Sierra International Machinery LLC--Road Worthy

Norm Eaton, Jeremy Lincoln and Howard Lincoln

Howard Lincoln, owner of Erie, Pa.-based Lincoln Metal Processing Co. Inc., decided to start National Recycling Services in 1986 to serve the needs of scrap recyclers who were temporarily overwhelmed by material or who couldn’t justify buying a baler. Howard’s National Recycling Services dispatches portable scrap metal baler/loggers as well as trained operators to these yards to process scrap metal.

With his 40-plus years of experience in the scrap metal recycling industry, Howard is in the position to anticipate many of National Recycling Services’ customers’ needs, just as Sierra International Machinery LLC, Bakersfield, Calif., is able to anticipate his.

National Recycling Services and Lincoln Metal Processing own seven pieces of Sierra equipment in total. Because the Sacco family, which owns Sierra, also operates Sierra Recycling & Demolition, it has first-hand knowledge of the needs and demands of scrap metal processors. "I think that is an amazing strength," Howard says. "They know the business and they have the same problems we have. The equipment has been well thought out. They have anticipated a lot of our problems."

Because National Recycling Services’ five baler/loggers take to the road to work at other scrap yards, timely service is especially important. "They respond quickly and efficiently and they don’t give up if we have a problem," Howard says of Sierra’s service department. "That is a big strength, because when our machines are on the road, we need service and we need it right away."

National Recycling Services travels the world processing scrap metal for large and small ferrous and stainless steel scrap processing companies as well as for demolition contractors, steel mills, aluminum mills, smelters and manufacturing plants that generate scrap material.

Lincoln Metal Processing shears 90 percent of its heavy scrap using its Sierra T500 shear/baler/logger. "We bale cars, sheet iron, aluminum and steel clips," Howard says.

While he says Sierra machines are a little more expensive than some of its competitors, Howard says their quality and productivity are worth it. "We find that we have paid off our equipment within two years."