Scrap Industry News

FLUFF SEPARATION PROCESS TESTED

A recycling facility in Belgium is testing an American process for separating and recycling auto shredder residue (ASR), or fluff.

Salyp Recycling Center of Belgium signed a licensing agreement to use technology developed by the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. The experimental system separates the fluff into three different streams: a plastics-rich stream, iron oxides, and polyurethane foam, according to Argonne scientist Bassam Jody.

"The reuse of substantial volumes of thermoplastics, duroplastics, rubber, iron oxides and polyurethane foam will be possible based on the technology demonstrated in the Salyp ELV Demo Center," according to a Salyp news release.

"Tests show that the resulting polyurethane foam meets performance criteria for new material carpet padding and for reuse in automotive applications, notes Ivan Vanherpe, a project manager with Salyp Recycling.

The process is being touted as "fully continuous, minimizing material handling and labor costs." The design of a full-scale demonstration project is underway in Belgium to more fully determine the technical and economic impacts of the process.

CHICAGO RECYCLER CITED FOR REFRIGERANTS

Operations at General Iron Industries Inc., Chicago, have resumed after the company was cited by the U.S. EPA for releases of refrigerants at its facility.

General Iron Industries reached an agreement with the EPA involving its scrap handling methods for appliances. The company must keep records of its appliance recycling activities and report them to the EPA each month for six months.

OLYMPIC MILL SERVICES EXPANDS

Olympic Mill Services, a Glassport, Pa.-based division of Tube City Inc., has formed a joint venture with Kenny Industrial Services Inc., Chicago, to provide on-site vacuum truck, industrial cleaning and painting services to the steel industry.

Olympic Kenny Environmental Services LLC will help Olympic offer a wider range of services, according to James Fiore, chief operating officer of Olympic Mill Services. "The formation of this joint venture company is yet another step in Olympic’s strategic plan to provide our customers the most comprehensive range of mill services available from any company," he states.

Among the services offered by Olympic Mill Services are slag handling, slag processing, metal reclamation, mobile equipment rental, on-site equipment maintenance, specialized material handling and on-site scrap processing and handling.

PENNSYLVANIA SCRAP FIRMS MERGE

B. Abrams & Sons Inc., Harrisburg, Pa., and L. Lavetan & Sons, York, Pa., have merged to form a new Harrisburg-based business called Consolidated Scrap Resources Inc. (CSR).

Richard E. Abrams, president of Abrams & Sons, becomes chairman and CEO of CSR and David Searls, former CEO of Lavetan, becomes vice chairman and treasurer of the new company. Lavetan executive vice president Eric Verman becomes CSR’s president and chief operating officer.

The new company has announced plans to install an auto shredder at the current B. Abrams site at 1616 N. Cameron St. in Harrisburg. The 22-acre facility has a rail siding as well as access to two interstates.

CSR will have approximately 85 employees and expects to ship 150,000 tons of ferrous scrap and more than 10,000 tons of aluminum, copper and other nonferrous metals annually. Company officers believe output will increase after the new shredder comes online.

"With this consolidation of two well-established companies, we believe that we will be well positioned to compete in a rapidly changing industry," executives of the privately held companies say in a joint news release.

PRECIOUS METALS PRODUCERS MERGE

Reliable Corp., Naugatuck, Conn., and West Tech Inc., Keasby, N.J., have merged their precious metals finishing and plating businesses. The combined company, to be known as Reliable-West Tech Inc., will operate from Reliable Corp.’s 25,000 square foot facility in Connecticut.

Reliable Corp. founder and president Roger Shukla will be president and chief operating officer of the combined company. West Tech was a wholly owned subsidiary of Westbury Metals Group Inc.

"The integration of Reliable Corp. with Westbury’s West Tech Subsidiary will result in the new combined enterprise becoming a substantial force within the North American metal finishing and plating industries," says Mandel Sherman, president and CEO of Westbury Metals Group.

The company’s focus will be on the production and delivery of stock and customized precious metal anodes, salts, strip and wire, pure metal and refining services.