Scrap Expo returns

The Recycling Today Media Group has announced the return of Scrap Expo this fall. The live demo event, which runs Sept. 12-13, debuted last year at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) in Louisville, the site of the 2023 event.

Indoor and outdoor exhibits

More than 10 acres of outdoor demonstration area once again provide a hands-on experience that allows attendees to operate equipment and see live demonstrations of material being processed on-site. From baling to shearing and logging, every process is covered. Scrap Expo offers an opportunity for attendees to grab the joysticks on a variety of scrap processing equipment to get a feel for how it responds and operates, all in a single location.

The KEC is accustomed to hosting heavy machinery events with live operating environments. Attendees will find Scrap Expo to be a safe environment where they can learn about operating and maintaining machinery and maximizing operations in the scrap recycling, demolition and automotive recycling industries.

“That live demo area was a different opportunity to see the equipment moving, something we didn’t see before or a piece of equipment we haven’t seen in live action,” Jay Robinovitz of Alter Trading Corp., St. Louis, said after the inaugural Scrap Expo. “It was really unique to be able to have the equipment operating as opposed to a static display.”

In addition to the outdoor demonstration area, an indoor exhibit hall provides attendees with the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with exhibitors in a more intimate setting.

And education, too

Scrap Expo also provides educational programming and once again offers discussions on scrap market dynamics and machine-specific technical sessions.

Last year included a wide variety of technical sessions:

• Loren LaGesse, technical trainer at Genesis Attachments, headquartered in Superior, Wisconsin, discussed mobile shear maintenance.
• John Sacco, president and co-owner of Sierra International Machinery, based in Bakersfield, California, and Ricardo Diaz, lead technician at the company, discussed maintaining shear/logger/balers.
• Constantino Lannes, president of Sennebogen LLC of Stanley, North Carolina, discussed maintaining hydraulic systems of material handlers.
• Bill Abraham, territory manager at Company Wrench, Carroll, Ohio, discussed specifying attachments for scrap handling and processing.

Essential preventive maintenance tasks, such as checking engine oil levels, monitoring grease and testing hydraulic fluid, were reviewed with attendees of the session about maintaining shear/logger/balers. Sacco said proper employee training also is essential to equipment maintenance, ensuring its long-term health.

Reducing costs was a reoccurring topic. In the Optimizing Scrap and Dismantler Yard Operations session, Lannes discussed the advantage of the consulting services his company offers to aid in preserving equipment life. He said the benefits of such services include cost and risk reduction, implementation of best maintenance practices and operational productivity and efficiency enhancements. Lannes stressed the importance of staying on top of preventive maintenance to maintain operational efficiency.

For those tempted to ignore the importance of maintenance, Lannes said, “Every dollar that you save in preventive maintenance will [end up costing] you $15,000 to $20,000 in repairs later.”

Scrap Expo is about more than heavy equipment. Last year’s program included a session with Gordon Driscoll, co-founder and CEO of GreenSpark Software, New York. He said, traditionally, intrayard communication happens offline, whether that’s via in-person meetings or radio communication. A lack of advanced technology adoption has led to inefficient systems for purchasing, operations and sales.

Driscoll said despite its opportunity for value creation, modern technology such as software often is not viewed as mission-critical infrastructure relative to hard assets such as equipment, but employing a more technological approach to scrap yard operations can streamline a number of areas, including scrap purchasing, pricing accuracy, contract generation, payments and inbound logistics.

Get connected

Scrap Expo also is a unique occasion for those in the scrap processing and auto dismantling industry to connect with one another in addition to connecting with suppliers in a hands-on way. The expo boasts attendees from across the United States as well as from several countries, offering a powerful networking opportunity.

John Kinney of Longwood, Florida-based Pemberton Attachments, noted the variety of the attendees and the ability to see customers from across the U.S. When asked about his future involvement in Scrap Expo, he said, “[I am] looking forward to going bigger and better next year, bringing more to the table because I think it’s definitely going to grow.”

Examining market trends and learning from others’ experiences is what Scrap Expo captured last year and plans to build upon at this year’s event.

The author is conference and marketing coordinator for the Recycling Today Media Group and can be reached at asollenberger@gie.net.