Henry Koplin, Macon Iron and Chris Greenfield, The Federal Metal Company
I am a junkie. That is all there is to it. Visiting scrap metal operations – seeing the buzz of activity around the scale, watching the trucks drive about, and meeting workers is the favorite part of my job.
This recurring blog post – On the Road, will chronicle my experiences and observations from visits to some of North America’s greatest scrap metal operations. I will revisit this topic from time to time as reader interest and travel allows.
We will start in Macon, GA, the home of Macon Iron.
You know you’re in Macon Iron territory the moment you exit I-16 just east of downtown. After a quick duck under a railroad bridge, you see a big Macon Iron lugger box next to a warehouse. The Chamber of Commerce would love this advertising. Soon thereafter, you see your first “The Scrap Market” sign offering directions to the main Macon Iron facility. The use of the phrase “The Scrap Market,” which is also the Macon Iron URL, is the first indication that the company aspires to be more than the local scrap yard, but rather the local/regional portal into the global scrap trade. I am certain other companies have similar aspirations but I have not seen it articulated as clearly.
Macon Iron is owned by the Koplin brothers – Evan, Chip, and Henry. My point of contact is Henry, as he markets the brass and bronzes we purchase. Warm in conversation and comfortable in person, Henry greats me at the door with, “Son, its headed to 110 with the heat index today so lets get you turned around and out of here before you melt.” Its 8:30 AM and Henry has been at work for 2 hours.
Breakfast is the first order of business, so Henry and I go through the buffet left from the in-service with employees earlier that morning. Four words – chicken, fried, steak, amazing.
Macon Iron is, for lack of a better term, full service. They handle the municipal recycling for the county, cans, paper, stainless, red metal, iron, the works. They have a well situated and nicely organized retail facility, a steady stream of industrial accounts, and most importantly, a staff of pleasant and knowledgeable employees. They also own a lot of Ford pickup trucks. Their affinity to Ford apparently goes back a ways, as Henry’s father – now in his 80’s – drives a model from the Reagan administration.
On a per acre basis, Macon Iron probably has more sculpture than any yard in the world. This comes from their 11-year sponsorship of the Middle Georgia Art Association’s Junque Yard Art Sculpture Contest. College students from the region take material donated by Macon Iron and turn it into fine art and sculpture.
At the end of our tour, Henry points me in the direction of the water fountain as we walk back to his office. The office walls are adorned with special acknowledgments from civic organizations – including a plaque signifying his receipt of the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club.
And that’s when it hits me. The reason I love visiting scrap operations has nothing to with pawing through boxes of red brass and looking at cranes (as fun as that is). Meeting suppliers on their turf to see the impact they have on their community is the most rewarding part of the journey. Through the sponsorship of art contests, receipt of awards from the rotary club, and marketing their business as “The Scrap Market,” Macon Iron is indeed integral to the community fabric in Macon, GA.
There are those that think hitting the road is exotic – a chance to be away from the office, get waited on by hostesses and flight attendants, and leave the stress of work behind. These people never travel. Then there are those that get homesick as soon as they leave their routine. Every story about every snow storm gets amplified beyond reason, and nothing ever works out.
