Separate ways: Steinert systems produce separate metals and waste streams for Milliron Recycling.

The decision by Milliron Recycling, Mansfield, Ohio, to select and install a shredding system was not made lightly by owner Grant Milliron and his management team.

Critical decisions included not only the brand and size of shredder to choose, but also how to configure the downstream sorting system. "We probably had tours of from eight to 10 shredding operations, with the main purpose being to evaluate our downstream system;' says Grant.

The site visits and research convinced the Milliron Recycling team that a combination of eddy current separators and induction sorting units from Steinert US, would offer the best nonferrous metals recovery capabilities.

Grant Milliron says operating his shredder in a mid-sized market like Mansfield means he'll have to operate as efficiently as possible. "We don't have access to the large tonnages available in large metropolitan areas, so it's important for us to get as high a percentage of the nonferrous metal as possible."

The company selected two Steinert eddy currents and also decided to become the first North American recycler to operate Steinert's ISS (Induction Sorting System) 200-400 SU Selective Sensor units, installing two of those as well.

According to Grant, the eddy currents have done a superb job capturing the aluminum and copper in the post-shredder stream, while the ISS units are designed to catch stainless steel and missed metals like aluminum, steel, copper and brass that would have gone to the landfill.

The Milliron shredder, from Texas Shredder Inc., began operating in April of 2005 and has since been producing clean nonferrous metals with a healthy market value, while separately producing a waste fluff stream that is almost totally free of metals.

Grant says the Steinert machines are built with a remarkable combination of technological wizardry coupled with sturdiness and durability. "They are essentially trouble-free pieces of equipment, providing smooth operation and requiring little maintenance. It's one of the things we picked up on our tour of other yards: Steinert pieces are in place for many years without a high maintenance budget."

With the Steinert system, Milliron Recycling is now competitive in the Ohio shredding market. "I've always found in business, if you don't have the equipment, you can't get the business. So now with our shredder and Steinert downstream system, we have some opportunities we might not have had otherwise."