Metal ore and scrap help needed

[Mb_786]

Hi there,

I hope you are all well.

I am 22 and looking to get into business. I have graduated in construction management and I am currently working in the construction industry.

I am interested in the Metal ores & scrap business , exporting this from the UK to another country, somewhere in Asia. Is it something someone can help guide with? Where to get started etc.

Regards

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

This is a relatively closed business, in as much as unless you have a good source of scrap you can't get into it.

Many people try - scrap merchants get lots of calls every week about people trying to buy. Unless you have a wad of money and can ship immediately, sadly, it's not going to far.

But don't let that put you off trying!

 

[Socio South West]

@Mb_786

You aren't working on a construction contract stripping a large lead roof by any chance are you???? Been there, done that - and it does perk one's interest in the scrap metal business up I can tell you!

Not sure what level you are thinking of getting into this business, but if its at the bottom then you need some pretty detailed thinking, training and certification about how you deal with everything else that comes with the good stuff - oil, rubber, plastic etc.

If you are going in higher up the chain as a middle man/dealer, then @Paul Kelly ICHYB hits the nail on the head - its a tight market and you will need serious money and some good connections to break into it and make it work.

Best of luck

 

[Mb_786]

@Mb_786

You aren't working on a construction contract stripping a large lead roof by any chance are you???? Been there, done that - and it does perk one's interest in the scrap metal business up I can tell you!

Not sure what level you are thinking of getting into this business, but if its at the bottom then you need some pretty detailed thinking, training and certification about how you deal with everything else that comes with the good stuff - oil, rubber, plastic etc.

If you are going in higher up the chain as a middle man/dealer, then @Paul Kelly ICHYB hits the nail on the head - its a tight market and you will need serious money and some good connections to break into it and make it work.

Best of luck

Hi,

Thank you for your response.

No, no contract. Just getting scrap metal etc and sending it to Pakistan. It was just knowing how to get that scrap metal, how to start off and get about it.

The rest of it, e.g finding buyers in Pakistan would not be much of an issue as I have family doing business there in other fields so the issue right now is just getting started.

Appreciate the help

Regards

 

[Mb_786]

This is a relatively closed business, in as much as unless you have a good source of scrap you can't get into it.

Many people try - scrap merchants get lots of calls every week about people trying to buy. Unless you have a wad of money and can ship immediately, sadly, it's not going to far.

But don't let that put you off trying!

Hi Paul,

Appreciate the response. May I ask, do you export to other countries? There is a lot of potential to do this business from the UK and sending it to Pakistan.

It was just knowing how to get that started, getting that metal and obviously attaining the right certificates etc.

 

[fisicx]

Suppose you do get a supply of scrap metal. How are you going to transport 50 tons of rusty steel to Pakistan?

Surely they could source scrap steel more cheaply locally.

 

[Mb_786]

Suppose you do get a supply of scrap metal. How are you going to transport 50 tons of rusty steel to Pakistan?

Surely they could source scrap steel more cheaply locally.

Hi there,

Thank you for your response. That’s what I thought too until my uncle told me a lot of people were doing it and to look into it.

fastmarkets.com/insights/pakistan-steel-scrap-import-resilience-in-pandemic-demonstrates-need-for-shredded-index

Above is a article showing UK being a good supplier to Pakistan for steel.

Also via container/cargo, would need to get more info on prices etc. Right now it’s just focusing on getting started.

Regards

 

[Socio South West]

Just getting scrap metal etc and sending it to Pakistan. It was just knowing how to get that scrap metal, how to start off and get about it.
.........

I have helped wind up a couple of farm businesses, and at both final auction sales there were scrappies buying perfectly good machinery then getting to work with cutting torches and carting the remains away..... mostly (but thats another story.... )

So @Mb_786, once you are licenced, get yourself a wad, a hiab lorry and a cutting torch......
Even wander the countryside and look for farms with heaps of old machinery sitting idle - and there are plenty of these still in the more rural areas.....

Send it off overseas.... to be transformed into new products... to be shipped back here..... Containers full of scrap one way.... containers of product the other @fisicx - its been going on for years.

 

[IanSuth]

I grew up on a farm, in the winter my stepfather and his brother worked as mechanics and built/rebuilt farm machinery as they could weld.

As Socio said lots of old machinery at farm sales (they are usually around michaelmas - end of September) as that was traditional date for change of farm tenancies. I remember them buying 3 old ring rollers and a couple of disc harrows, then using steel channel from a scrapyard in Horsham (w.Sussex) that used to get all the offcuts from MetalBox in Crawley they built a couple of power harrow cultivators from the bits. The metal channel was sold by the cwt, we drove in a tractor and trailer over the weighbridge, loaded, weighbridge again and paid up. The old machinery was sold dirt cheap at the farm sales and the new machines were use don the farm and sold to a mate- i think i remember talk about the welding rods costing as much as the materials and the machine was sold for about £1k which was at the time 10% of the cost of equivalent from a dealership even 2nd hand.

This is one auction house dealing in farm sales - every rural market town will have at least one - https://www.tsauction.co.uk/

Further you go from the big ports and London better bargains you will get but higher shipping costs - and you will be expected to pay up and remove on the day of the auction

The scrap business is cut throat - there are some tough families working in it and most areas will have people who know that area. Good luck but don't expect to make easy money, it will be a hard slog

 

[Mb_786]

I have helped wind up a couple of farm businesses, and at both final auction sales there were scrappies buying perfectly good machinery then getting to work with cutting torches and carting the remains away..... mostly (but thats another story.... )

So @Mb_786, once you are licenced, get yourself a wad, a hiab lorry and a cutting torch......
Even wander the countryside and look for farms with heaps of old machinery sitting idle - and there are plenty of these still in the more rural areas.....

Send it off overseas.... to be transformed into new products... to be shipped back here..... Containers full of scrap one way.... containers of product the other @fisicx - its been going on for years.

Thank you! Appreciate the help and guidance.

 

[Mb_786]

I grew up on a farm, in the winter my stepfather and his brother worked as mechanics and built/rebuilt farm machinery as they could weld.

As Socio said lots of old machinery at farm sales (they are usually around michaelmas - end of September) as that was traditional date for change of farm tenancies. I remember them buying 3 old ring rollers and a couple of disc harrows, then using steel channel from a scrapyard in Horsham (w.Sussex) that used to get all the offcuts from MetalBox in Crawley they built a couple of power harrow cultivators from the bits. The metal channel was sold by the cwt, we drove in a tractor and trailer over the weighbridge, loaded, weighbridge again and paid up. The old machinery was sold dirt cheap at the farm sales and the new machines were use don the farm and sold to a mate- i think i remember talk about the welding rods costing as much as the materials and the machine was sold for about £1k which was at the time 10% of the cost of equivalent from a dealership even 2nd hand.

This is one auction house dealing in farm sales - every rural market town will have at least one -

Further you go from the big ports and London better bargains you will get but higher shipping costs - and you will be expected to pay up and remove on the day of the auction

The scrap business is cut throat - there are some tough families working in it and most areas will have people who know that area. Good luck but don't expect to make easy money, it will be a hard slog

Thank you for that. I will have a look. Appreciate the advice.