Stadler America LLC, Colfax, North Carolina, has launched a tool trailer that it says will make installations of systems and retrofits at material recovery facilities (MRFs) more efficient. The trailer was designed to be a cost-effective way to transport tools and staff to on-site installations. It eliminates extra handling and costs associated with shipping containers or boxes for such projects.

The tool trailer is designed for a 10-man team and is equipped with all the tools and equipment needed to perform equipment installations and plant retrofits. It includes a changing area in the front of the trailer and a small office for the crew. In addition to providing a fully stocked tool area, the key areas of focus in the design of the tool trailer were convenience and quick response. The tool trailer will truly simplify the loading and unloading process and access at the job site, according to Stadler America.

Stadler America LLC, whose tagline is “World’s largest supplier of integrated recycling plants," says it provides strategic cost savings and innovative ideas to the U.S. marketplace.  

Raw Material Data Aggregation Service (RMDAS) ferrous scrap pricing, as measured by mill purchases by Pittsburgh-based MSA Inc., shows scrap prices continue to decline across the country.  

The RMDAS prices, released June 20, cover a buying period that extends to the third week of each month. U.S. scrap prices dropped $27 to $271 per ton in June. A three-month buying period shows receding scrap prices from $329 per ton in April to $298 in May and $271 in June. Prompt industrial composite grades also fell by $28 to $300 per ton and No. 1 heavy melting steel (HMS) declined by $33 to an average $242 per ton nationally.

Regionally, shredded scrap fell sharply in the North Midwest region, by $29 per ton, compared with a $28 per ton decline in the North Central/East and $22 per ton drop in the South. Prompt grades fell by $30 per ton in the North Central/ East and North Midwest regions and $20 per ton in the South, where prompt grades retained their highest value at $307 per ton compared with $295 in the North Midwest and $299 in the North Central/East.

In June, prices for No. 1 HMS fell between $34 and $30 per ton. Mills in the South paid an average $248 per ton compared with $247 per ton in the North Midwest and $238 per ton in the North Central/ East region.

Congress unanimously passed the Save Our Seas Act in 2018, which reauthorized the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program and called for the U.S. government’s help in supporting international waste management solutions to reduce marine debris.

June 26, the Senate introduced Save Our Seas (SOS) Act 2.0, which continues to address the issue of marine debris. The proposed legislation supports scientists and agencies who seek to repurpose used plastics into infrastructure, such as bridges and roads. It also supports research into technology that can convert used plastics into chemicals, feedstocks and other new products. Additionally, the bill creates a state revolving fund to strengthen the recycling infrastructure in the U.S.

The Plastics Industry Association (Plastics) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC), both based in Washington, applaud Congress’ effort.

Steve Russell, vice president of ACC's Plastics Division, says, “America’s plastic makers strongly support the bill’s focus on developing ways to repurpose our plastic resources.”

“Plastics is proud to support SOS 2.0, which will build upon the progress the industry is making to address marine debris across the world,” says Patty Long, interim president and CEO of Plastics. “New proposals like the Marine Debris Response Trust Fund as well as more research to understand the root causes of this global issue and federal support for improving water and waste management infrastructure are all critical to any effort to comprehensively address the threat marine debris poses to our oceans and waterways.”

Bangladesh, one of Asia’s emerging steel markets, has seen a rapid increase in its steel production capacity throughout last few years, helping to drive raw material imports of ferrous scrap, pig iron and direct-reduced iron (DRI) further.

Bangladesh Steel Re-Rolling Mills (BSRM), Chittagong, Bangladesh, is a leading steel manufacturing company in Bangladesh with 1.8 million metric tons of installed billet-making capacity. India-based SteelMint interviewed Sanjoy Kumar Ghosh, head of supply chain management at BSRM, to learn about his views on the steel and scrap industries in Bangladesh, offering edited excerpts from the interview, below.

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Q: How is Bangladesh performing in terms of economic growth? How do you see the steel industry’s contribution in your country’s economy?

A: Bangladesh is now the world’s third fastest growing economy, according to media reports. Its GDP (gross domestic product) growth rate is currently 8 percent as per an ADB report (8.2 percent, according to the annual budget in 2019).

A lot of development work is going on across the country, and infrastructural development is one of them. The country is moving forward by all means with a view to applying to the United Nations for its recognition as a “Developing Country” after fulfilling the criteria set by the UN in 2018. If we consider 8 percent GDP growth, it means at least 16 percent growth indication for the steel sector in the coming years.

Q: What is the country’s present per capita steel consumption? How much growth is expected in the coming years?

A: Per capita consumption of steel in Bangladesh has seen a significant rise and almost doubled in five to six years to 45 kilograms (99 pounds) in 2017. As per estimates, per capita steel consumption may rise to 73 kilograms (161 pounds) by 2022. A lot of infrastructural work, along with mega government projects, is running in the country, and it would take another five to seven years to finish them. So, the demand for steel will be there in the future.

Q: What are the upcoming expansion plans by steelmakers and major infrastructure projects being developed by the government?

A: Buoyed by the increasing demand for steel amid the implementation of mega infrastructure projects, many of the larger mills have signed up for capacity expansion and other infrastructural activities for improving power generation.

Major steelmakers, including BSRM, have already initiated a few projects to increase their capacity, while a few new companies are waiting to mark their footprint in the steel sector. A lot of infrastructural work, along with big government projects (Padma Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear Plant, Paira Sea Port, the large coal-fired power projects of Matarbari and Rampal, Metro Rail and LNG terminal) are currently going on across the country.

Q: What is Bangladesh’s steel production capacity and how much more capacity can be added in the near term?

A: At present, the current steel production capacity is estimated to be at 6.5 to 7 million metric tons and it can be said that at least another 3 to 4 million metric tons of steel-producing capacity will be added in the next few years on the back of aggressive expansion plans of leading steelmakers.

Q: How much ferrous scrap did Bangladesh import in the previous years?

A: According to the data maintained with the customs department, ferrous scrap imports in financial year (FY) 2017 to 18 (July 2017 to June 2018) were recorded at 2.6 million metric tons, and the volume of scrapped ships imports in Chattogram’s ship-breaking market for recycling activities was recorded at 2.3 million metric tons. This year, 2018 to 2019, will be higher than earlier as per customs data.

Q: How much steel scrap demand is being projected in the coming years?

A: As per customs import data in FY 2017-18, total steel products, comprising raw material (steel scrap), semifinished, finished products and imported scrap vessel quantity (ship breaking) was around 7.7 million metric tons. Among these quantities, around 2 million metric tons comprised finished products and 0.6 million metric tons were semifinished products (HBI, or hot-briquetted iron, DRI and billets). So, the rest of the finished products were needed to be produced domestically. For that we are dependent on imported scraps, scraps generated from ship-breaking yards and other domestically generated steel scraps.

So, to sum up, we can say right now the steel scrap demand in Bangladesh is around 7 million metric tons, which will definitely see a rising trend in the coming years.

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To learn more about Bangladesh’s growing appetite for steel scrap imports, attend SteelMint’s 4th Steel Scrap, Billet & DRI Trade Summit to hear additional insights from Ghosh. The conference is Aug. 27-29 in Bangkok.