Tag: Scrap

Bread4Business (Bread) is the leading provider of cards and payments services to scrapyards in the UK. This week, we highlight 7/11 in Hainault.

“We’ve built ourselves a business to be proud of, with state-of-the-art, heavy-duty plant and machinery, weighing equipment, advanced pricing software and a fabulous team to rival the biggest of competitors. Best of all, we’ve built a reputation for service with a smile, honesty to a fault and fair price paid more quickly into our customers’ accounts.”

The first thing you notice when you walk into 7/11 is the huge pile of uPVC in the corner. This is unusual; typically, in a scrap yard, it’s the various piles of metals, sorted or unsorted, that grab your attention. The difference is that 7/11 specialises in buying and recycling uPVC and is one of the biggest providers of this collection service in the South East.

uPVC is one of the most recyclable materials used in construction and manufacturing today, which is able to be collected, shredded, granulated and fed back into the manufacturing process to form new windows, doors, gutters, facias, downpipes and many more things, many times over.

By specialising, 7/11 is able to offer competitive prices on uPVC. As they say, “Sustainability has a price and we’ll always pay the best in the market”.

Owner Louise Sophocleous has been in the scrap industry for many years, starting as a weighbridge operator when she was 22 years old. She runs a friendly team that puts customer service at a premium, whether you are a regular or a first-time user of the yard.

As a longtime user of Bread4Scrap’s payment services, Louise sees the benefits of the Bread system. Cards can be issued immediately, there is an auditable trace of payments, a platform for uploading necessary documentation, as well as the ability to load funds instantaneously. Regular customers with cards can receive their money straight away on each visit.

B4B has been working in partnership with the scrap industry for over a decade. We have good relationships with longtime clients like 7/11 and are constantly looking to enhance both the service and core product to support this important industry.

Director of Accounts Tim Robson says, “As a member of the Banking Circle group, scrapyards not only have the ability to make payments onto Mastercards but also send money directly from their bread account to their customers’ bank account using faster payments.”

“We’re a friendly team here at 7/11,” says Louise. “We like working with Bread and their friendly team. This helps us concentrate on providing the best service for our customers.”

Each year, the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) hosts its Golf Day and Summer Dinner at the Celtic Manor Resort & Spa in Newport, Wales. This much-loved event brings members together for a laid-back day of golf, friendly competition, and great conversation, followed by an awards ceremony and a relaxed evening dinner to round things off.

As a proud, long-standing member of the BMRA, we were keen to show our support — and what better way than by becoming a sponsor! We were delighted to sponsor the champagne prize for this year’s second-place team.

Congratulations to the BMRA on another successful event, and well done to all the winners of the day!

Our continued support for the BMRA reflects our commitment to the scrap metal recycling industry and the solutions we provide to help modernise payment processes across the sector.

Get in touch to find out how Bread4Scrap can support your scrapyard’s payment needs.

We’re proud to support the scrap metal recycling industry through our partnership with the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA).

In their latest feature, the BMRA spotlights how Scrapco Metal Recycling Ltd is using Bread4Scrap prepaid cards to simplify payments, stay compliant, and reduce reliance on cash handling.

Curious to hear more? Check out the full feature on the BMRA website

For many scrap metal recyclers, managing payments has traditionally been time-consuming and error-prone. As the recycling industry grows, so does the need for more efficient, secure, and fast payment methods. Our Bread4Scrap solution is designed to streamline payment processes, making scrapyard operations run smoother than ever before.

In this article, we’ll explore how integrating Bread4Scrap prepaid Mastercard cards into scrapyard operations is helping businesses achieve operational efficiency, reduce payment delays, and ensure payments are issued quickly, ultimately modernising how scrapyards handle their financial transactions.

The Pain Points of Traditional Payment Processes in Scrap Yards

Running a scrapyard means juggling multiple tasks—inventory management, compliance, customer transactions, and, of course, making payments. Unfortunately, many scrapyards still rely on outdated systems, including manual payments, cheques, or bank transfers, which often lead to:

• Payment delays slow down cash flow and impact business relationships.
• Manual errors create discrepancies in records.
• Compliance risks, especially with cash-based payments.
• Restricted payment windows, often only during bank hours, limiting when payments can be processed.

These pain points are not just inconvenient; they can hold back a scrapyard’s potential to scale and grow. That’s why embracing digital transformation in the payment process is becoming essential for scrapyard operations.

Bread4Scrap: Simplifying Metal Scarp Payments

Bread4Scrap offers a cashless, card-based payment solution that addresses all of these pain points, making it easy for scrapyard operators to issue payments in a secure, compliant, and fast manner. Here’s how our cards are modernising scrapyard operations:

1. Payments Anytime, Anywhere—24/7

With Bread4Scrap, scrap metal recyclers no longer have to worry about payment delays. Payments can be processed promptly and securely, ensuring that customers and suppliers get paid on time. This flexibility is a game-changer for scrapyards that operate irregular hours or need to make payments outside of traditional banking hours.

• No more waiting for banks to open or manual processing delays.
• Instant payouts to customers or suppliers with just a few clicks.

2. Simple and Fast Payment Processing

Unlike traditional methods, Bread4Scrap simplifies payment processing. Once integrated into your system, you can quickly process payments via our prepaid cards, eliminating the need for manual data entry or handling physical cash.

• Streamlined payment processes reduce administrative overhead.
• No more errors due to manual payments.
• Payments are easily tracked and reconciled in real time.

3. Improved Compliance and Security

Cash payments not only pose a compliance risk, but they also increase the chance of theft or fraud. With Bread4Scrap, all payments are processed digitally, ensuring that your business remains fully compliant with regulations, such as the Scrap Metal Dealers Act in the UK.

• Digital records provide a clear, compliant audit trail.
• Enhanced security with prepaid cards means reduced exposure to theft or fraud.

4. Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Scrapyard operations can be complex, and every minute counts. By switching to Bread4Scrap cards, scrapyards can significantly reduce the time it takes to issue payments and to focus on core tasks that drive business growth rather than being bogged down by administrative payment tasks.

• Faster payment processing saves time.
• Reduced workload for the administrative team.

5. Scalability for Growing Scrap Yards

As scrapyards grow, managing payments becomes increasingly challenging. Bread4Scrap scales effortlessly with your business, allowing you to issue payments to more clients and suppliers without complicating the process.

At B4S (Bread4Scrap), we understand the unique challenges scrapyard operators face when managing payments. We designed our solution to simplify, streamline, and modernise payment processes, contributing to a scrapyard’s overall operational efficiency. Our prepaid card solution allows scrapyards to eliminate payment delays, improve compliance, and enhance day-to-day operations.

Ready to modernise your scrapyard’s payment system? Contact us today to learn how Bread4Scrap can help you transform your payment operations and take your business to the next level.

Explore how Bread4Scrap can help your scrapyard eliminate payment delays and enhance efficiency.

By Tim Robson, Director of Account Management & Partnerships at B4B Payments

In an unlikely alliance that unites the practical with the theoretical, UK scrap yards find themselves at the forefront of a movement that is potentially both virtuous and commercial.

We’ve long known that scrap yards are one of the best exemplars of the circular economy. They take what has been mined, produced, and become obsolete, strip it down, and then return it to be used again.

Your old car, for instance.

Cars are full of various metals like steel or copper that can be reused once they go through the scrapping process. Clearly, recycling is infinitely better, not to say cheaper, than mining fresh iron and coal to create new steel and, crucially, much cleaner and better for the environment.

By volume, one of the world’s more polluting industries is traditional blast furnace steel production which – whilst necessary for a steel-hungry world – also leaves a very heavy environmental footprint (approx 7% of all global greenhouse emissions)

Reducing this heavy environmental cost of primary steel production would be a clear win in decarbonising the world. Luckily, there is however another steel-making method which utilises electric arc furnace (EAF) technology. EAF has only one-third of the environmental impact of blast steel production and – crucially – uses recycled steel as its major input.

Earlier this year, there was a blast furnace of publicity in the UK when Tata Steel in South Wales decided to close its last remaining blast furnace and move to Electric Arc Furnace technology. British Steel is also changing its processes to EAF technology at its plants in Teesside and Scunthorpe.

This will be a great step ahead for sustainability, and one concomitant effect is that there will be a domestic market for UK recycled steel, 80% of which is currently exported to destinations such as Turkey, India, and Egypt.

If the UK can grow its EAF steel-making capacity, then scrap yards will be at the forefront of providing the raw materials. Instead of exporting scrap steel, the impetus could switch to domestic sales which also reduces the overall carbon footprint of the industry as less is shipped abroad.

A few caveats.

Price

“The price has to be right, of course. But with fresh demand being created locally, UK scrap yards are in the ideal place to take advantage of this new market.” — Tim Robson, Director of Account Management & Partnerships at B4B Payments

Quality

Previously, there have been arguments about the quality of reclaimed steel and thus limitations in its usage. However, with more advanced processes to clean the scrapped metals and the ability to vary the components within an electric arc furnace, this gap can be closed.

Job Losses

EAF technology employs fewer people than traditional blast furnaces. Workers in the steel industry will be displaced.

So, the EAF conversion is a challenge to UK plc and both a challenge and an opportunity for UK scrap yards. Let’s see how this plays out. The big winner, though, should be the environment.

Learn more about how Bread4Scrap supports the recycling industry

Connecting Scrap Metal Recyclers Across Platforms

Bread4Scrap (B4S) has been serving the scrap metal recycling industry for 12 years and is thrilled to announce the launch of its official social media accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn.
This vital industry has long been a quiet powerhouse, working behind the scenes to support sustainability and innovation and helping to bring the scrap metal industry into the spotlight. Bread4Scrap will use its established position in the industry to bring followers interesting content from key players, share valuable insights, and foster meaningful relationships within the community.

Whether you’re a Managing Director seeking compliance clarity, a Yard Manager striving for seamless workflows, or a Supplier seeking instant payment, B4S is here to simplify and enhance how the industry operates. The metal recycling community is built on innovation and collaboration, and we’re excited to reflect those values with the launch of our Bread4Scrap socials. ‘This is a great opportunity to share insights, connect with our partners, and highlight the inspiring work within this community.’, said Paula Roberts, Inbound Sales Manager, B4S.

The new Bread4Scrap social media channels are set to launch this month, marking an exciting start to 2025!

Why This Matters to Scrap Metal Recyclers

The scrap metal industry is no stranger to obstacles. From complex payment processes to evolving compliance regulations, recyclers are under constant pressure to streamline operations. 

B4S was created with these challenges in mind, offering an innovative solution that addresses multiple pain points: 

• Transparency & Efficiency: Real-time payment tracking reduces errors and ensures compliance with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2023.
• Cost Savings: Lower transaction fees mean increased business and supplier profitability. 
• Sustainability: Our Prepaid Mastercard cards are 76% recyclable, reflecting a commitment to green initiatives. 

With the launch of our social media platforms, B4S intends to help scrap metal recyclers reach these goals while serving as a hub for knowledge sharing and industry updates.

What to Expect from B4S’s Social Media

B4S’s social channels will act as an educational resource for the scrap metal and recycling community and showcase the benefits of our payment solutions.

Here’s what you can look forward to: 

1. Expert Insights 

Understanding market trends is crucial for staying ahead of the curve. Our posts and blogs will cover various topics, such as fluctuating metal prices, the differences between ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and navigating regional compliance requirements.

2. Community Engagement 

Scrap metal recycling is at the heart of what we do. Through Q&A sessions, polls, and discussions, we aim to provide a space for industry professionals to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another. 

3. Industry News & Updates 

Stay informed about the latest developments in the sector – including innovations, legislative changes, and environmental initiatives. 

4. Tutorials & Resources 

From integrating B4S with pre-existing platforms like FRED5 to making the most of Prepaid Mastercard cards, our content will help you maximise efficiency and minimise complexity.

Why Join the Conversation?

By following Bread4Scrap on social media, you’ll gain access to: 

• Tailored Solutions: Content specifically designed to address the recycling sector’s needs of managing directors, yard managers, and finance teams. 
• Real-Life Success Stories: Hear how B4S has transformed the operations of recyclers across the UK. 
• Actionable Tips: Learn how to reduce costs, streamline payments, and ensure full compliance – all while future-proofing your business. 

Pioneering Change with Bread4Scrap

For too long, the scrap metal industry has faced challenges with outdated payment methods. Cheques are prone to manual errors, while traditional BACS payments can take days to process, leading to frustration and inefficiency. 

B4S is changing the narrative by offering: 

• Prepaid Mastercard cards for instant and flexible payments.
• Faster payments directly into suppliers’ bank accounts, eliminating unnecessary delays. 
• Integration with existing platforms, streamlining operations further. 

As a trusted partner for hundreds of scrap metal and recycling yards across the UK, we deliver a complete solution that benefits both buyers and suppliers.

Join Us

This launch is more than just an expansion of the B4S digital footprint – it’s a step towards making the scrap metal recycling industry more cost-efficient and sustainable.

We invite you to join the conversation, share your experiences, and explore how B4S can support your business. 

Follow us today to take your first step towards a more streamlined, efficient, and sustainable future for scrap metal recycling. 

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