Quality Assurance
Consistency is the product.
Anyone can ship a container of scrap once. Supplying the same grade, at the same quality, month after month is a process — and this is ours.
Inbound inspection
Every load is weighed, photographed and inspected against the purchase specification before it is unloaded into processing. Wrong grade, free iron, plastics, rubber, oil, excess moisture and prohibited items are the standing checklist.
Sorting & grading discipline
Sorters work to written grade definitions rather than habit. Wrought is kept apart from cast, bare wire from tinned or insulated wire, and each alloy family is stored in its own bay so grades cannot drift into each other.
Sampling
Lots are sampled representatively — not from the top of the pile. Sample size scales with lot size, and retained samples are kept against the shipment reference so any later query can be checked against physical material.
Chemistry verification
XRF and spectrometer readings confirm the alloy family and flag off-spec elements such as copper in aluminium or tin and nickel in copper. Readings are recorded per lot.
Moisture inspection
Moisture adds weight, reduces yield and is a safety risk in a molten bath. Material is dried or rejected when it exceeds the agreed limit, and baled material is stored under cover before loading.
Radiation screening
Loads are screened for radioactive contamination where the destination country or the contract requires it, with the screening record filed alongside the shipping documents.
Loading supervision
Container loading is supervised and photographed, weight distribution is checked against payload limits, and seal numbers are recorded and shared before the container leaves the yard.
Documentation
Packing list, weight list, grade description, test records, loading photographs and inspection certificates travel with the shipment so the receiving plant can reconcile without chasing.
Pre-dispatch inspection checklist
Applied to every lot before it is packed and loaded, whatever the grade or destination.
- Grade matches the contract description and ISRI definition
- No free iron or ferrous attachments beyond the agreed tolerance
- No plastics, rubber, wood, insulation or other organics
- No oil, coolant or grease above the agreed level on turnings
- Moisture within specification; material dry and stored under cover
- No sealed or pressurised vessels, no aerosols, no explosive items
- No radioactive contamination on screening
- Piece size within the agreed charge dimensions
- Chemistry reading inside the agreed window
- Bale, bundle or bag weight consistent with the packing list
- Photographic record of the lot and of loading
- Lot reference traceable back to the supplying source
Quality questions we are asked most
How do you make sure the grade we order is the grade we receive?
Material is sorted against written grade definitions, held in dedicated bays, verified by XRF sampling and photographed before loading. The lot reference on the packing list ties back to those records.
Can we appoint our own inspection agency?
Yes. Independent pre-shipment inspection by an agency of your choice can be arranged for any consignment, with loading scheduled around the inspector's attendance.
Do you provide chemical analysis reports?
Analysis readings taken during quality testing are shared per lot. Third-party laboratory analysis can also be arranged where a contract requires certified results.
How is moisture controlled?
Baled and loose material is stored under cover, dried where necessary, and checked before loading. Turnings are de-oiled and dried before they are packed.
What happens if a shipment does not meet specification?
The claim is assessed against the retained samples, loading photographs and test records for that lot, and resolved commercially with the buyer. The same records are used with the supplying source at our end.
Send us your specification — we will confirm what we can hold it to.
Chemistry window, permitted attachments, moisture limit, packing and inspection protocol. We would rather agree it in writing before the first container than argue about it after.