Does anyone else see this in the yards you go to?

I touched on this a little in another thread here tonight and wanted to expand on it a bit. Today I saw a scrapper drive by while I was delivering mail with computers in the back of his truck. I figured he was going to throw them in the shred pile. What made me think this was I made a run to the scrap yard this week and while I was there I was looking at the shred pile and counted at least 20 computers laying on the ground waiting for the front end loader to come by and sweep them into the huge pile. I stopped and talked to one of the yard foreman about it and asked him who I would talk to about maybe having them pulled to the side and I would buy them from the yard. He told me dont bother cause this company makes millions every year and they wouldnt even consider it. They allready have bins set on the side of the pile where they pull out CRT's and Propane tanks and such. In my mind I figured how hard would it be to pull the towers out of the pile as well. Anyone else run into this?

On a side note same guy asked what about sell phones? Told him I knew a buyer at $5 a pond for them. Well on my second trip to the yard that day he was like I got 6 allready. It was like 3 hours later. If he got that many cell phones in 3 hours just imagine how many computers get thrown to the shredder at that yard every day.



Lastly. Would you think it would be a problem if I parked my truck out on the street next to the yard with a sign on the tailgate saying buying scrap computers $5 each? I would think the yard might get mad. I know it wouldnt be illegal being on a public street but I might want to try this at a yard I dont use Thaughts?

Originally Posted by freonjoe

PTS, is your yard an independant? If so, talk to the manager and give him your card. Let him know how much a pound you'll pay for computers.

After posting this I sent them an email. Hope to hear from them soon. Like the old saying goes if you dont ask the answer is no right?

I get a small but regular supply from one of employees at the scrap yard. He has a deal with the owner. I don't get large quanities, ten at most. I also pay top dollar for them. I believe paying more for a regular supply. The reason it worked for me is the owner doesn't mind his guy making a few dollars. I don't know what the employee pays but I suspect a couple of dollars each. Mike.

We buy from yards all the time. The smaller yards are much more apt to do it as increasing their profits even a small percentage makes it worth it. The bigger yards are a bit harder, because they do see so much material come through and that extra buck or two is just not worth the time to them. If you can afford .25/lb-.30/lb i think you would get some better response. Some big yards we are paying .30/lb but are getting a couple tons a week.

I would glady pay 2.5 times shred price. Thats what I offered them too in my email. That would curently be 30 cents a pound at that yard. I would also glady take a couple tons a week Maybe I should go one day and set up on the street with a sign for a free soda and pass out cards and maybe catch them before they go into the yard or make contacts with the scrappers. One of my best contacts so far was a scrapper who responded to my CL add to buy computers. I buy about 20 a month from him.

Every time you go to the yard talk to the other scrappers as you are dropping of metal. Hand off your cards and let em know what you can give them. Best advertisement is word of mouth.

My yard started buying up computer scrap after handing out a couple handfuls of my cards, guess they wanted to get in on the act. Still buying from the trash company tho, on a monthly basis. No more than a dozen at a time. But you seen the shape they were in. Pretty bad shape after being drug out of the back of a trash truck.

I think alot of you will jeopardize your businesses by educating these scrap yards.

scrapyards have the resources (money and labor) and volume. Why train them?