IOWA RECYCLING FIRM SPURS FOUR GENERATIONS OF OPERATION

Pages 30-41 Aggregate Production and Recycling Section

For more information on crushing, screening and recycling equipment, visit CEG's Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.

Scrap Processors Inc.

Iowa Scrap Metal Recycling Firm Uses Family Atmosphere to Spur Four Generations of Operation

Scrap Processors Inc. (SPI) opened a new, 10-acre facility in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2020. SPI uses SENNEBOGEN 825 and 835E material handers in addition to Komatsu PC210LC and PC390LC excavators to process material at the yard.

Rarely do generational companies resemble their original business plans. Most take winding journeys until they find their niches. Des Moines, Iowa-based Scrap Processors Inc. (SPI) is no different.

“When my grandfather, Myer Silverstein, started the business in 1948, they did a bunch of everything,” said David Silverstein, owner of SPI. “They handled furs and car parts — we had three auto parts stores. Scrap metal was always a part of it. Fortunately, they got away from the other stuff and focused on scrap metal recycling.” Four generations and 73 years later, that decision seems to be the correct one. The company expanded from its birthplace in Webster City, Iowa, to open a new location in Des Moines in 1985, when Myer and his son, Ben, purchased a scrap yard. Silverstein came on board in 1990 after graduating from West Virginia University. Silverstein’s niece, Jessica Robbins, executive vice president of SPI, joined the operation when she moved to

see SCRAP page 34

mwww.aisequip.com

3 A3600 N Grand River Av ve 90684L i MI Lansing, MI 175 7-321-8000

Grand Rapids 600 44th Street SW 9MI 4G Grand Rapids, 4995548 38-5616-538--2 2400

Northeast Detroit 65809 tGratio AAv venue Lenoox x, MI 48050 507-2776-58 -7727--77502 2 00 46

Sa Bridgepo 989 aginaw Di AIS Drive 7ort, MI 48722 22 777 7 00909--7777-0090 -0090

T Tr raverse City 8300 7- M-72 2 East Williamsb 964burg, MI 496990 1-23 -2 2 76 677-5060

W We es st Detroit 5566555 55 Pontiac Trail New Hud 16 dson, MI 48 65 5 248-4377-8121 800 57-4457--8121

y www.butlermachinery.ccom

03402 2 36th St SW Fargo, ND 58014 1-70 -2280-3100 476-7 700-8 -772 2 -7744775 5

363 Miriam A0 Av ve Bismarck, ND 58501 7 70 01-223-0890

2803 I-94 Business Loop E Dickinson, ND 58601 1-47 70 0 45656-1400

1201 S 46th St G d F k ND 58201

1505 Hwy y 2, Bypass E Minot 7, ND 58 01 7 70 01-8 852-3508 94 49950 E High 50 E Highway 12 Aberdee en, SD 5774 401 06055- 5-6-22 22 62 240 3601 Dea Adwood Av ve N Rapid C , SD 577 City 70 02 06055-3442-4 2-4850 02057 571 Tru op Auck St Av ve Pierre, SD 57750 501 5-0605--22 2 22244-5400 3201 N A Louise Av ve Grand Forks, ND 58 5-4771-7 70 0 -7775-442 238 Sioux Fa alls SD 5771 107 605alls, SD 57 -336-3010

www.centralsands.coom

4219 E 50th St • Des Moines, IA A 50 50317 -4700-8 -2 2477--2 2400 • 515-964-8 8600

www.rbscott.com

1011 Short St • Eau Claire, W 715-832-9792 I 5447 701

www.roadbuildersmachine y ery.com

1001 S 7th St Kansas City, KS 913-371-3822 4115 S 90th St Omaha, NE 402-331-992 200

5601 Fle Linc 04022-3 44 49 949 Juer 9 Ju Grand 308-3 1303 S Chestnut St

Norfolk, NE 04022-316-4640 her Aetc Av ve coln, NE 5-0442 47 7 uergen Rd Island, NE 6384--2 2 20

oolss good teG ervsork dewGood

ecrT2.3™ mobile sk® Sactrooke Lh T en

s depe videoeen prcrT2.3™ mobile sk® Sactrook Lhe T erweening pocr endable s la t ceighws e in itormanceening perfcrt ss the beand a,eeening arcrwide ss ass. It e th eening angle makcrge se and laroktre svssieragg orool fal tT2.3 the ide he S

T2.3 mobile sk Sactrookwith the L the job done t Ge een.c cr k.actroom/lokc.oupt mogre aonC arn moror or letributsec ditoo OutstMeour yact tn

Page 34 • June 26, 2021 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com •Recycling Section• Construction Equipment Guide Scrap Processors Continues Growing in Its Fourth Generation of Ownership

SCRAP from page 30

Iowa from Maryland in 2013.

“I grew up in this company, working summers,” recalled Silverstein.

“It’s cool to see something your family has built over time continue to thrive,” Robbins said.

Today, SPI has 19 employees with three locations in Iowa — two in Des Moines and one in Webster City. The company focuses on ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal. The second Des Moines location specializes in demanufacturing appliances.

Using a Komatsu PC390LC excavator with a Genesis GXT mobile shear attachment, a Scrap Processors Inc. operator cuts a piece of sheet metal.

Scrap Processors Inc.’s third-generation Owner David Silverstein (R) meets with Road Machinery & Supplies Co. Territory Manager Bob Newman in Des Moines, Iowa. “We have a great relationship with Bob that goes back to when my father was here,” said Silverstein. “My grandfather even purchased equipment from Herman M. Brown Co. My family has had a relationship with RMS for more than 50 years.”

Recipe for Success

Success and longevity require growth to survive, and SPI has achieved both since Silverstein took over the company in 2009, after his father’s retirement.

“When I took over for my dad, I knew there was opportunity for growth,” said Silverstein. “He was a little stuck in his ways, but he was successful. Still, I thought I could make some changes to help the company continue to grow and expand.”

Those changes included upgrading equipment and moving one of its Des Moines facilities to a larger location. While those decisions have driven growth, it’s what didn’t change that has kept the company successful.

“We are a family business and having that family feel is important to our success,” said Silverstein. “We have employees who have been here longer than me. So, even though we’ve grown, we still treat everyone like they are family. You have to treat your employees right, and it’s more than pay. I think companies can forget that sometimes.”

That approach extends to SPI’s customers as well.

“One thing my great-grandfather, Myer, was adamant about was customer service,” said Robbins. “He wanted to treat each customer like family. I think the way we work with customers is what sets us apart from the competition. We really want to build relationships, and because of that, we have people who have been coming to us since before I was born.”

Preparing for Growth

In June of 2020, SPI moved into a new 10-acre location in Des Moines, Iowa. The new facility provided a significant upgrade in space over its existing 2-acre Des Moines site. While Silverstein has plenty of ideas for how to utilize the location, he said implementing them will be a slow process.

“It’s kind of like when you move into a new house; it takes you some time to realize which room is for what and where things should go,” he said. “Some ideas we had have already changed, so we’re slowly settling into this place.”

One of the immediate changes the new facility brought was a makeover of SPI’s equipment fleet.

“We have a hard surface, so we needed machines that were suited for that — excavator tracks are not great for concrete,” said Silverstein. “When we started the process of building this new facility, we knew we were going to need different equipment, so we started looking around. Jessica and I went to multiple scrap conventions, and we were able to meet with SENNEBOGEN and get a good feel of their machines.”

Even though the new facility was not yet open, SPI purchased a

SENNEBOGEN material handler and put it into action at its existing site. “It was a completely different type of surface — old dirt and mud — which the machine isn’t really designed for, but we knew we would be moving,” said

Silverstein. “The crews ran it and liked it. However, as we got more used to it, we knew we were going to need something bigger at the new facility, so we purchased an 835E and had it delivered to the new site. Using the 825 made our decision much easier on going with an 835E,” he added.

The Right Fit

While the size and rubber tires are an ideal fit for the new facility, the SENNEBOGEN material handlers also provide several other benefits for SPI.

“We can get from one side of the facility to the other much quicker with the wheeled material handlers, which is important in a larger facility,” explained Silverstein. “We also have more reach with the material handler as well. We have grapple and magnet attachments that allow us to load and unload trucks a lot faster. We can sort loads as they come in.”

The SENNEBOGEN’s raised cabs also are beneficial features. Operators can raise the cab to gain a better vantage point and the cab tilts as it raises to provide better visibility.

“We’ve tried to put aftermarket cabs on excavators in the past, but they aren’t the same,” said Silverstein. “In the SENNEBOGENs, the operator can look down into a load and pick his

see SCRAP page 38 SMALL EQUIPMENT DEALERS

(Brush Chippers, Stump Grinders, Skid Steer Attachments)

1160 McCabe Ave. Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 847-678-3640 Mokena, IL 708-596-8050 Wauconda, IL 847-526-4255

West Chicago, IL 630-293-0606 Yorkville, IL 630-553-0150 Merrillville, IN 219-381-3006 www.atlasbobcat.com

1200 East Highway 13 Burnsville, MN 55337 952-894-0894 Now open Saturday 8am-12pm CST 71 Minnesota Avenue Little Canada, MN 55117 651-407-3727

588 Outpost Circle Hudson, WI 54016 715-531-0801 Now open Saturday 8am-12pm CST www.tristatebobcat.com

Cincinnati, OH 513-874-8945 Mt. Orab, OH 937-444-3865 Hillard, OH 614-876-1116

Reynoldsburg, OH 614-863-1300 Zanesville, OH 740-313-0087 Lexington, KY 859-254-3936 www.bobcat-ent.com

Bobcat of Indy

2935 Bluff Road Indianapolis, IN 46225 866-442-3052 4489 S Indianapolis, Road Whitestown, IN 317-769-4946

2075 E CR 67 Anderson, IN 765-643-4222

2002 West 3rd Street Bloomington, IN 812-287-8042 www.bobcatofindy.com