Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) Show Highlights

The World Recycling Convention Round Table Sessions, hosted by the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), will be holding its event in London, UK, October 5-7, 2018. This convention will be set up as a lounge-style event which will enable participants to network in a more intimate and fluid way. Show representatives say that members from the metals community will have a unique opportunity to combine the global reach of BIR’s debates and market trends reviews with more specific discussions on issues facing the metal industry today.

This is a smaller show than the The World Recycling Convention and Exhibition that was held in Barcelona in May. Almost 1,000 participants and guests from 62 countries, representing 526 companies, attended the show, along with 26 exhibitors who showcased their latest technical capabilities and product developments for the recycling industry.

The May event was as educational as ever. The Non-Ferrous Metals Division speakers discussed current and future developments of the copper market worldwide, the impact of new Chinese & US import policies, and the geopolitical implications that increasingly affect the recycling business. The Ferrous Division hosted a speaker from a leading commodity and financial research firm who conducted an engaging conversation about where the markets are heading.

Other committee presentations were just as interesting. The Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Committee discussed recent and future trends in global stainless steel and nickel markets followed by a ‘fireside chat’ with a well-known industrial metals price forecaster. The BIR Trade & Environment Director presented on the controversy over the UN-EP based convention E-scrap guidelines. The Shredder Committee went straight to the heart of the matter with discussions on the impact of shredded scrap in reducing steel cost and increasing productivity.

If you go to the BIR website, you can view the video that shown on opening day at BIR Barcelona Convention 2018.

We got a great surprise during the show. We were honored to be named the most loyal exhibitor and sponsor of the BIR Int’l #Recycling events over the past 10 years. For 70 years BIR has united the global recycling industry, and because this industry is important to us, many of our products have been part of the history of the BIR events. And for many of those years, members of the metals community who stopped by our booth had the opportunity to see the latest technology for scrap metal sorting and identification. Fast, accurate scrap metal sorting is fundamental to profitability for scrap recycling operation. And with volatile commodity prices, this need has never been more important.

In addition to seeing demonstrations of scrap metal identification tools, attendees were advised on how to keep safe from metal scrap of unknown quality and origin. Radioactively contaminated scrap threatens both the workers who handle it and consumers of products made with recycled scrap metal. Automatic scrap monitoring systems are used to monitor vehicles entering the scrap yard, or processes within the facility, and provide accurate, reliable detection of radiation sources commonly found in scrap metal. The system rejects radioactive materials before they can harm people or the environment.

According to its website, the BIR is a global recycling industry association representing around 800 companies and 35 affiliated national recycling federations from 70 different countries. Its members are world leaders in the supply of raw materials and a key pillar for sustainable economic development. We are honored to be part of their traditions.