There’s no way around it – when it’s cold out there, the scrap metal recycling business slows down a bit. However, that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel until spring. We’ve got some insight, advice, and thoughts on how to get through the winter… and earn some extra cold hard cash.

Keep reading!

Cooler Weather = Cooled Off Industry

So, why does the scrap industry slow down in winter? Well (and you probably guessed it), it’s because of the cold! Digging into it deeper, there are a few key slowdown factors that the cold causes.

Factor One: Have You Read the News Lately?

Obviously, there’s a lot going on in the world right now, and our industry has been affected as well.

Factor Two: Less Outside Work

When it’s cold out, many industries that create a lot of scrap slow down. There’s less construction, less home renovation, and less home maintenance (plumbing, electrician work, etc,) work to go around. That means there’s just less scrap being generated for you to collect.

Factor Three: The Weather

Snow has a number of negative effects on the scrapping industry.

First, it impedes traffic and transportation, which means less people are able to get to their jobs that generate scrap and less people are able to bring scrap to the yard.

Second, it sidelines construction and home improvement projects, which means less scrap is being created.

Third, if you’re somehow able to get around when everything’s covered in snow, including the scrap… how can you find it?

Factor Four: Holiday Season

Less work days = less scrap created. It’s that simple!

How to Make it Through the Winter

Just to be clear – you can still get paid during the winter for your scrap. You don’t want to go into hibernation! But it can definitely be slower, so here’s some stuff you can do in your downtime.

• Research and buy new tools, clean and overhaul your old ones
• Make your workshop more efficient and organized
• Update your books! Make sure you’ve correctly assessed your earnings and expenditures on scrap for the year, and look for ways to improve. Don’t forget about taxes!
• Break down current scrap as far as you can to make sure you get paid the most possible for it
• Expand your client list. Talk to your work peers, neighbors, family, etc – work those relationships so that when they come across some scrap, they think of you!

Stay Warm, But Get Paid!

It’s definitely cold out there, but that doesn’t mean you need to stay in all winter. Scrap might be harder to come by, but it’s still out there! When you find it, bring it in and we’ll get you paid.

If you have questions for us, get in touch! Message us on Facebook, contact us online, or just give us a call at 804-271-1239. Let’s get to work!

-The Team at Smith Iron & Metal