Scrap Life Podcast – Metal Monday
Nick: How’s everybody doing?
Brett: I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m doing good. How about you?
Nick: I’m doing great, man. It’s Monday—watching copper get murdered, down five cents.
Brett: What’s five cents between friends?
Nick: Yeah, five cents, no big deal. But last week was a ride.
Brett: Yeah, I get it. Your sale looks good now, right?
Nick: When I sold, I was happy. Then copper went up another 15 cents, and I was like, “Well, that’s great…” So I went from hero to zero, back to hero today as it ships. By the end of the week, I might look like a zero again—that’s commodities trading and the scrap business at its finest.
Brett: So what’s everything else doing? We’re at the end of February already, which is crazy.
Nick: Yeah, next Metal Monday will be in March. Excited to sit down with Chad this weekend for our Bulls vs. Bears podcast and talk about the March market. I’ve been talking to a lot of people, and everyone seems fairly bullish for March. We’ll see if that translates into real increases, but I think it will.
February was rough from a weather standpoint. I was talking to Chris Detmer in South Carolina, and they shut the yard down because of snow. They’re not used to that. Then you talk to guys in the Midwest, and it’s been super cold. Weather has played havoc with scrap flow and mills getting material delivered.
If you have scrap to sell, you’re probably in a good position going into March. A lot of people will still be delivering February orders.
Brett: Yeah, different parts of the country have been hit hard by bad weather. I talked to Jake Brunstein, and they’re dealing with temperatures in the negatives. Made me quit complaining real quick about our weather.
Nick: Exactly. We’ve had a little taste of spring this week, but I’m not getting fooled by it. I think winter still has one last punch. But if you can get through February, you’ve made it through the worst. March will have some cold and rainy days, but I think we’re done with snow—at least here in the valley. The mountains might get more, but I’m hoping the bitter cold is behind us.
Brett: What about the rest of the markets? Aluminum? Stainless?
Nick: Aluminum is up, thanks to tariff discussions. The Midwest premium is strong. I’ve seen aluminum prices I haven’t seen in a while. If you have aluminum to sell, it’s a great time. If you’re buying new aluminum, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
Aluminum-based manufacturing—things like trailers and flatbeds—will see squeezed margins and price hikes. There’s always a balance—you try to get ahead on the buy side and take advantage of the sell side.
Brett: I talked to a big electrician in the area, and he hates when copper is booming. He buys in bulk and tries to play the market, like how we do with our pipe business. He told me he hopes copper keeps going down.
Nick: Yeah, when prices are high, it’s great for scrap but tough when you’re buying new material.
Brett: Exactly. He has a solid recycling system dialed in, but he prefers a stable market. That said, he thinks we’re at the bottom of the copper market and expects an upturn. Since he’s constantly buying and installing inventory, he has a good feel for it. We’ll see if he’s right.
Nick: Quick shoutout to Matt Freeze in Cincinnati for the sweet rain jacket from the team at Millbridge Metals. It’s raining outside, and this thing is exactly what I needed today. Always appreciate functional gifts!
I hadn’t talked to Matt in a bit beyond some quick texts, but he’s a true hustler. He and his wife went all in—took their life savings to start the business. And they’ve built something really solid.
Brett: Love hearing that. They put all the chips in. I respect that.
Nick: Yeah, it takes a ton of courage—and convincing your wife doesn’t hurt either. But they made it happen.
As for the market, we’ll see what March brings. Stay positive. If we get some mill order book demand, there might be more money in this thing. I’m optimistic for March—one month at a time.
Brett: Let’s go!
Nick: Thanks, everyone. Have a great week!
[Music]