for every auto recycler, he says. “In an industry char- acterized by variety in business size, shape and struc- ture, metal scrap is the common denominator for our industry. As the scrap market goes, so goes the auto recycling industry.” Lately, that has not meant good news of which Robertson is all too aware. “With the currency valua- tion where it is now, scrap is expensive, and China can’t pay the price,” he explains. As the world’s largest metal scrap consumer, China’s declining demand impacts what happens in virtually every auto recycling yard in the United States. For now, Robertson’s is crushing and stacking hulks, and Robertson is watching the market care- fully. “At some point you have to decide at what price you want to sell,” he explains. Another reason, he adds, for being ready and able to change your busi- ness plan as the situation changes.


Adopt and Use Technology Strategically As one of the first yards to adopt computer tech-


nology 30 years ago, Robertson’s early on understood the benefits technology could bring to an automotive recycling operation. The company teamed up with a


yard from New York, hired a programmer and cre- ated its own computerized inventory system in 1981 that they continued to develop, improve, and use into the 1990s. With Hollander’s introduction of com- prehensive yard management software, Robertson’s finally abandoned their proprietary version in favor of the Hollander product.


July-August 2015 | Automotive Recycling 61


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