Born Scrappy
This is the podcast for scrap metal traders and operators who want to get sharper without losing their scrappy edge.
Born Scrappy
The Art of Buying Scrap (Into a Yard): Winning Tons with Bob Alvarez
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Born Scrappy, I sit down with Bob Alvarez, President at Shapiro Metals, for a true masterclass on the art of buying scrap into a yard.
Bob didn’t grow up in scrap, but over the past decade he’s helped shape Shapiro into one of the most sophisticated industrial recyclers in the U.S. With over 120 years of legacy behind the company, Bob shares how they’ve evolved beyond commodity buying to become a high-value service partner to manufacturers.
We unpack how to win tons without just winning on price… how to identify the right customers… and why curiosity, experimentation, and culture matter more than spreadsheets alone.
In this episode, we talk about:
👉 Curiosity as a sales tactic
👉 Service over commodity
👉 Protecting your margin
👉 Plan. Do. Check. Act.
👉 “Add value” thinking
👉 Honoring your word
👉 And more!
If you buy scrap direct from industry or want to start, this episode is packed with insight you can apply immediately.
Born Scrappy.
Brought to you by Buddy.
The only marketplace and trade OS built for scrappies, by scrappies.
https://www.tradebuddy.io/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/
WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS?
27 years in the metal recycling game and still learning and growing…
I learnt from the best and worked my way up from yard labourer to Executive Director of Trading and Operations for the largest metal recycler in sub-Saharan Africa. Responsible for 4,500 employees, 85 sites, and the overall profitability of a multi-billion dollar operation.
I brought my breadth and depth of knowledge to bear and co-founded the fastest growing, most-loved, and most awarded metal recycling company in New Zealand.
I thought it was time that tech worked for our industry, so I built THE killer scrap app, Buddy - built for scrappies, by scrappies.
Father of two crazy-awesome boys. Husband to Lisa. Kids rugby coach. YPO member. Founder. Lifelong learner. Mentee. Mentor. Committed Stoic. Aspiring cowboy.
COME SAY HI ON LINKEDIN
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stukagan/
