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What do you need for a local recycling business?

I think I want to start a Scrap Metal Recycling business, what do you think?

  • Well I want to start a scrap metal recycling business. There are many people in my area who aren't sure how to get rid of bulky items (dryers, washing machines) and scrap metal, so I figured I could offer a service to haul it away, and take it for free locally, but maybe charge for bulky items if it isn't close. Also I might be able to buy some of the metal for resale (like if a contractor has a lot of unused copper wire or pipe from a project, I could compensate him a little, and sell the metal according to prices). And take this stuff to a scrap metal center. I have a truck, basic tools, gloves, is there anything else I would need? Also what do you think of this?

  • Answer:

    WOW! You have a truck! First, check the prices of scrap metal. 2 years ago, the price of scrap fell over 80% in just a couple weeks. One exception COPPER prices are sky high. Don't expect anyone who know anything about coper to just give it to yu cheap. If you know enough people, it might eek out a few hundred a week...good luck. Hope your truck is a 'beater'....or at least not a ford f150 or ranger.

muaythai... at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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It sounds like an idea. You now need to write a business plan to prove that your idea is valid. Go to http://sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan%E2%80%A6 or http://www.score.org/template_gallery.ht%E2%80%A6 for instructions on how to write a business plan and sample business plans.

Henry

It would really be an advantage to know where you are working from. I am not familiar with the scrap metal business in, say, Alaska. I admire your attempt to start a business. One of the problems I have come across is that collecting scrap (in the U.S.) sometimes involves stolen materials. The scrap collector is often looked at as a sneak-thief. An acquaintance of mine told how he once "collected" several hundred pounds of copper by climbing a pole, cutting the wires, and tying the abandoned railway phone lines to the back of his pickup truck and pulling them down! A group of local teens were caught stripping the wiring from a home under construction. They just ripped it through the new wallboard, destroying the fresh interior! You see, you have to deal with idiots, sometimes. Anyway, it helps to have a railroad siding in your "yard". Otherwise, you have to truck it to the mill for best profitability. If there is no mill nearby, a large recycler such as "Omnisource" is a good bet. There are actually trade magazines just for scrap recyclers.

J.B.Schneider

It sounds profitable, but what do you think? If you have the mechanical tools and parts to recycle these metal plates so that people would purchase them, great. You should think, however, who you would be selling these materials to. Who would want scrap metal? Would you sell it to car repair places? You can't ship to Japan for car manufacturing just yet, can you? It's a great idea, but off the top of my head I can't think of anyone who would want something like this in the hard times of the economy unless they were trying to run a business of their own. Consider all of the variables when tyring to start a business, especially one as tricky as this one. Hope this helped :D

BenGeocth

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