IGMNIR helps young recyclers in establishing business cooperation

In the era of modern smart-technologies that help people communicate at a distance, the popularity of industry meetings is still prevailing as an efficient way to exchange experiences and establish business contacts. That can be confirmed by participants of the International Seminar of Young Recyclers, which took place on 9 - 10 September 2013 in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

The International Seminar of Young Recyclers is a regular event dedicated to scrap metal merchants who are no more than 35 years old. The seminar is organized alternately by the Association of German Metal Traders (VDM) - which hosted this year's event; Economic Chamber of Non-Ferrous Metals and Recycling (IGMNiR), Swiss Federation of Metal Recycling (VSMR) and the Dutch Federation of Metals (MRF).

Kazimierz Poznański, Chairman of the Board of IGMNiR admits that Young Recyclers Seminars are a valued initiative among juniors. – The most important element in starting business cooperation is to talk. Not a multifunctional mobile phone or the newest laptop can replace face to face contact with another person - he says. – One of the primary statutory purposes of branch associations is to create conditions for its members to gain knowledge from international experts and to exchange experiences with recyclers from other countries. We are pursuing this goal, inter alia, through the annual seminaries. Undoubtedly, the establishment of new contacts translates, sooner or later, into the foreign trade cooperation - he adds.

The meeting was attended by 75 recyclers, whereby Poland was represented by 10 delegates from member and partner companies: Edelmet Sp. z o.o., KGHM Metraco S.A., KGHM Ecoren S.A., MetalCo Sp. z o.o., BOLMET S.A., Delta Sp. J. Jankowski Pluciński Zawada and IGMNiR.

On the first day, lectures were held about the importance of rare metal materials for European industry and the role played by good transport and logistics services in the operation of a recycling plant. After that a trip to the harbor took place, where the EUROGATE Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven has been launched in 2012.

The main highlight of the following day was a study visit in the company INTERSEROH Jade - Stahl GmbH in Wilhelmshaven. The operation of the plant focuses on the recycling of steel and non-ferrous metals and it is part of the global INTERSEROH enterprise.

Partner of this year's Seminar of Young Recyclers was the Hans-Joachim Kaps Foundation from Germany, which works to improve qualifications and skills of recyclers and to promote and support young talents in the field of ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. - In the Foundation we encourage along with my colleagues recyclers to make new business contacts and to meet new people. This is very important in professional life - says Eckhard Boehlke, president of the Foundation. – It is true that thanks to the Internet we have fast access to information, but as the Chinese proverb says: Being once in a given place, to see and to talk to each other is worth a lot more than seeing the same place hundred times on the screen - he adds.

The Economic Chamber of Non-Ferrous Metals and Recycling is planning to organize a meeting for young recyclers in the next year. – At the beginning of September 2014 we would like to invite juniors of our industry to Wroclaw - says President Kazimierz Poznanski.

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