A Texas recycling company is opening a yard in Tucson along the Union Pacific rail line to transport metal scraps in the Southwest region and Northern Mexico.
W. Silver Recycling, based in El Paso, bought a vacant 4-acre site at 3440 E. 36th St., next to a Sam Levitz Warehouse.
It will be the companyβs 10th recycling facility.
βThis new facility is a logical next step in our companyβs continued growth and will allow us to expand our presence and reach across the Southwest region, including our partners in Mexico,β said Lane Gaddy, CEO of W. Silver Recycling. βTucson has a skilled workforce and a growing manufacturing presence, both of which are needed for a successful operation.β
The company collects scrap metal from manufacturers, compiles it in their yards and ships it to mills where it is melted down and turned it into recycled metal.
For example, a manufacturing firm that uses large coils of steel to cut out door shapes would then send the scraps to W. Silver Recycling.
The steel would then be aggregated with other steel scraps until a usable amount is collected for shipping to another company.
No melting of the metals will be done at the Tucson site.
Its primary focus is aluminum, brass, copper and steel.
βArizona is a state where weβve not had a physical presence,β said Patrick Merrick, the companyβs president. βThis site will help us fill in the gap between our Calexico (Calif.) and Santa Teresa (N.M.) locations.β
The Tucson site is both on the Union Pacific rail line for transport to U.S. customers and close to the interstate for trucking access into Mexico.
Merrick said the company will start its operations in the Nogales, Sonora, maquiladora parks and hopes to expand further into Mexico.
Currently, scrap metal from Sonora is shipped to Santa Teresa.
βHaving the Tucson facility shortens the trucking time,β Merrick said. βWe were very interested in filling in that geography and Tucson is a great opportunity.β
The new facility is expected to be in operation by summer and will employ between 15 and 20 people.
Gary and Randy Emerson, with GRE Partners, represented the buyer in the $1 million sale. Greg Furrier and Paul Hooker, with Picor, represented the seller.
Spearheaded by Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik, the glass reuse project has led to local businesses incorporating the recycled material into their manufacturing processes and even items sold on shelves. Video by Riley Brown. Music credit: Olexy via Pixabay.
