The Trade – Episode #11 with Brett and Mike | January 8th, 2026

The Trade | The Trade Transcription

On this episode of The Trade - A Scrap Life, Brett is joined by Mike Anderson, VP of Materials Trading at Schupan & Sons, to analyze the aluminum market. The episode covers how recent tariffs have dramatically increased the Midwest Premium, leading to historically wide scrap spreads and an influx of supply. They stress that sorting and quality are crucial for scrap traders to maximize value by providing material that can substitute for expensive prime aluminum. The conversation concludes by discussing market uncertainties and the impact of monitoring geopolitical risks. Produced by Recycled Media.

Transcription

**Welcome to A Scrap Life Podcast**

**Host: Brett Ehart**
“What’s going on, everybody? Welcome to another episode of The Scrap Life. We are starting 2026 from a different angle. You’ve been used to listening to The Trade with Chad Eller Brock, focusing on the Ferris trade, and we’re still doing that. I’ve got one of those coming up too, but I wanted to branch out because not everyone’s in the Ferris markets on the scrap side. We are out there trading aluminum, copper, stainless, nickel, lead, and more.”

“I wanted to chat with someone who knows the aluminum market well and can provide insight. So, I reached out to Mike Anderson, Vice President of Materials Trading at Shupan and Sons, a trusted business partner of mine. Mike is someone I know understands the market. I wanted to get him on here once a month to discuss the aluminum markets. Mike, thanks for joining us, man. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day.”

**Mike Anderson**
“Yeah, my pleasure to be here. I appreciate the kind words.”

**Brett Ehart**
“So, Mike, where’s your office located?”

**Mike Anderson**
“Believe it or not, I rent an office in Northeast Ohio from a friend who owns a maple syrup manufacturing plant. Out my front window, they produce maple syrup, but I work remotely. Our whole trading division is scattered across the US.”

**Brett Ehart**
“For those who might not know Shupan, could you give us some background?”

**Mike Anderson**
“Shupan is a 57 or 58-year-old family-owned company, entering into third-generation ownership, based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. We have facilities in Kentucky, Northern Indiana, and Iowa. We predominantly operate in the non-ferrous sector, focusing heavily on aluminum. We participate in the deposit program in Michigan and Iowa, and we do extensive aluminum trading across the country. We’ve also invested in value-added processing aluminum plants in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Russellville, Kentucky, to fill niches in the marketplace.”

**Brett Ehart**
“The ownership group must feel good about moving into the aluminum market lately with the current premiums and pricing.”

**Mike Anderson**
“Yes, definitely. And you and I have been doing business for quite some time, initially starting with UBC’s and some painted siding. Now, we’ve expanded our business. Regarding value-add, we’re working with lower-grade obsolete items that primary mills struggle to process themselves. We process them to clean up and develop a 63-shred package desirable for sheet mills and billet manufacturers.”

**Brett Ehart**
“So you’re essentially enabling mills to use material that previously had to go to a secondary?”

**Mike Anderson**
“Correct, we’re upcycling scrap. Once material is processed cleanly, it can stay in the primary mill circle rather than moving down the chain.”

This discussion reflects the intricacies of the aluminum market, the impact of tariffs, premiums, and the strategic decisions businesses make to navigate these challenges. The insights shared equip listeners with a better understanding of the market dynamics and potential investment or trading strategies.