Choosing a metal recycling scrap yard is about more than just searching for the best prices in your area, you should also consider convenience, professionalism and loyalty programs. In this week’s blog, we give you a few things to look out for when choosing a metal recycler to ensure you have the best possible scrap yard experience.
Business environment
It’s a good idea to physically visit a few different scrap yards so that you can see what kind of technology each one uses and how they run their businesses. If the business has new, high-tech equipment, access to online metal markets and advanced administration protocols, they will probably be capable of handling large volumes of scrap metal, which is great for business to business scrap dealing. However, you shouldn’t rule out a scrap yard just because it has older equipment or a smaller team. Older, family owned businesses are also a great choice, especially for dropping off household items and because of their reduced running costs, they sometimes offer better exchange rates.
Location and hours
Obviously, you’ll need to choose a scrap yard in a convenient location with flexible operating hours so that you can actually trade in your metal goods. Better still, go a for a scrap dealer with its own (free) pick up service and leave collection duties to the scrap metal staff. If you’re working on a construction site and need to get rid of large amounts of scrap metal, your best bet is to find a scrap metal dealer that supplies its own collection bins that can be filled and picked up when the job is complete.
The variety of metal accepted
If most of your scrap metal comes from household items, it’s likely you’ll have a variety of different types of metal to trade in. Look for a scrap yard that accept all ferrous and non-ferrous metals to ensure you can sell your entire haul. If you choose a good scrap yard you should be able to sell:
- Copper
- Aluminium
- Brass
- Steel (including white goods like washing machines, dishwashers, ovens etc. as well as wrecked cars) and stainless steel
- Cast iron
- Bronze
- Car batteries
Customer service
In any business transaction, good customer service always makes for a more positive experience. By taking the time to get to know your scrap metal dealer, you’ll get an idea of their work ethic and begin to build a rapport, which should result in positive business dealings. You’re better off going to a trustworthy metal scrapper with whom you can establish mutual loyalty over a scrapper who claims they will offer the best price but fails to deliver in terms of service. All good scrappers will reward you for repeat business, so once you find a good one, stick with them!
Special offers
Scrap dealers often offer monthly specials to boost their inventory of certain metals and to keep up with market prices, so if you have large amounts of a particular type of metal (for example aluminum cans or copper wiring), it’s worthwhile checking around for corresponding specials.
Environmental consciousness
By its very nature, metal recycling is an environmentally friendly industry as recycling metal uses far less energy than producing new metal and combats waste. However, some metal scrappers will go the extra mile, using energy efficient vehicles and machinery, reducing fuel consumption wherever possible and implementing environmentally conscious practices such as paperless admin. If minimal environmental impact is a concern of yours, look for metal dealers committed to sustainability.
General pricing
Of course, pricing is a major factor when choosing a scrap yard, as you want to be able to yield a decent profit from your metal recycling efforts. Do your research on market prices and check these against the prices offered by each scrap dealer to make sure you’re getting a fair deal. Remember, prices can vary greatly depending on supply and demand, so you can always ask a trustworthy metal dealer about their market predictions for the coming months so you can figure out when best to cash in your haul.
By keeping these factors in mind when deciding on which scrap yard to sell your scrap metal to, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices to dealers offering competitive prices and friendly, professional service. Metal Men Recycling are a family owned scrap metal company based in Pakenham. Our friendly staff have over 50 years of collective industry experience and we offer fantastic rates for all kinds of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
