Forecast sees steady growth in aluminum end market through 2022.

Cleveland-based research firm the Freedonia Group has released a study forecasting that demand for aluminum gutters and downspouts in the United States will grow by 3.4 percent annually between 2018 and 2022.

Demand in value terms for aluminum gutters and downspouts is projected to reach a value of $4 billion in 2022, according to the study, driven by what it calls ongoing growth in the large residential improvement and repair market.

The trend would be good news for demolition and residential construction contractors, nonferrous scrap recyclers and secondary aluminum producers, each of whom can benefit from growth in the aluminum building products sector.

The Freedonia Group also predicts growth will be supported in the short term by price increases implemented in response to the Trump administration’s aluminum tariffs. The research firm’s findings are presented in its study “Gutters & Downspouts in the U.S., 2nd Edition,” available through the Freedonia Group website.

In linear feet, demand for aluminum gutter and downspout products is projected to increase 1.6 percent per year to 1.6 billion in 2022. Aluminum is the material most used for gutter systems, resulting in what the Freedonia Group describes as “a largely mature market.” Additionally, writes the research firm, aluminum gutter guards will continue to face competition from plastic and steel varieties, resulting in only moderate gains in an otherwise expanding segment.

“Demand for the gutters and downspouts market overall is expected to increase 3.2 percent per year to $6 billion in 2022,” says Freedonia Group analyst Ellen Kriz. She adds that long-term value growth will be supported by the promotion of value-added products and accessories, including rainwater harvesting equipment, gutter guards, and decorative features such as rain chains, in an effort to combat market maturity.

Association points to differentiation between waste and materials with value.

The Arlington, Virginia-based National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) has filed comments with China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) regarding its draft law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste. Article 29 of the drafted revisions to the law would prohibit the importation of scrap materials by the end of 2020.

“NWRA supports high quality standards for recyclable materials as well as policies necessary to achieve them,” says NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith. “We believe that by using high quality standards, China can ensure that its manufacturing sector has the raw materials needed to continue to produce goods while ensuring that its recycling industry remains viable into the future. With the improved quality already required, MEE has already achieved significant reductions in solid waste generation by limiting the amount entering the country.”

Pointing to the Chinese government’s seeming inability (or unwillingness) to differentiate between solid waste and secondary raw materials with value, Smith adds, “The material currently being shipped to China is not solid waste; rather it is a valuable feedstock for a manufacturing process. We urge the MEE to modify the standards in the proposed law.”

UK-based firm says its radio control system offers operator safety advantages.

United Kingdom-based CP Automation says its handheld, cordless radio control units for cranes and hydraulic material handlers allow operators “to remain on the facility floor, out of range of load swings and potentially dropped loads.”

The firm says this means that if lifting is taking place in hazardous areas, such as hot, noisy or radioactive environments, operators are kept safe, well away from the hazards. “This keeps the operator clear of the area and overhead load, providing significant health and safety benefits,” states CP Automation.

According to data from the U.K. Health and Safety Executive (HSE), construction worker fatalities dropped by more than a third in 2016 and 2017, reaching an all-time annual low, says CP Automation. Tony Young, a director involved with supply, installation and repair at the firm, says the better results can be tied to the industry embracing new ways of working — including equipment like radio controlled cranes.

The cordless flexibility means the operator is able to move to a much better location for visibility, rather than remaining limited to the field of view of the cab, or the length of a pendant cable. With this increased visibility, on foot and away from the load, the operator can clearly see a load shift and determine whether the load is properly rigged before continuing, says Young. Operators also can adapt quickly to any obstructions or changes in the path as the move is completed.

Additionally, according to CP Automation, with the operator on foot, communication is greatly enhanced. The need for hand and voice signals between the operator and a spotter is eliminated. Operators are closer to spotters, and can easily hear and act on what they are saying more quickly.

From an efficiency standpoint, floor operation may even eliminate the need for additional assistance on the floor completely. A single operator could potentially manage some of the operations with below-the-hook attachments such as magnets, grabs, or C-hooks, thus reducing labor costs.

To help with this shift from cab controlled cranes to safer, radio controlled systems, CP Automation, is now supplying its customers with stock from Magnetek, the market leader of crane and hoist systems.

Cranes can be fitted with both CP Automation and motion control products made by United States-based Magnetek Inc. as an integrated package. That package can include power delivery systems, collision avoidance systems, radio remote control transmitters, motor gearboxes, failsafe brakes and variable frequency drives (VFDs).

“The partnership brings together the right set of products to support the rapid growth of the crane industry at present,” says Andy Swann, business development manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Magnetek. “Together, we can provide a customizable, engineered system to match the most demanding of specifications, ensuring reduced load sway and load drops.”

Continues Swann, “We are seeing more and more crane original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) moving away from in-cab operators and opting for radio remote control, whereby the operator is at a safe distance away from heavy loads. This means much more aggressive materials can be handled during a project, and the operator is kept at a safe distance, controlling the crane from afar.”

Ohio company says the feeders are ideal for downstream electronics shredding applications.

Brunswick, Ohio-based Best Process Solutions (BPS) says its vibratory magnet feeders are being deployed to help sort materials created by the electronic scrap shredding process.

The vibratory feeders are made of stainless steel to prevent the magnetization of the material, which can lead to adhesion to the floor or walls of the feeder, according to BPS.

The magnet feeders feature dual-motor operation for counter-rotation for linear material movement, and they can be customized to existing plant schematics of all sizes. This makes them ideal for recycling center facilities, says the firm.

The company responds to the issue by further educating the community on how to properly recycle materials.

The first full week of August, Rumpke Recycling experienced two fires at one of its facilities in a matter of 24 hours. In general, the Ohio-based company says it has experienced an uptick in fires in general the past two to three years.

“It seems like it’s been getting worse over the last couple of years,” says Brad Dunn, recycling manager at Rumpke for the Cincinnati market. “We’ve actually had to put in protocols to deal with [fires]. Really, the last two or three years, we’ve seen an increase.”

According to Rumpke, lithium ion batteries tend to be the top cause for the increase in fires. Also, propane tanks and aerosol cans that still contain liquid have caused issues. 

“[Fires have] been a growing problem since lithium-ion batteries have grown in popularity,” says Molly Yeager, corporate communications manager for the west area at Rumpke. “That’s where we saw the start of these fires. You now see lithium-ion batteries in everything from cellphones to laptops to children’s toys to yard equipment. People want to do the right thing; they hear they should be recycled. They know how to use curbside boxes, but that’s not the proper way to recycle these types of materials.” 

This past year, the company estimates it has had about six fires at its Cincinnati facility and seven fires at its Columbus, Ohio, facility. 

“The last two that we had were actually in one of our balers,” Dunn says. “The unfortunate thing is we’ve gotten really good at dealing with these fires, and that scares me. It scares me when we get good at something we shouldn’t know how to do.”

To address the uptick in fires, Rumpke invested in an automated water cannon for its tipping floor that releases 5,000 gallons per minute in an emergency. Dunn says this system works better than its older fire suppression system. 

“Our tipping floor is 40 feet high, so a fire suppression system you need to generate enough heat to set sprinklers off,” he says. “So that fire would have to be really big to set the sprinkler heads off. [The water cannons] are one of those things we looked at to combat that.” 

The company is also increasing its outreach to the community. Last summer, Rumpke increased awareness education in the community through an advertising campaign in Cincinnati on how to properly recycle lithium-ion batteries. 

“We’ve seen some decrease [in lithium-ion battery fires] since then, but with the lack of communication recently, specifically paid advertisements, we’re seeing upticks again,” Yeager says. “So, we’re starting a campaign again to hopefully bring it back down.” 

In addition to paid advertising, Yeager says Rumpke wants to make sure to communicate with customers via social media including Facebook and Twitter, as well as providing informational videos on YouTube on the topic. The company has an educational specialist who is working to share this message.  Dunn adds that the company also encourages sales team members to educate customers in the sales process as a preventive measure. 

“We went through our route sheets and tried to identify any businesses that are our customers that may be putting flammable containers or material in,” he says. “Education of sales team is important – your sales team has to know what they’re talking about [with customers].” 

Last, the company is making sure it maintains a good relationship with local fire departments because of the increase in receiving flammable recyclables. Rumpke invites fire fighters out for tours of the facilities, so they understand the structure. 

“When we built this facility, I gave them a drawing of [it] to show every area we store materials, combustibles, electrical connections in case a big event, so they know what they’re dealing with,” he says of the Cincinnati facility. “The more information you can provide your fire department, it’s not going to hurt.”