Summertime is such a busy season for many industries, including our road crews. Road construction and paving utilizes a large amount of Tungsten Carbide on their equipment, which results in the production of scrap carbide for carbide recycling.

Carbide recycling is the process of taking damaged, worn, broken and carbide filings, then turning them over to a carbide recycler to process. Tungsten carbide provides a longer usage life allowing construction crews and other industries to stay on the job longer due to its longevity and reliability.

Carbide Recycling

For years, all metal scrap was sent off to the scrap yards where only a minimal return was afforded for the basic metals. Scrap carbide that went to metal scrap yards did not realize the current scrap carbide pricing until carbide recyclers began their business.

Now, not only major industries but also machining shops have gained knowledge in the value of carbide scrap and take the effort to separate out this precious metal from the other scrap. Machining shops sharpen and repair damaged metals that are used for equipment and tools in many industries.

Mill ends, bits, drills, tips, and blades (to name a few) do wear over time and excessive use. They last considerably longer than the older metals (hardened steel), thus are able to be retooled and sharpened to provide an even longer life expectancy. The sharpening and retooling produces carbide filings and sludge that needs to be kept separate from other metals, then sent to a carbide recycler for processing.

The current scrap carbide pricing encourages many industries to have a good relationship with a carbide recycler to process their scrap at the best return on investment. Carbide recycling brings in another stream of income for these industries and shops. Machine shops actually see a significant profit from their efforts.

Summertime Projects Increase Carbide Processing

With the warmer weather and ability for various industries to be working at full capacity, this is a very busy time of year. Tungsten carbide is used for not only tools but also for mechanical parts that are subject to heavy wear and heat like farm tractors and even high performance cars.

Road crews are busy repaving roads, and putting in new infrastructure necessitating the ability to be on the project for longer periods of time in order to meet deadlines. The hardened steel, though cheaper to obtain, also has a high breakage tendency. Every time a tool or piece of equipment breaks, the machine using those portions is taken down and out of service until the piece is repaired or replaced.

Conventional metals are no longer able to provide the best option for equipment, tools, and industries who need to keep their crews working. The mining industry often found their drills and bits wearing out too quickly as they worked to break through rock and rubble. The switch over to Tungsten Carbide made the mining industry far more profitable in many ways.

Current Scrap Carbide Pricing

At no time in history has the return on investment for scrap metal, particularly Tungsten Carbide, been at the level it is. Current scrap carbide pricing does fluctuate to some degree, so contacting your carbide recycler when you have sufficient scrap to send out will allow you to obtain the best pricing per pound.

Carbide-USA services clients nationwide. They are the Northeast’s premier carbide recycler processing scrap carbide at the best current scrap carbide pricing. When it’s time to send your scrap for carbide recycling, don’t waste your time or lose money by sending to a standard scrap metal yard.

This is the time of year to get into a good routine of preparing your scrap carbide properly and sending to Carbide-USA today.