Articles
Recyclers Aid the US in Creating a Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chain
How do recyclers assist the US in creating a secure critical mineral supply chain? By recycling scrap catalytic converters and the electronics found in vehicles, appliances, and electronics containing Platinum Group Metals and Rare Earth Elements. Both the Trump and Biden Administrations have emphasized by Executive Order the importance of securing the domestic supply chain [...]
Transportation Megatrends: Future Complexities Mean Future Opportunities
UCC Article Archive - September 1st, 2021 - Becky Berube Autonomous Driving, Connectivity, Electrification of Vehicles, and Shared Mobility (ACES) Tesla is now the fifth-most-valuable company in the S&P 500, overtaking Facebook at that position. Cars that connect to each other and the road are here to stay. Connected features like navigation, internet, apps, [...]
Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: The Scoop on Interest and Metal Price Discounts
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube In converter recycling, the best recyclers are partnering with companies that educate. We encourage our customers to sell on assay, the analytic procedure that measures the content or quality of a metal or ore contained in the catalytic converters. In this, the fourth installation of our [...]
What do Flash Boys, Wall Street, and Cat Sales Have in Common?
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube You are Rock Stars. When I write these monthly columns, I know my audience. I realize you are recyclers who mainly sell parts and steel. But in the past 10 years something truly amazing has happened. You have become some of the savviest business people I [...]
Are Converter Sales Making Your Year?
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube What in the world is going on? In my own life and business so much has changed in the past 30 years. I am not sure I ever envisioned Rhodium heading past $10,000 a troy ounce. Some analysts predict that the Rh shortage and lack of [...]
Converter Recycling: Five BIG Problems with Assay
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube You finally made the switch from selling your converters by the piece to selling them on assay. And you have found, like most of us have, that it is totally worth it. Your average cat sale is up 5-45% depending on how you were being treated [...]
Converter Recycling: Cat Burglary and Other Forms of Theft
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube The precious metals markets are up and so are the incidences of stolen converters. It is all over the news. The BBC recently reported that catalytic converter thefts have doubled in England as metal prices have risen. If you are a recycler this is not news [...]
Auto Catalyst Value Chain: COVID-19 and Beyond
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube The Experts Weigh In Recently, I had the privilege of moderating and participating in a global webinar regarding the auto catalyst value chain. Some of the analysts, refiners, and fellow processors that I respect most were on the panel. Dr. Jonathan Butler, Head of Business Development [...]
Converter Recycling: Is Selling on Auction, App, or Assay like Playing the Slots?
UCC Article Archive - 2020 - Becky Berube Shell games and other shenanigans Cat recycling circa 1990s: Small. Medium. Large. $5. $10. $15. Have you been in the business long enough to remember it? When all you cared about was the price of a large GM? Eventually you learned the game. That the large [...]
What are your customers saying? The importance of customer service
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Matelyn Harris The automotive recycling industry has become one of the most crucial market-driven industry’s in the US. An estimated $32 billion in annual sales. Employing more than 140,000 people at over 9,000 locations across the country. The opportunity for growth is exponential. But so is the temptation [...]
Understanding Metal Price Spreads
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube Palladium has been on a historical run the past two months to as high as $1553 toz. But why don't we receive the published bid or spot price for metal that we are selling today? Two Reasons for A Metal Price Spread Bullion vs. Sponge [...]
The Future of Auto Catalyst, Hybrid Batteries, and Fuel Cells
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube For nearly thirty years the automotive industry has been talking about hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cells without producing a very large market to date. Emission standards across the globe are becoming increasingly stricter. What does this mean for converter, hybrid battery, and fuel cell recycling? [...]
Steel may be depressed, but Catalytic Converter values continue to rise with the rise in Platinum Group Metal (PGM) Prices
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube Even as steel continues to dip another 3.4% over the last two weeks or 27% since peaking in late March, scrap catalytic converter values continue to rise with the strength of the Platinum Group Metals (PGMs). Palladium itself up over $200 since last month rising for [...]
Know Your Customer (KYC) in Converter Recycling: Who are you really doing business with?
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube Corruption. Bribery. Fraud. Money laundering. Illegal financing or activities (e.g., funding terrorism). Companies of all sizes and in all industries, including automotive recycling, can benefit from knowing your customer or client and avoid working with untrustworthy or illegal companies. Every article I write is committed [...]
Catalytic Converters on Assay: It’s What’s Inside
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube You sell them out the door for a cash price. You inventory each unit and grade them or send them out for bid using an app. You bring in three companies and have them bid on your lot. You send them to a processor who assays [...]
Continuing Your Education: Converter Processor, Smelter, and Refiner? What does it matter to me?
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube Our mantra at United Catalyst Corporation is Getting You the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust. It is more than a slogan. It is our mission. It is our brand promise. It is what gives our work meaning. Every article I write [...]
Catalytic Converter Averages Vary: Sold by-the-piece, by Code, on Assay
UCC Article Archive - 2019 - Becky Berube The more we travel with recyclers, the more we hear about converter averages varying. As recyclers, you worry that you may not be getting all the value for your converters, so you try a variety of selling methods to get the best price. You sell them [...]
Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: Keeping it Simple May Not Be So Easy with the Cats of the Future
UCC Article Archive - July 12th, 2018 - Becky Berube Two years ago, we were part of an auto catalyst technology seminar, held in Atlanta, GA, with 104 delegates and where 18 presentations were given by industry leaders in the field of automotive exhaust catalyst. One of the greatest take-aways from that seminar was [...]
Five Criteria for Choosing a Converter Recycling Company to Work With
UCC Article Archive - August 1st, 2018 - Becky Berube How can you get the most for your converters with a process you can trust? At United Catalyst Corporation, we believe in the benefits of assay-based selling. Since no two converters are the same, and each converter must go through the same refining [...]
Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: Understand the Importance of Weights
UCC Article Archive - February 13th, 2018 - Becky Berube In converter recycling, the best recyclers know their numbers and partner with companies that educate. We encourage our customers to sell converters on assay, the verified analysis of the precious metal contained in the converters less the customary recycling costs. You want to use [...]
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS
UCC Article Archive - January 18th, 2018 - Becky Berube In converter recycling, the best recyclers know their numbers and partner with companies that educate. Knowing key metrics about your converter loads safeguards you against misleading key metrics, like your average price per unit, and increases your bottom line. Every recycler looks at [...]
Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: Making Sense of the Assay Report and Final Invoice
UCC Article Archive - March 9th, 2018 - Becky Berube In converter recycling, the best recyclers are partnering with companies that educate. We encourage our customers to sell on assay. But what is an assay and how do you make sense of it? In this, the third installation of our series, Getting the Most [...]
Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: The Platinum Group Metals (PGM) Market Watch
UCC Article Archives - May 15th, 2018 - Becky Berube During the third week of May each year, stakeholders in the platinum industry gather in London, England for what is known as Platinum Week. Receptions, lectures, and forecasts abound. At our company, we encourage recyclers to sell catalytic converters on assay; the analytic [...]
Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: The Scoop on Interest and Metal Price Discounts
UCC Article Archives - April 11th, 2018 - Becky Berube In converter recycling, the best recyclers are partnering with companies that educate. We encourage our customers to sell on assay, the analytic procedure that measures the content or quality of a metal or ore contained in the catalytic converters. In this, the fourth installation [...]
Getting the Most for Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust: Selling Basics and Advanced Principles
UCC Article Archives - October 12th, 2018 - Becky Berube For those of us who travel to conferences and trade shows with recyclers, it is one of the busiest times of the year. It is also the time when we get to do the most educational training sessions. Personally, if I could, I would [...]
Platinum Club – February Notes on PGMs and Autocatalyst Recycling
It is February 2025, the US election is behind us, there is a new Administration, with policies that have geo-political and economic impacts that are yet unknown for Platinum Group Metals (PGMs). Price Movement When it comes to the price action for PGMs and scrap catalytic converters there are some historical and some forward-looking […]
Converter Recycling 2025: Hold. Fold. Sell.
In the iconic words of The Gambler, “You’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” These words ring truer than ever in today’s shifting platinum group metal (PGM) market. After the historic highs of 2021 and 2022, PGM prices have […]
Post US Election – What Will the Impact be on PGMs and Converter Prices?
“I am going to wait to sell converters until after the election.” The most common comment heard by our sales force amongst independent automotive recyclers. Hoarding converters has become prevalent with some since the sharp decline in PGM prices over the past several years. With other commodities like steel, aluminum, and copper remaining stronger, and […]
PGMs & Converter Recycling 2024 – Where Do We Go from Here?
Auto catalyst recycling has seen a substantial decline, with volumes down by approximately 30% or more from their peak in 2019. The trends in the auto catalyst recycling market and platinum group metal (PGM) prices are driven by a complex interplay of economic conditions, supply chain dynamics, industry-specific changes, speculative activities, and geopolitical risks. These […]
Economic News and the Outlook for PGMs and PGM Recycling
At the time of writing, it is 92 days until the US Presidential Election, the Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq each tumbled roughly 3 percent in three days. Recession fears are mounting with lower-than-expected jobs added andmunemployment rising, the 10-year Treasury yield hits 3.716%, construction of new homes and existing home sales both declined, investors are […]
Converter-nomics, Understanding Market-Adjusted Converter Prices, & Converter Technology to Mitigate Risk
Converter-nomics In June, the world of precious metals met in Orlando for its annual conference with several renown platinum group metal (PGM) experts discussing, and sometimes debating, the nearly two-year dip in catalytic converter recycling volumes, PGM prices, and the outlook for the future of each. Continued inflation, higher interest rates, the strong dollar, and […]
United Catalyst Corporation and ScrapRight Integrate to Allow Users Access to Detailed Converter Data
As metal/scrap buying becomes more competitive, the United Ecosystem by UCC allows for detailed pricing live with the metals markets. GREENVILLE and PHILADELPHIA, April 10, 2024 / –United Catalyst Corporation, UCC, a precious metal processor, is partnering with recycling management software company, ScrapRight, to give access to the United Ecosystem (UE) BidTool, a converter and scrap […]
The Commodity of Cats: Full-Serve and Self-Serve Yards
Converters are an important commodity to sell for any automotive recycler or scrap metal dealer. I can remember 10 years ago when they appeared less important, just another $50 core. We didn’t talk about converter recycling very much and it certainly didn’t command the attention and spending power of every tradeshow exhibit and magazine ad […]
Platinum Group Metals 2023: Economic and Industrial Factors
Which economic and industrial factors affect the price of the Platinum Group Metals (PGMs), namely platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which subsequently impacts the price of scrap catalytic converters? A Hedge Against Inflation From an investment perspective, precious metals are non-interest-bearing assets. Investors will sometimes add precious metals to their portfolios as a hedge against inflation, […]
$500m Seized in Nationwide Catalytic Converter Takedown. Know Your Customer more Important than ever. Who are you really doing business with?
On November 2, the Justice Department took down a nationwide catalytic converter theft ring with forfeiture more than $500 million in assets including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles. The Justice Department News stated, “Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders […]
Five Criteria for Choosing a Converter Recycling Company to Work With
How can you get the most for your converters with a process you can trust? At United Catalyst Corporation, we believe in the benefits of assay-based selling. Since no two converters are the same, and each converter must go through the same refining process, it makes sense to us that recyclers sell converters based on […]
Converter Recycling: Recessionary Vibes, Palladium Surplus Looming
Are you feeling recessionary vibes? Some of the following signs are pointing to a US recession. A rise in interest rates and inflation. An inversion of the yield curve where the 2-year Treasury bill yielding more than the 10-year. A slowdown in consumer spending. The slowing of manufacturing activity. Unemployment is low, a counter signal, […]
The World of Precious Metals: Q1 and Beyond
This past week over two hundred members of a worldwide organization representing every aspect of the precious metals supply chain, from mining and refining to fabrication, recycling, and investment met in Orlando, Florida. The International Precious Metals Institute promotes excellence through education, research, and networking opportunities that drive innovation and advance sustainable practices. The group […]
I HATE CATS, but I LOVE the MONEY
I HATE the cats. I hear this all the time. Or I hear, I wish the cats would just go away. Then I hear, I love the money, don’t get me wrong. I just hate dealing with the core guys, the collectors, the processors. It’s all become too much. I don’t even want to go […]
2023 Letter to Executive Leaders
I love the time between Christmas and January. For me, it is a time of renewal. A fresh start. It is also a time of reflection on what went well, what went wrong, and where I failed to execute or make a difference. Mostly, it is a time of planning and looking forward personally and […]
Converter Recycling: Hold. Fold. Sell.
In the iconic words of The Gambler, “You’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” The words of that song feel very true today with the platinum group metal (PGM) prices coming off the highs of 2021 and 2022 and […]
What’s in a name? Recycler, Collector, Processor, Smelter, Refiner
This can be a confusing business on many levels. Do you sell your converters by the piece for a “fair market value?” Do you sell them on assay or precious metals recovery for the “intrinsic” value less processing and refining charges? Whom are you selling to exactly? What is the difference between converter recycling companies? […]
Accelerate Towards Your Goals- Lessons Learned From Auto Racing To Lead Your Business
As a road course race driver, instructor, and high-performance driving coach, I have had the opportunity to work with all types of drivers at various talent levels. Over the years, I have learned many of the same lessons from the racetrack that can be applied to an automotive recycler getting the most for recycling scrap […]
The Future of Converter Recycling: What Happens to Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) if Combustion Engines Become Obsolete by 2030?
Will the world’s governments and automakers meet their climate-control-driven mandates to discontinue sales of diesel and gasoline cars in favor of zero emission vehicles by 2030? And what does the electrification movement mean for the supply and demand of precious metals predominantly used in automotive catalyst to control emissions? The “Group of Seven (G7) nations […]
Converter Recycling: Are You in the Driver’s Seat of Your Converter Sales?
Are you in control of your converter sales? Or are you at the mercy of your buyer? How much insight do you have into the actual value of your scrap catalytic converters? Do you sell your units by-the-piece for a “fair market value” or are you selling on recovery by a process called assay? We […]
Critical Minerals and Metals: Catalytic Converters and EV Batteries
It is hard to imagine our lives without high-tech devices. Everything we touch or drive seems to have an electronic brain. Just try to order a new vehicle during the semiconductor chip shortage. Roughly 60,000 to 70,000 unfinished vehicles sit in storage lots around assembly plants waiting for chips and related components. What exactly does […]
20 Converter Recycling Tips
United Catalyst Corporation is a North American-based processor of scrap catalytic converters that offer global refining services. Getting you the most from your converters with a process you can trust. We feel that an educated customer is our best customer. We know this industry can be hard to navigate, but we have some expert tips […]
Converter Recycling: Five BIG Problems with Assay
You finally made the switch from selling your converters by the piece to selling them on assay. And you have found, like most of us have, that it is worth it. Your average cat sale is up 5-45%, depending on how you were being treated by your buyer. Now you are in the real game, […]
The 4 P’s of Converter Recycling Profitability
At our company, United Catalyst Corporation, we have a moto: Getting the Most from Your Converters with A Process You Can Trust. It is as simple as four Ps; a Process you can trust, a Program you can trust, a Partner you can trust, and the Power of education. A Process You Can Trust How […]