By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Langer Industrial Service opened a metal recycling transfer station in Hays in October.
The transfer station, 1007 E. 37th, is a part of a network of three businesses with salvage yards in Colby and in Scottsbluff, Neb.
The station is accepting aluminum, copper, brass, batteries, starters, alternators — any non-ferrous metals, said manager Austin Brier.
Within three weeks, the business, which is located off of Vine Street across the street from the Sinclair gas station, will have a full-length scale and trailers. It will be able to handle anything up to about the size of a car.
Brier wanted to emphasize the business in Hays is a transfer station. All of the metals that are received at the business go into bins or will go on trailers. Nothing will be stored on the ground.
All the metal received at Hays will eventually be shipped to the Scottsbluff location for processing, Brier said.
"This is not a full on scrap yard facility like in our Colby and Scottsbluff locations," he said. "This is mainly serving as a place we can build an inventory and then ship it back to one of our other yards to be processed from there."
As a transfer station and not a salvage yard, the business is allowed under the zoning at its location within the city limits, Brier said.
Brier said Langer saw Hays a good location. There is competition in the area, but Brier said he thought Langer can be competitive in the market.
Prices vary on metals based on the market. If information on rates, contact Langer at 785-656-1926 or via email at [email protected].
Brier came to Hays after working at Langer's Colby location for four years. He said Langer had been considering Hays for a location for a couple of years.
COVID-19 has affected the metal salvage business. Some metal prices dropped sharply during the pandemic, Brier said. However, he said those prices are rebounding.
He said he still thinks the investment in the Hays location was a good one at this time.
The transfer station is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, but closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m.
As with any metal sales in Kansas, first-time sellers at the transfer station will need to provide their driver's license and fill out a short form verifying ownership and environmental compliance.
In addition, people who are selling copper must provide a fingerprint.
"We're a family-owned business. We are here to do what's best for the customer," Brier said.