Robin Weiner of ISRI

Robin Weiner, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has been selected to serve on the board of directors of JASON Learning. ISRI says her appointment represents an expansion of the partnership between the two organizations that was formed in 2012 to educate school-aged children about recycling, focusing on the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) behind it, as well as encouraging them to consider future careers in the recycling industry.

“It is honor to be named to the JASON Learning board of directors where I can represent the recycling industry in the innovative delivery of STEM education throughout the country,” Wiener says. “Over the last few years, ISRI has worked closely with JASON Learning to develop a K-12 recycling curriculum, launch pilot programs across the country and hold an annual educational art contest to teach the science of recycling. Through this work we have reached millions of students, many of whom will one day become scientists, engineers, policymakers and more.”

ISRI and JASON Learning have developed lessons that teach the “science of scrap” and introduce students to a growing industry that needs trained chemists and chemical engineers, mechanical engineers, metallurgists and other degreed professionals. The lessons include standards-based, K-12 curricular experiences; interactive Web-based experiences to enhance student engagement; classroom posters featuring key educational messages; a leveraged national distribution network; strategies for school visits to ISRI facilities; age-appropriate lesson plans based on life cycle for each commodity; and more, ISRI says. (See the March 2014 issue of Recycling Today for an article on ISRI’s partnership with JASON Learning.)

“JASON Learning is proud to name ISRI President Robin Wiener to its board of directors,” says Eleanor Smalley, president and CEO of JASON Learning. “Her leadership as an active board member underscores the recycling industry’s commitment to STEM education. With ISRI's help, we can ensure that the next generation of citizens and leaders appreciate the economic and environmental benefits recycling provides, and understand the underlying STEM concepts that make it possible.”

Joining Wiener on the board are representatives from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the New York State Council of School Superintendents, ProEventa, as well as an international at-large board member. The National Geographic Society and Sea Research Foundation continue to have seats on the board.

The April 2015 issue of Recycling Today will list the 20 largest nonferrous scrap processors in North America.  

So that we may put together the most accurate list possible for our readers, we are asking our readers who think they may belong on this list to provide the information requested in the form available at www.RecyclingToday.com//largest-nonferrous-scrap-processors-form.aspx. 
 

Please note that we will not publish the actual amount of nonferrous scrap that you're company processed in 2014; this number will be used solely for ranking purposes.

The key figure we are asking for is the annual amount of aluminum, copper/brass and nonferrous scrap and shredder byproduct physically handled at your company’s facilities. This can include lead, zinc, tin and minor metals scrap but is not to include stainless steel, specialty alloys or ferroalloys.

The total would include scrap taken in at all facilities, whether it is processed further or shipped loose. For exporters, this would include all scrap purchased for export and loaded onto a vessel. This would not include scrap brokered by traders or brokers employed by the company that is never physically present at a corporate facility.

We believe this list will help the industry have a clearer picture of who the largest processors and shippers of nonferrous scrap are. Please take a moment to share your information with us.  

Greg Shaffer, Vecoplan

Vecoplan LLC, a worldwide leader in shredding, recycling and waste processing technologies, has promoted Greg Shaffer to the position of service manager. Vecoplan says the move is part of its commitment to continuous improvement in service after the sale.

Working with the company’s internal team of service technicians, Shaffer will devise and implement systematic procedures and programs designed to maximize service quality and efficiency, Vecoplan says. In addition, Shaffer will oversee Vecoplan’s network of certified service personnel throughout North America.

Prior to his promotion, Shaffer was a senior service technician at Vecoplan. A licensed mechanic and electrician, he brings 31 years of technical experience, primarily with industrial controls, to his new position at Vecoplan. This includes three years of field experience servicing Vecoplan machinery and 10 years as owner of Mountain Air Services, an electrical and mechanical services company with customers in the commercial, industrial and residential sectors. He also worked as a field service technician with Champion Industries and prior to that was a master control electrician and shift supervisor at Instrument Control Services.

Bill Davison, vice president of operations at Vecoplan, says, “We are fortunate to have someone with Greg’s experience and background already in place to head up our service team. His hands-on experience in the field combined with the decision-making ability that comes from having ran his own company give him the perfect skill-set to meet the needs of our customers.”

AMSCO Wear Parts CEO and President Arthur A. Borin Jr. passed away suddenly Dec. 15, 2014, at the age of 51 while on a mountain bike ride. He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Karen; two children, Timothy and Katherine; his mother, Carol Borin, of Hulett’s Landing, New York; mother-in-law, Carol Davis, of Hyde Park, New York; five siblings and their spouses; three in-laws and their spouses; and 19 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, Art Borin Sr., and father-in-law, Duane Davis, in 2013.

Art began his career as an accountant for Abex Corp. in 1989 after graduating from Drexel University. Abex was a conglomeration of several businesses run by his father, located first in Mahwah, New Jersey, and finally Goshen, New York. One of the businesses was The American Manganese Steel Company (AMSCO), which was formed in 1907.

With his father set to retire, Art Jr. and Dan Gladding (now retired) had the opportunity to purchase AMSCO. In 1992, AMSCO Wear Products Inc., as it became known, came under their direction. AMSCO’s first warehouse was in New Castle, Delaware. The AMSCO brand of customer service coupled with off-the-shelf deliveries helped it to quickly make an impression in the Northeast U.S. market. AMSCO continued to grow and added a second distribution center in San Francisco in 2011.

Art was not alone in building AMSCO and was surrounded by a team made up of long-term employees, according to his wife. In the Goshen office, Sharon Morris, CFO, joined AMSCO 12 years ago. She not only manages the company’s financials, she now calls on customers and handles day-to-day operations. Myrilda Slocum joined the team in 2011 and manages AMSCO’s product traffic and warehouse scheduling as logistics coordinator/analyst.

In the New Castle location, Frank Polster currently serves as a mining salesman and celebrated 50 years of service in December 2014. He has served in a variety of capacities since his career with AMSCO began. Polster is staying on rather than retire to assist with the transition.

Scott Raile, who has been with AMSCO 16 years, serves as warehouse manager in New Castle, while Rocky Caldiera, also at the warehouse, has been employed by the company since 2007.

Collectively, the AMSCO sales staff has a working knowledge of the shredding and mining industries that totals more than 200 years. Armond Groves, based in Tennessee, serves both mining and shredding customers while Denny Lawrence and Jim Sprowl round out the sales force.