In this issue: Life on the Yard; GDPR; Warning to members as thieves target yards; and, Metal Recycling Business of the Year award.

In this issue:


Subscriptions overdue
If you have not yet paid your annual subscription to BMRA, please may we ask you to do so as soon as possible. Companies who have not paid by the end of February will be removed from the website directory and will, shortly after, be removed from the Bulletin email system. If you don’t want to risk losing access to advice, documentation, free networking events, why not pay your outstanding fee today?
 

Life on the Yard
The latest Life is available on the BMRA website. Read all about Joe Wakefield, director at Crow Metals. If you would like to be interviewed for the website, contact Antonia.

Does your data protection measure up?
To be ready when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25 May, all business need to take steps now to ensure they are protecting the personal data they hold on file.

To help members, BMRA will be holding a FREE GDPR seminar in London on 28 February. Delivered by Mariel Irvine, a qualified data protection practitioner, the workshop will look at what the law means for you and what changes you may need to make to your businesses. If you would like to attend or require further information, please contact Lyn or call 01480 455249.

The Fundamentals of Metallurgy
The Fundamentals of Metallurgy course has been rescheduled and will now take place on 5 April at the BMRA offices in Huntingdon. Delivered by AMRC, this course will be informative for those new to the scrap metal business and for those looking to refresh their knowledge. More information can be found on the BMRA website. The cost to members of attending this course is £250 plus VAT instead of £400. Places are limited so if you are interested in attending, please contact Antonia.

Warning to members as thieves target scrap yards
Members should be aware that the Association is receiving an increasing number of reports about thieves targeting scrap metal yards, often coming back on more than one occasion. From scaling perimeter walls to breaking into buildings through skylights or by removing whole sections of brick, the gangs seemingly have little concern about being captured on CCTV. We would strongly urge members to report these incidents to the Secretariat as this will enable us to look for patterns and keep both the police services and the Home Office apprised of the situation. Please email Antonia or call 01480 455249 – all information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Award to recognise the  Metals Recycling Business of the Year
Environment Media Group, publishers of MRW, is searching for the shining lights of the UK metals recycling industry who can demonstrate a level of consistent service, good practice and great customer care. To enter, all you need to do is send a short 500-word summary and any supporting evidence you wish to include. Get the recognition you deserve and celebrate all that is good in the metals recycling sector. More information and entry criteria can be found at www.awardsforexcellence.co.uk Hurry though because the deadline is 1 March 2018!

Under 35 and a rising star?
Let’s Recycle is looking for rising stars who have shown vision, creativity and determination to become part of its 35-under-35 scheme. 35-under-35 is an exciting awards programme that identifies the ‘young guns’ in the waste and recycling industry who are striving for professional excellence, promoting industry innovation and giving back to his or her company or community.

It is hoped that achieving 35-under-35 status will offer a springboard for career progression and give industry-wide recognition for professional competency while highlighting the individual’s passion and dedication. If you think you fit the bill why not put yourself forward? Alternatively, you can nominate a peer? The deadline for entries is 2 April. For more information, click here.

Calendar competition ­– Can you do better?
Following the success of last year’s calendar competition, BMRA is once again running a photographic competition. The winning entries will be used in our 2019 calendar, a special year as we will be celebrating our 100-year anniversary. In recognition of this, our theme this year will be ‘100 years in Scrap’. We would like to receive both old and new photographs that celebrate the industry’s heritage. All the photographs must be landscape in orientation and if they are historic, they will need to be in a good condition. Closing date is 1 October. All entries should be sent to Antonia.

Calling all past Presidents!
The Secretariat would like to invite all past Presidents of the BMRA, British Secondary Metals Association, British Metals Federation, British Scrap Federation and the National Association of Non-Ferrous Scrap Metal Merchants to an event to unveil its new past-presidents boards. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday 4 July 2018. If you know a past president who may not see this invitation, please do let them know. Please contact Lyn if you can attend.

Blue baler gets thumbs up
Blue Group has sold its first Taurus ACH773 Shear Baler in the UK to Shortts Recycling, a metal recycler based in Northern Ireland. The ACH773 Shear Baler, which is built on a single piece frame thus eliminating the requirement for expensive foundations, is already proving its worth producing up to 20 tonnes of bales per hour. However, it isn’t just it’s processing power that is impressing owner Anthony Shortt. He said: “We take in all different kinds of scrap as we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of services to our customers. The baler, with its advanced remote-control system means it can go from producing bales to shearing heavy scrap consisting of different lengths to suit the different needs of our consumers within a few seconds and without moving from my cab.”

Recycling Lives reports rapid sales growth
Recycling Lives has recorded significant sales growth after enjoying its biggest year yet. The recycling and waste management business has reported a near 50% rise in sales to more than £46million. The growth follows, in part, several major contract wins, including Sellafield Ltd and Speedy Hire, as well as the acquisition of a car salvage business and opening five new sites nationally throughout 2016/17. Recycling Lives Group managing director William Fletcher said: “This profitable growth is allowing us to significantly expand our social footprint and offer more opportunities as the charity’s growth follows the business’s growth. This growth has [also] allowed us to create many more jobs.”

Communications committee is looking for volunteers
BMRA is looking for additional members to join its communications committee. If you have a flair for marketing and communications, then we need you. The aim of the committee is to help shape and steer the communications outputs of the Association and support the Secretariat. If you are interested or would like to know more, contact Antonia

Five-a-side football: are you game?

How will you celebrate Global Recycling Day on 18 March? Why not gather five colleagues and enter a team into the BMRA five-a-side football tournament? Held at CF Booth’s football grounds in Rotherham, there is space for 10 teams who, in their own kit, will fight it out in a series of 20-minute games. Entry £100 per team. There are also advertising opportunities available. To book your team’s place please contact Lyn.

Global Recycling Day 2018 was set up to raise awareness regarding the importance of recycling. By combining as many voices and efforts as possible on a single day, the aim is to drive awareness and action around the urgent need to recycle more effectively around the world. Moreover, Global Recycling Day aims to change the mind-set of governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world, to see recyclables as resource not waste; to make recyclables the world’s seventh resource.

Don’t forget to sign the petition to get the United Nations to officially recognise Global Recycling Day.

HOLD THE DATE!

BMRA's Summer Gala and golf day will take place on 27 June at the Celtic Manor. This year not only will there be the usual round of golf on offer but for non-golfers there will be laser (clay) pigeon shooting and archery on offer. Contact Lyn for more information

Metals Recycling Event
NAEC, Stoneleigh: 11 - 12 July 2018
BMRA is pleased to be supporting Metals Recycling Event (MRE), Europe’s premier event for metals recyclers. This two-day event is the only trade show in Europe specifically dedicated to recyclers and processors of scrap metal, and it is free to attend.Click here for more information.