Low Scrap Prices = More Scrappers.

Here in my little part of Central FL, we're still under the money on scrap prices. This being said I have never seen so many scrappers & wanna be scrappers out & about. Quite a few I have never seen before.



I have contracts at auto repair shops, large truck repair shops and a few body shops. When I make my rounds to collect metals, it seems as if everyone has the same story- "There's been 4 people by here this week asking about scrap and they aren't the usual scrappers we see."

Even at my day job, there will be 2 or 3 people per day stopping by asking for scrap. I usually walk them out to their truck so I can scope out their load while telling them "We handle that in-house" (all scrap , cores & batteries go to me). 9 times out of 10 I usually buy most if not all of their load on the spot for a good price. Very effective and profitable!

Has anyone else noticed an explosion of scrappers since the price dropped?

i believe the explosion began well before the prices dropped, and word of mouth has gotten the rest coming out long after the prices tanked, maybe thinking they'd get rich, after hearing all the stories from last year from their friends, and now the explosion has mushroomed, even though they probly don't realize the prices are so low. (last week I got .07/pound for a load of short iron)

Its been slow around here. I only see the red truck, The red truck with bedrails, yellow truck, and the dodge cowboy hat guy and the "wanna be" kid in the mini van around here now. I Don't miss the 50+ others
Scrapper Chad, Where did you go????

I went to a scrap yard today that is a nation wide company, this is the first yard I went to when I first started scrapping about five years ago. It used to have cars and trucks lined up for about 1/2 mile to get into the place, when I went today I was the only one there. Also went to a core buyer in Tampa today and it was me and one other person there. Plus I've been getting more scrap than I was 2 months ago, seems to me there's less scrappers in my area.

I see more casual and more people I see once or twice then never again in addition to regulars. There are too many to count in this area.

I beloved people are working even longer and have expanded territory, just to keep up with low prices.

I'm seeing trucks I never saw before on top of the regulars. I think Russell hit the nail on the head - we have to take more steel in to make the same money as before the prices dropped so......expanding territories. I'm doing it myself.

Thing is, we are all fighting for the same amount of scrap and nobody has much in their trucks now with so many going around. I have to go out earlier and make more rounds to stay on top of things. I'm just hoping that one day the new guys will realize its not worth it and move on and I'll be back to normal. lol, yeah, I know I'm dreamin!!

Newattitude, I also have noticed the guys by me tend to use fairly large trucks. 9/10 they're not full like they used to be. It's still very hit or miss. A lot if luck and persistent effort is the only way you're going to win.

This thread makes me happy I'm buying my own yard instead of peddling. But even in that field the competition is way up. I was hopeful the price drop would kill off some competition but it doesn't seem to be.

Less scrapers in my area of central fl. There is always the same guy out pulling a trailer-he says "we're in the same business" but I'm not seeing multiple people like I was at one point.

I still see the same guys running around, not really any new ones

hard to tell in my area , every one and their cousin out here are scrappers of one type or another. but judging from the noob count here it has let up a little but not much. also different areas of the country are affected by the economy in different ways and at different times. the midwest was a gold mine on craigs list and free sites untill the drout started to have real effect a few weeks ago. now the 400 dollar cars and the freebies have pretty much dissapered from Omaha and des moines.

Way less weekend warriors here too. Two or three times the scrap.
Prices up this month.

less scrapers and prices are going up well . I started when prices were good enough about 3 1/2 years ago , when a small van can't do it at a profit thats when prices will be low to me . I feel many people try it regardless of price the ones who fade away don't love doing it . I love it . If it went to .02 per pound and I had a large truck as long as i can get more I'd love it .

I agree CH, I also still love doing it and thats whats keeping me from giving up.