ARS, Inc. Low End Value Analytic

Updated: May 3, 2012.

On a month to month basis ARS monitors the sales performance of vehicles on the lower end of the value spectrum. The values track here are pre-loss Average Cash Values (ACVs) less than $3,000. In the above graph, ARS illustrates the monthly performance of our average wholesale auction results by value.

This month we saw an eight percent decrease over last months low end value analytic. Year over year, we saw a three percent decrease.

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Updated May 3, 2012

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to May 2012.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 2%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 7%.

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 14%

ARS, Inc. Low End Value Analytic

Updated: April 7, 2012.

On a month to month basis ARS monitors the sales performance of vehicles on the lower end of the value spectrum. The values track here are pre-loss Average Cash Values (ACVs) less than $3,000. In the above graph, ARS illustrates the monthly performance of our average wholesale auction results by value.

This month we saw a twenty-three percent increase over last months low end value analytic. Year over year, we saw a five percent decrease.

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Updated April 5th, 2012

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to April 2012.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 1%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 4%.

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 27%

ARS, Inc. Low End Value Analytic

Updated: March 7, 2012.

On a month to month basis ARS monitors the sales performance of vehicles on the lower end of the value spectrum. The values track here are pre-loss Average Cash Values (ACVs) less than $3,000. In the above graph, ARS illustrates the monthly performance of our average wholesale auction results by value.

Over last month, we saw a nineteen percent increase. Year over year, February 2011 over February 2012, there was a six percent decrease. 2012 over 2010, vehicle values decreased by one percent.

Quarterly (First) Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Updated through first quarter 2012

Scrap metal market watch graph from 1st quarter 2007 to first quarter 2012

Over last quarter, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 2%

Over Q1 2011, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 1%

Over Q1 2010, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 40%

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Updated March 7th, 2012

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to March 2012.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 8%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 5%.

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 31%

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated February 6th, 2012

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to February 2012.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 7%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 5%.

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 60%

ARS, Inc. Low End Value Analytic

Updated: February 6, 2012.

On a month to month basis ARS monitors the sales performance of vehicles on the lower end of the value spectrum. The values track here are pre-loss Average Cash Values (ACVs) less than $3,000. In the above graph, ARS illustrates the monthly performance of our average wholesale auction results by value.

Over last month, we saw no change in vehicle value. Over the same time last year, we saw an eleven percent decline in vehicle values.

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated January 4th, 2012

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to January 2012.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 12%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 12%.

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 66%

 

ARS, Inc. Low End Value Analytic

Updated: January 4, 2012.

On a month to month basis ARS monitors the sales performance of vehicles on the lower end of the value spectrum. The values track here are pre-loss Average Cash Values (ACVs) less than $3,000. In the above graph, ARS illustrates the monthly performance of our average wholesale auction results by value.

Over last month, we saw a nine percent decrease in vehicle value. Over the same time last year, we saw an thirteen percent decline in vehicle values.

Quarterly (Fourth) Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated through fourth quarter 2011

Scrap metal market watch graph from 1st quarter 2007 to fourth quarter 2011

Over last quarter, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 4%

Over Q4 2010, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 22%

Over Q4 2009, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 86%

ARS Low End Value Analytic

Updated: December 7, 2011.

On a month to month basis ARS monitors the sales performance of vehicles on the lower end of the value spectrum. The values track here are pre-loss Average Cash Values (ACVs) less than $3,000. In the above graph, ARS illustrates the monthly performance of our average wholesale auction results by value.

As the market recovered from the abrupt economic downturn in 2008, average auction sales increased steadily. There was a five percent increase from May 2010 until March 2011. The market peaked at the end of the first quarter of 2011 and we’ve seen a steady decline in low vehicle values since. All this is in keeping with recent steel market downturns that are expected to continue for the remainder of 2011 and early 2012.

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated December 2nd, 2011.

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to December 2011.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 13%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies stayed the same.

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 77%

Crushed auto bodies are at their lowest value since December 2010.

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated November 6th, 2011.

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to November 2011.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies declined 3%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 39%

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 105%

Arcelor Girds for Soft Demand

BY JOHN W. MILLER AND ALEX MACDONALD

ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steelmaker, is girding for a rough winter after reporting subpar earnings Thursday, and it warned that a vulnerable European economy will depress steel demand.

But the company said low inventory levels will help drive new orders when more consumers begin to buy cars and build homes.

ArcelorMittal said concerns over Europe, with the potential for a sovereign-debt and banking crisis, are significantly impacting customer-confidence levels and leading to a “wait and see” attitude over orders. “We expect shipments in the fourth quarter to decline marginally compared with the third quarter,” Chief Financial Officer Aditya Mittal said.

Read the full article at WSJ.com

Why Not to Steal a Steel Bridge

By CLARE ANSBERRY And KRIS MAHER

Article from: Wall Street Journal

It could have been the ultimate caper. Two men steal a bridge in broad daylight about 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh and take it to a large local scrap dealer, anticipating a nice payout for their efforts.

But instead, they get a little over $5,100 for 15.5 tons of steel, apparently unaware that demand for steel has dropped, affecting the price of everything needed to make the metal from metallurgical coal to iron ore to scrap steel.

The men who were allegedly involved, brothers Benjamin Jones, 24 years old, and Alexander Jones, 25, both of New Castle, Pa., may now face jail time. They were arrested and charged with felonies, including criminal mischief, theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy. The two remain in jail, awaiting a hearing on Thursday, and couldn’t be reached for comment.

Bloomberg NewsSteel beams are stacked outside a scrap company in Pennsylvania.

“They saw it as an opportunity to make money,” says State Trooper Randolph Guy. “But that’s not much money for the work they did.”

The thieves apparently used a blowtorch to dismantle the bridge, which was in a remote wooded area, between Sept. 27 and early October. Then they carted the pieces during multiple trips in a pickup truck and, on one occasion, a trailer. Mr. Guy says they sold the pieces to a local recycler, who then heard reports of a bridge theft and notified police.

Josh Spoores, an analyst at Cleveland-based market analysis firm Steel Reality, says prices have fallen in recent weeks to about $445 a ton for shredded scrap steel—a premium product compared with big unprocessed bridge parts—from their high this year of $477 a ton in January. “The opportunists out there missed their mark,” Mr. Spoores says.

Gary Bruce, a spokesman for New Castle Development, which owned the bridge, says the structure was about 70 years old and served as a back entrance to a small industrial park. When notified by a nearby resident that the bridge, which was rarely used, was missing, he says he thought it had been washed away in a flash flood.

But when he went to check, he discovered torch marks, indicating that thieves had used a blow torch to dismantle the bridge. He reported the theft to local police, who turned the case over to the state police.

Mr. Bruce estimates it will cost the company about $100,000 to replace the bridge. “We found out bridges are exempt from our insurance coverage,” he says.

Read the article on WSJ.com

Quarterly (Third) Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated through third quarter 2011

Scrap metal market watch graph from 1st quarter 2007 to third quarter 2011

Over last quarter, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 5%

Over Q3 2010, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 39%

Over Q3 2009, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 83%

Monthly Scrap Metal Market Watch: Crushed Auto Bodies

Source: American Recycler

Updated October 6th, 2011.

Scrap metal market watch graph from December 2006 to October 2011.

Over last month, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 2%

Over last year, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 31%

Over two years ago, scrap metal prices for crushed auto bodies rose 76%

Steel: Driving Auto Recycling Success

RECYCLING SCRAPPED AUTOMOBILES

Recycling Steel and Iron Used In Automobiles

Steel’s importance in automobiles
We rely on automobiles to transport us from place to place. We also rely on automobiles to keep us safe. Fortunately auto manufacturers depend on steel to protect their customers. In addition to its strength, durability and dependability, steel is also recyclable and contains recycled steel.

Nationwide recycling efforts
Automobiles are the most recycled consumer product. Each year, the steel industry recycles more than 14 million tons of steel from end-of-life vehicles. This is equivalent to nearly 14 million automobiles. When comparing the amount of steel recycled from automobiles each year to the amount of steel used to produce new automobiles that same year, automobiles maintain a recycling rate of nearly 100 percent.

Recycled content of automobiles
By weight, the typical passenger car consists of about 65 percent steel and iron. The steel used in car bodies is made with about 25 percent recycled steel. Many internal steel and iron parts are made using even higher percentages of recycled steel. All steel products contain recycled steel because steel scrap is a necessary ingredient in the production of new steel. Steel scrap is derived not only from automobiles but also from steel cans, appliances and construction material.

The basics of recycling automobiles
Old cars are typically hauled to an automobile dismantler, where reusable parts are removed. After removing the reusable parts and other items like batteries, tires and fluids, the hulks are usually shipped to ferrous scrap processors where they are weighed for payment and unloaded.

At a scrap yard, the automobiles enter the shredder. The shredding process, which handles one car every 45 seconds, generates three streams: iron and steel; nonferrous metal; and fluff (fabric, rubber, glass, etc.). The iron and steel are magnetically separated from the other materials and recycled. The iron and steel is then shipped to end markets or steel mills where it is recycled to produce new steel.

Environmental Benefits
Recycling steel saves energy and natural resources. The steel industry annually saves the equivalent energy to power about 18 million households for a year. Recycling one ton of steel conserves 2500 pounds of iron ore, 1400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.

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