BUSINESS/ORGANIZATIONAL BRIEFS

ARA's 61st Annual Convention a Success

Memphis, Tennessee was host to the Automotive Recyclers Association’s 61st annual convention. The recipient of the prestigious ARA Star Award was announced at the banquet.

The award is presented to the auto recycling business that most exemplified the ARA Certified Auto Recycler and Gold Seal program code of ethics. The selection is made from candidate businesses that had been nominated by their peers in the auto and truck recycling industry.

This year’s recipient was AAA Auto Salvage of Rosemount, Minnesota.

AAA Auto Salvage was among the first ARA member businesses to qualify for these programs and has continually promoted the principles of both programs over the years. AAA Auto Salvage can be very proud of the distinction of this award.

Aubra Anthony Electred Chairman of AF&PA Board

Washington— Aubra H. Anthony, Jr., president and CEO of Anthony Forest Products Company, has been elected chairman of the board for the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), the national trade association of the forest, paper and wood products industry. 

Anthony, an attorney by profession, is no stranger to politics and the workings of Washington, D.C. and as such is seen as an excellent choice for chairman. He was in private practice with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Melrod, Redman & Gartlan. He later served as counsel and vice president for Policy and Planning for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 1998, then Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt recognized Anthony as an Honorary National Park Ranger. Anthony also served as chairman of the board of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, and is a current director of the Arkansas Forestry Association.

MBA Polymers, Inc. Forms Joint Venture in Europe

Richmond, CA— MBA Polymers, Inc. (MBA) and Mueller-Guttenbrunn GmbH (MG) of Amstetten, Austria announced the formation of a joint venture company (JV) to build and operate a state-of-the-art plastics recycling facility in Austria. The joint venture plans to begin operation of a 40,000 ton per year plant by the end of 2005. The announcement was made at a ceremony in Kematen, Austria, the future home for the plant.

MBA Polymers owns 51% of the JV and MG owns 49%. MBA brings technology, know-how, customers and suppliers to the JV while MG provides raw material, local and national experience working in Europe, important government contacts and relations and its metal recycling background.

The new company, called MBA Polymers Austria - Kunststoffverarbeitung GmbH, will process highly mixed plastics resulting from the legislated take-back and recycling of durable goods such as appliances and electrical equipment. This recycling is taking place on a very large scale in Europe, where new producer-responsibility legislation has been implemented.

The new plant will complement a similar plant that is being constructed in Guangzhou China with a JV MBA formed earlier this year with Guangzhou Iron and Steel Enterprises.

CMC Acquires California Fabricating Operation

Irving, TX— Commercial Metals Company, headquartered in Irving, Texas, announced the acquisition of substantially all of the operating assets of the J. L. Davidson Company’s rebar fabricating facility located in Rialto, California. The Rialto facility will become the new home of C&M Steel facility currently located in Fontana, California. The newly acquired facility and equipment will allow C&M Steel to expand its fabricated rebar supply to other fabricators, to grow its supply of fabricated rebar and to expand its supply of niche specialty and accessory products. This facility is owned by CMC Steel Fabricators, Inc. and will operate as part of CMC’s domestic fabrication segment.

Binh Huynh, EVP and regional manager Far West Rebar Division, said, “Our acquisition of the Rialto facility of the J. L. Davidson Company will not only strengthen our presence in the western U.S. and improve our opportunity to grow in the region, but will also position Commercial Metals Company for a growing market as fabrication demand returns.”

ODNR Presents Award for Environmental Activism

Columbus, OH— Kate Krebs, executive director of the Washington D.C.-based National Recycling Coalition, was honored recently with the Beacon Award by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Recycling & Litter Prevention.

The award is presented annually to an individual who is recognized by their peers as a tireless advocate and national leader in the fields of recycling, waste reduction and litter prevention.

Krebs received the award at a conference co-sponsored by the division, the Association of Ohio Recyclers, the Buckeye Solid Waste Association of North America, the Ohio Association of Litter Prevention and Recycling Professionals, the Organization of Solid Waste Districts of Ohio and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Sequa Completes Sale of Can Machinery Business

New York— Sequa Corporation has completed the divestiture of its Sequa Can Machinery operation, selling the business and substantially all the assets to Stolle Machinery Company, LLC.

Sequa received cash proceeds of $41 million on the sale and expects to record an after-tax gain of approximately $3.2 million on the transaction when the company reports results for the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2004.

Sequa Can Machinery, a component of Sequa’s Other Products reporting segment, produces high-speed can-forming and decorating equipment and conducts specialty metal forming operations. With the divestiture of the can machinery business, Sequa’s ongoing participation in the container industry centers on its Precoat Metals division, which coats coils of metal used to fabricate cans and can ends. Sequa’s other principal operations serve the global airline industry, the international specialty chemicals market, and the graphic arts and emission control industries.

Advance Auto Parts Announces Senior Executive Promotions

Roanoke, VA— To support the continued growth of Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a retailer of automotive parts and accessories, two senior executive promotions were announced by Larry Castellani, chairman and chief executive officer.

Jeff Gray has been promoted to executive vice president from senior vice president and will remain the Company’s chief financial officer. Gray joined the Company in 1994 and has served in numerous key leadership positions. Gray assisted in the negotiation of the acquisition of Discount Auto Parts in November 2001. Gray will continue to report to Mr. Castellani.

Dave Mueller has been promoted to executive vice president, merchandising and marketing from senior vice president and will join the Company’s Executive Committee. Mueller joined the Company in March 2003 as vice president of Merchandising Support and was promoted to senior vice president in October 2003. Mueller will report to Mike Coppola, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Arkansas Metal Recycler Installs New Shredder

Texarkana, AR— A sign of both strength and opportunity in the scrap metal recycling market, Tri-State Iron and Metal Company has announced the purchase of a new shredding system. The 3000 HP shredder plant, a Harris model HS80115, is complete with infeed conveyors.

Howard Glick, president of the firm said, “Our long term plan is to improve both the efficiency and profitability of the company. We felt the new shredding system would boost our production capacity to do that. The goal is to process everything we purchase in the same day. At 70-80 tons per hour throughput, we can handle a lot of material,” he added.

The delivery of the Harris HS80115 shredder is scheduled for June of 2005 and should be operating at full capacity by August. Tri-State currently employs about 40 people. The addition of the new shredder will create several full time jobs.

Busch Systems President Named Entrepreneur of the Year

Craig Busch, president of Busch Systems International Inc. has been awarded the Arch Brown Entrepreneur of the Year for 2004 in the City of Barrie, Ontario, Canada. This award recognizes individuals who exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit, have seen great success in areas such as growth, profit record, participation in grant and total quality management programs, and innovative employee relationships.

Busch Systems provides recycling containers to a wide range of industries from municipal governments to educational systems.

Alcoa Board of Directors Announces Promotions

Alcoa announced that its board of directors elected Ruth J. Mack, a vice president of Alcoa and group president of Packaging and Consumer Products effective immediately. She succeeds William E. Leahey, Jr., who retired.

Mack had been president of Alcoa Consumer Products, the Alcoa business responsible for well-known brands such as Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, Reynolds Plastics Wrap, Reynolds Cut-Rite Wax Paper and BacoFoil in the U.K. Her successor has not yet been named.

Mario Longhi, who runs the company’s Global Extruded and End Products business will now also oversee Alcoa Home Exteriors, the company’s residential building products business.

Separately, the Alcoa board of directors elected Helmut W. Wieser, a vice president of Alcoa. He is head of the company’s North American and European Mill Products organizations. In addition, Bernt Reitan, and Paul Thomas, were both elected executive vice presidents of Alcoa. Reitan runs Alcoa’s global Primary Products businesses, and Thomas was recently named to a new post responsible for People, ABS and Culture.