Why is our industry so neglected?

In other countries, dismantlers have a lot more opportunity to find out how to better their businesses..

Our industry, and I include related industries such scrap metal have no decent trade event in this country. Years ago, RWM used to be quite good but nowadays it is as far removed from our businesses as the motor show is. By that I mean, yes, we are involved with motor vehicles and yes, we are legally wrapped up with the waste industry, but as much as new cars are not really our scene nor is the waste sector.

So, where does it leave us? It leaves us with no where the go and find out about ways to make our businesses better. Nowhere to see equipment, nowhere to hear targeted seminars and nowhere to get a bit of training and maybe pick up some great tips.

What has inspired this article is talking to UK dismantlers who regularly make the trip abroad (particularly to the USA) to get this kind of information, and they all say, “Why can’t we do this?” For those who haven’t been to a Stateside trade show then we shall put you in the picture. Last month, one of their biggest shows (and they have many) known as IT took place and this is what happened.

For starters, the show is based in a dismantling yard which means it is all licenced so machinery can actually be worked. For me, this is a key to the success of this show. Static shows are about as exciting as brochures. True, you get the chance to see different equipment in one place which helps comparison but you don’t actually get to see or ‘feel’ it work. Seeing new kit that can make the job easier and hopefully more profitable is only one aspect of IT, there is a great deal more that makes this show special.

The IT show in the states is based in a dismantlers' yard

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The process of dismantling and depollution is only the operational side of our businesses. The great thing for American dismantlers attending the show is they also get the buyers there. That includes ferrous and non ferrous merchants, buyers of core for reconditioning, specialist buyers for anything from high value materials to airbags or electronic modules, services including parts control systems, insurance, banking and finance, the list goes on. I hope this give a flavour of what I am talking about here. A show where you can go and everything and anything to do with our industry is there.

And there’s more... Seminars are being run constantly which you can drop in and out of covering all aspects of our business, whether that’s improving profitability, training or operational information. This show is a couple of days of intense information for the dismantler.

There is a social side to IT as well. You pay to go and for the payment all food and drink is provided. A budweiser lorry with taps is constantly on hand dispensing beer. On the evening there is a meal thrown in and the transport back to the hotel. The show also raises a lot of money for local charities.

So why haven’t we any shows like this? Are we too mean to pay? Are we not interested enough in our businesses to want to build them? Has no event organiser considered our industry worth bothering with? I don’t know the answer but I know there are stirrings from within the industry to do something about it. What do you think? This is your chance to give us your views - we would like hear them.

If you would like to see more of what the IT show is all about, visit Take a look at the IT website.