Scrap Industry News

Interseroh Exercises Option in ProTrade

The German firm Interseroh has exercised its option to acquire a 25 percent share in ProTrade Group LLC, a Hudson, Ohio-based scrap metal trading firm. The announcement follows last year’s agreement between the two companies that allows Interseroh to increase its stake in ProTrade to 75 percent.

The move will allow Interseroh’s steel and metals recycling segment to enter the U.S. scrap market with a volume of about 60 million tons per year.

The investment will give the ProTrade Group the financial strength to further expand its position in the United States and will enable a continuous transfer of production, technology and environmental knowledge, according to the companies.

During the past several years, ProTrade has expanded its business to include a number of production sites for the treatment and processing of materials. Included in the new sites is a WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) treatment plant in Florida and two shredders in the Midwest as well as several trading offices in the Midwest and on the East Coast.

"With this acquisition, Interseroh gains access to the U.S. scrap market. Due to the dimensions of this market, decisions setting the trend for the market itself and for the pricing in the steel and metal scrap sector are often taken here," Interseroh CEO Johannes-Jurgen Albus says.

Jack Kessick, CEO of ProTrade, says he sees many advantages in the alliance with Interseroh. "Already today, after less than a year of highly constructive cooperation, we are benefiting from this leading European company," he says. "Interseroh enables us to realize the growth we are aiming for. With regard to production and environmental protection, we count on the German expertise in order to further optimize our processes and to support their effect on sustainability."

Interseroh Group, with more than 70 locations throughout Europe, is involved in a range of activities, including collection, transportation, treatment and recycling of packaging, end-of-life products and scrap metals.

EPA Issues Rules on Mercury Release from EAFs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new air emissions standards that will reduce mercury releases from steel manufacturers using electric arc furnaces (EAFs).

The rule requires these steelmaking facilities to buy motor vehicle scrap from suppliers that participate in the EPA-approved program for the removal of mercury switches.

The program, the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program, is designed to remove mercury-containing switches from scrap vehicles before the vehicles are flattened, shredded and melted to make new steel. These switches were used for lighting in hoods and trunks and in some anti-lock braking systems of many vehicles manufactured prior to 2003.

AIM Owners Acquire SNF

A corporation controlled by Herbert and Ronald Black, owners of American Iron and Metal (AIM) of East Montreal, Quebec, has completed an agreement to acquire SNF Inc. and its subsidiaries, which are held by Jean-Guy and Bernard Hamelin and the Solidarity Fund QFL. The Hamelin’s have operated SNF for 35 years.

Finalization of the transaction, subject to the granting of requisite consents, is expected during the first quarter of 2008.

The companies did not release details on the acquisition.

SNF operates a metal recycling yard in Quebec and the Maritime provinces in Canada. The company also operates two shredding facilities in Laval and in St-Augustin-de-Desmaures in Quebec.

In addition to owning AIM, Herbert and Ronald Black also have manufacturing businesses in Canada, the United States, Mexico, China and Hong Kong.

Blaze Recycling & Metals Expands

Blaze Recycling & Metals LLC, Norcross, Ga., has announced its plans to open its second yard in the state of Alabama on 22 acres of land in Montgomery.

The full-service yard will handle ferrous and nonferrous metals. The company is also entertaining possible expansion plans for the site that would include an auto shredder.

According to a press release issued by Blaze, "Montgomery offers a great location for access to southern Alabama and northern Florida markets, while also giving Blaze a feeder yard for its Phoenix City, Ala., shredder, where construction has begun recently.

In the last four years, Blaze has opened three new yards as well as started up its first auto shredder.

February 2008
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