recycling Today Auto Shredder list includes several new locations, including two plants opened by Midwest Metallics Inc. in Missouri (one in Kansas City and one in St. Joseph).
Two different recyclers, including St. Louis-based Alter Scrap Trading, have targeted Mobile, Ala., as an ideal site for a new shredder, with two new plants being installed in that Gulf Coast city. Other new plants have been or are being installed in Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
The following list indicates the current good health of the auto shredding industry, as few plants are now idled (as had been the case early this decade), and several new or planned shredder locations have been added.
As always in such endeavors, the staff of Recycling Today acknowledges that we may have missed a plant that should be on this list, retained an old company name or otherwise made a mistake. If you spot such a mistake, please do not hesitate to let us know. You can e-mail Editor Brian Taylor at btaylor@gie.net.
ALABAMABirmingham
ACIPCO (American Cast Iron Pipe Co.)
PSC Metals
ProTrade Steel Co. Ltd.
Decatur
Tennessee Valley Recycling
Mobile
Alter Scrap Processing (under construction)
David’s Auto Shredding (under construction)
ALASKA
Anchorage
Alaska Metal Recycling
ARIZONA
Glendale
Glendale Iron & Metal (shreds nonferrous metals)
Phoenix
Metal Management Arizona LLC
Tucson
Metal Management Arizona LLC
ARKANSAS
North Little Rock
A. Tenenbaum Co. Inc.
Texarkana
Tri-State Iron & Metal
CALIFORNIA
Anaheim
Adams Steel
Bakersfield
Golden State Metals Inc. (div. of Adams Steel)
Colton
Pacific Rail Industries (planned)
Long Beach
Pacific Coast Recycling LLC
Oakland
Schnitzer Steel Products Co.
Rancho Cucamonga
Pacific Coast Recycling LLC
Redwood City
Sims Hugo Neu
Terminal Island
Sims Hugo Neu
COLORADO
Colorado Springs
American Iron & Metal Metal Management – Colorado Springs
Denver
Metal Management Inc. – Denver
Western Metals Recycling
Englewood
All Recycling
Pueblo
American Iron & Metal
CONNECTICUT
North Haven
Metal Management Connecticut Inc.
South Norwalk
LaJoie’s Auto Wrecking Co.
FLORIDA
Baldwin
Global Shredding Technologies/Gerdau AmeriSteel
Jacksonville
Commercial Metals Co.
Miami
Ferrous Processing and Trading – Florida
Opa Locka
Everglades Recycling (Trademark Metals)
Orlando
Commercial Iron & Metals Co. Inc.
Pensacola
Auto-Shred Recycling LLC
Pinellas Park
Acre Iron & Metal Co. (Trademark Metals)
Rockledge
Trademark Metals Recycling LLC
St. Petersburg
Resource Recycling
Tampa
Trademark Metals Recycling LLC
GEORGIA
Athens
Carolinas Recycling Group LLC
Doraville
Newell Recycling of Atlanta Inc.
East Point
Newell Recycling of Atlanta Inc.
Lawrenceville
Blaze Recycling and Metals
HAWAII
Kapolei
| Powerful Forces |
|
Natural gas and diesel engines are used on many small to medium-sized shredders, typically on 60-inch to 80-inch class mills. There are also some installed with 98-inch mills. People chose gas engines because they were cost effective, based on energy costs at the time of purchase, or because electrical power was unavailable. A typical configuration would use two 1,750 hp, 1,100 rpm engines, mechanically mounted in parallel. This configuration requires sheaves, belts and jackshafts to lower the speed to 600 to 700 rpm, which is the speed recommended on 60-inch and 80-inch mills. However, some shredder operators may be looking for alternatives to existing gas engine shredder drives for several reasons, including · Higher fuel costs · Volatility in fuel prices · Substandard productivity · High maintenance costs.
For these operators, electric motors become the best alternative. They may offer these potential advantages: · Energy cost savings, although fuel costs and electricity costs vary in different areas · Comparative energy price stability · Better productivity; electric motors have an overload capability that allows them to work through loads, while gas engines can sag · Lower maintenance costs · Lower environmental impact. There are two types of electric motors commonly used on shredders, AC and DC. Both have advantages and disadvantages. AC motor advantages can include: · Only choice for 120” Super Shredders · Good overload capabilities · Very commonly used in the shredder industry · New motors available in any hp or speed. AC disadvantages can include: · High inrush with load – flicker lights in neighborhood – high demand charges · Long lead times · Motor brush maintenance · Liquid rheostat maintenance and cooling water requirements. Potential advantages of DC motors can include: · Lowest initial cost for 4,000 hp and below · Short lead times · Preferred by power companies– limit power spikes on load · Better control – run at any speed, jog forward and reverse to clear jams. And potential DC disadvantages can be: · Motor brush maintenance · Not available for super-sized shredders.
In terms of gas engine retrofits, the advantages of DC systems can meet with the goals of people who want to replace their gas engines. DC motors are only available in a 4000 hp and below configuration. But since almost all the gas engines are on 80-inch and smaller mills, this horsepower is perfect. With the overload capabilities of an electric motor, yards can expect to see significant performance gains. When doing a retrofit, it is all about return on investment (ROI). With a low initial cost, this retrofit will pay for itself very quickly in energy costs savings alone. When ordering a new shredder, the shredder itself may take 40 or more weeks to install, so a long lead time on the AC motor doesn’t delay the project. But with a retrofit, having a 12 to 16 week lead time on a DC system can have a major impact on the project. Many sites put in gas engines because the power company would not allow the yard to put in an AC motor in the first place. Because of the lower power spikes under load, DC systems can be installed in many places the AC motors can not. Note that the DC system usually does not require line upgrades from the power company or expensive power correction equipment. Among the successful conversions is one at Darlington Shredding in South Carolina. In 2004, the company was running an 80-inch mill powered by two 2,200 hp diesel engines. It was looking for more horse power and converted to two 2,500 hp DC motors. The motors are direct coupled in series to the mill. The plant’s operators say they have experienced a dramatic increase in productivity and decrease in energy costs. At the Atlantic Scrap location in Smithfield, N.C., the company decided to replace two 1,750 hp natural gas engines, running a 94-inch mill with two 2,300 hp DC motors. They kept their belt and sheaves so they could run the mill faster and produce more horsepower. Low cost and short delivery were key components to their decision to go with DC. -By Joseph Crosetto, Recycling Industry Manager for Quad Plus, a supplier of DC shredder drives. |
Hawaii Metal Recycling
ILLINOIS
Bourbonnais
Belson Scrap & Steel (operates a smaller steel shredder)Chicago
Metal Management (4)
General Iron Industries Inc. (2)
East St. Louis
St. Louis Auto Shredding (div. of Pielet Brothers Trading)
Peoria
Allied Iron & Steel
Behr – Peoria
South Beloit
Behr – Beloit
Sterling
Cimco Recycling
INDIANA
East Chicago
OmniSource Corp. – Chicago Div.
Evansville
J. Trockman & Sons Inc.
Fort Wayne
OmniSource Corp.
MuncieOmniSource Corp. – Muncie (formerly Dobrow Industries Inc.)
Indianapolis
Capital City Metals LLC
OmniSource Corp. (planned)
Kokomo
Mervis Industries
IOWA
Council Bluffs
Alter Scrap Processing
Davenport
Alter Scrap Processing
Mason City
Behr Iron
Sioux City
Sioux City Compressed Steel Co.
Spencer
Shine Bros.
Waterloo
Alter Scrap Processing
Wilton
Gerdau Ameristeel Shredder
KANSAS
Hutchinson
Midwest Iron & Metal Co. Inc.
Kansas City
Galamba Metals Group LLC– Kaw River Shredding Yard
Wichita
Glickman Metal Recycling (div. of Yaffe I&M)
KENTUCKY
Ashland
Mansbach Metal Co.
Henderson
River Metals Recycling LLC
Louisville
River Metals Recycling LLC
Newport
River Metals Recycling LLC
LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge
Southern Scrap Xpress Recycling
LaPlaceMississippi River Recycling (div. of Bayou Steel)
Monroe
Auto Shred of Louisiana
New Orleans
Southern Scrap Material Co. (div. of European Metal Recycling)
MAINE
Auburn
Maine Metal Recycling Inc. (light iron shredder)
Topsham
Grimmel Industries
MARYLAND
Baltimore
Baltimore Scrap Corp.
Recovermat (shreds demolition debris)
United Iron & Metal
Capitol Heights
Joseph Smith & Sons Inc.
Hagerstown
Conservit Inc.
MASSACHUSETTS
Brockton
Brockton Iron & Steel Co.
Everett
Prolerized New England Co.
Greenfield
WTE Recycling Inc.
MICHIGAN
Detroit
Ferrous Processing and Trading Co. (2)
Flint
Spooner Metals
Grand Rapids
Louis Padnos Iron & Metal
Holland
Louis Padnos Iron & Metal
Jackson
OmniSource Corp.
Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Metal Recyclers Inc.
Kingsford
East Kingsford Iron & Metal
Sturgis
Sturgis Iron & Metal Co. Inc.
Taylor
Fritz Enterprises Inc.
MINNESOTA
Duluth
Bay Side Recycling Corp.
St. Cloud
American Iron & Metal (steel clips shredder)
St. Paul
AMG Resources Corp.
MISSISSSIPPI
Flowood
General Recycling
Greenville
Metal Management Inc.
MISSOURI
Kansas City
Galamba Metals Group, Galamet Yard
Midwest Scrap Management
St. Joseph
Midwest Scrap Management
St. Louis
PSC Metals
NEBRASKA
Columbus
Columbus Metal Industries
NEVADA
Las Vegas
Silver Dollar Recycling
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Claremont
Advanced Recycling (Schnitzer Steel Ind.)
Concord
Advanced Recycling (Schnitzer Steel Ind.)
Madbury
New England Metal Recycling LLC
NEW JERSEY
Camden
Camden Iron & Metal Inc.
Clifton
American Shredding Industries
Parkway Iron and MetalMillville
Cumberland Recycling Corp.
Jersey City
Sims Hugo Neu
Newark
Metal Management Northeast Inc./
NIMCO Shredding
Trenton
Mercer Wrecking and Recycle Corp.
Trenton Iron and Metal Corp.
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque
Albuquerque Metals Recycling
NEW YORK
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Resource Recovery Inc.
Gershow RecyclingBuffalo
Gerdau AmeriSteel Shredder
Green Island
R. Kelly Freedman & Son Inc.
Lindenhurst
Gershow Recycling (shredder is idle)
Long Island City
Sims Hugo Neu
Medford
Gershow Recycling
North Chili
Metalico Inc. (formerly Union Processing)
Owego
Upstate Shredding LLC
Rensselaer
Rensselaer Iron & Steel Inc. (also own Grimmel Industries of Maine)
Rochester
Genesee Scrap
SyracuseRoth Steel Corp.
NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte
Southern Metals Co. Inc.
Greensboro
D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co.
Kernersville
Atlantic Scrap & Processing
Monroe
Metal Recycling Services
Smithfield
Atlantic Scrap & Processing
Statesville
L. Gordon Iron & Metal Co.
Wilmington
Atlantic Scrap & Processing
OHIO
Akron
City Scrap & Salvage Co.
Canton
PSC Metals
Cleveland
Ferrous Processing & Trading – Cleveland
Columbus
Columbus Auto Shredding
PSC MetalsMansfield
Milliron Industries
Marietta
American Car Crushing
Toledo
OmniSource Corp.
Toledo Shredding LLC
West Carrollton
Metal Shredders Inc.
Wooster
Wooster Iron & Metal Co.
Youngstown
Youngstown Iron & Metal Inc.
OKLAHOMA
Arkoma
Yaffe Iron and Metal
Oklahoma City
CFF Recycling USA
Standard Iron & Metal Co. Inc.
Sand Springs
Sand Springs Metal Processing
OREGON
Portland
Schnitzer Steel Products Co.
PENNSYLVANIA
Beaver Falls
PSC Metals
Coatesville
Coatesville Scrap Iron & Metal
Erie
Liberty Iron & Metal Co.
Harrisburg
Consolidated Scrap Resources
Philadelphia
SPC Corp. (div. of Camden Iron & Metal Inc.)
Pittsburgh
Neville Metals
Tube City Inc.
Schuylkill Haven
U.S.S. Achey Inc.
Temple
Royal Green LLC/AMG Resources
Wilkes-Barre
DMS Shredding Inc.
Williamsport
Penn Recycling
York
J & K Shredding
RHODE ISLAND
Johnston
Metals Recycling LLC
SOUTH CAROLINA
Darlington
Darlington Shredding Co.
Dillon
Lockamy Scrap Metal Inc.
Hemingway
Don’s Scrap & Iron
Lexington
Commercial Metals Co. (CMC – Lexington)
Spartanburg
Carolinas Recycling Group LLC
TENNESSEE
Chattanooga
PSC Metals
Halls
Hutcherson Metals (2)
Harriman
PSC Metals
Jackson
Gerdau Ameristeel Shredder
Hutcherson Metals Co.
Johnson City
Johnson City Iron & Metal Co.
Knoxville
PSC Metals
Memphis
Metal Management Inc.
Morristown
Morristown Iron & Metal
Nashville
PSC Metals
Pulaski
Tennessee Valley Recycling LLC
TEXAS
Beaumont
Commercial Metals Co.
Corpus Christi
Commercial Metals Co.
Dallas
Commercial Metals Co.
Eagle Pass
Newell Recycling Co.
El Paso
Newell Recycling of El Paso
Houston
CFF Pro-Metal Processing Co.
Rose Metal Processing
Texas Port Recycling (div. of David J. Joseph Co.)
Midland
Commercial Metals Co.
Midlothian
TXI Chaparral Steel
San Antonio
Monterrey Iron & Metal
Newell Recycling of San AntonioSeguin
Commercial Metals Co. (SMI-Texas)
Vinton
Commercial Metals Co.
WacoM. Lipsitz & Co. Inc.
UTAH
Plymouth
Western Metals Recycling LLC
Salt Lake City
Metal Management West Inc.
Western Metals Recycling LLC
VIRGINIA
Chesapeake
Sims Hugo Neu
Lorton
Davis Industries Inc.
Montvale
Shredded Products Corp.
Petersburg
Sims Hugo Neu
Richmond
Sims Hugo Neu
WASHINGTON
Seattle
Seattle Iron and Metal
Tacoma
Schnitzer Steel Inc.
Vancouver
Pacific Coast Shredding
WEST VIRGINIA
Wheeling
Automatic Recycling
WISCONSIN
Fond Du Lac
Sadoff Iron & Metal Co.
Green Bay
Samuels Recycling Co.
Madison
Samuels Recycling Co.
Milwaukee
Miller Compressing Co. (2)
Explore the October 2006 Issue
Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.
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