(LAS VEGAS, NV) – Since it began purchasing scrap metal in 2004, AAEQ Manufacturers and Recyclers has grown to be one of Las Vegas’ leading full-service scrap recyclers. The company purchases and processes many forms of scrap metal (ferrous and nonferrous) including aluminum, brass, cast iron, copper, and stainless steel.

 

With the rise of scrap metal theft in the area, AAEQ has put procedures in place to minimize the risk of purchasing stolen materials and to support attempts to stem the tide of material theft.

 

“As the price of scrap metal has gone up, so has the theft of scrap material in our community. We have great cooperative relationships with area law enforcement agencies and continue to assist them in catching unsavory individuals who try to sell us stolen materials,” said Scott Stolberg, president and CEO, AAEQ. “As members of The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), we have voluntarily implemented their guidelines for dealing with stolen materials.”

 

In following the guidelines, AAEQ collects enough information to identify a seller in the event of a subsequent problem with the material purchased. The company currently records the number from a driver’s license or other form of government identification, records the license plate number of the vehicle the seller is driving at the time of the transaction, creates and records a unique identification number for each customer, using this same number for every transaction with that customer, and obtains the seller’s signature for each transaction. To further protect themselves from dealing with criminals, the company will install a sophisticated video recording system in 2008.

 

Scrap processing through its Las Vegas headquarters is one of AAEQ’s fastest-growing business units. Scrap material gathered by AAEQ is sold to foundries that take the company’s raw products and re-melt it to form new product. When the scrap material arrives it is then screened by experienced personnel and sorted by metal, alloy, form and grade then prepared to exacting consumer specifications. Analysis is performed using visual, chemical, or other techniques to ensure that every load is as free as possible from contaminants or off-spec material as possible. The scrap is processed through a variety of methods that include shearing, cutting, torching and baling.

 

“With the fast growth of the Las Vegas metro area, we believe people are looking for alternatives on where to dispose of their scrap materials,” said Stolberg. “Until our company started buying scrap metal, there were limited opportunities on where to take recyclable scrap metal in the area. Our buyers are paying top dollar for these valuable scrap materials and would like to build long-term relationships with area suppliers.”

In addition to buying materials in the Las Vegas metro area, AAEQ has buyers available within a 200 mile radius to purchase materials.