As appeared in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (June 7, 2015 7:56 p.m. ET), U.S. Is Awash in Glut of Scrap Materials by James R. Hagerty and Bob Tita

U.S. Is Awash in Glut of Scrap Materials

Scrapper Bob ‘Hoop’ Hooper was making as much as $400 a day selling scrap just three years ago. ‘Now I’m doing $100 to $200,’ he says. American companies have complained for the past year that the headwinds of a strong dollar and a slowing Chinese economy are hurting their earnings. For sellers of scrap metal, used cardboard boxes, and other waste, those headwinds are more like a hurricane. Waste has long been a major U.S. export, providing material to be melted in foreign steel mills or made into new paper products. But the strength of the dollar has made American waste pricier abroad, cutting demand in China, Turkey and other markets. Bob Hooper scavenges dumpsters and roadsides around Pittsburgh looking for steel, aluminum and other metals. But he’s finding it harder to make a living

Channel 8 WFAA news clip (Oct 5, 2014) about Texas Recycling surviving and thriving in a down economy—tips for small businesses, featuring Joel Litman.

As appeared in Recycling Markets (October 8, 2012 Vol. 50, No. 19), An Interview With Joel Litman: PSI Veteran Leads The Way For Chapter by Anna Dutko Rowley

“Voice of the Industry”

It’s been a challenging year so far for Joel Litman. Besides dealing with the cyclical ups and downs
of the paper recycling business, Litman is busy wrapping up his first year as President of the Paper Stock Chapter (PSI) of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), a position once held by his father Stan Litman from 1994 to 1996. Litman is currently President of Dallas, Texas based Texas Recycling/Surplus, a scrap fiber processor. I recently interviewed Litman on his plans for the plans for the Paper Stock Industries Chapter and for his company.

As appeared in Waste & Recycling News (Friday June 25, 2010), Texas recycler strong up the middle by Allan Gerlat

Joel and Craig Litman are a good double-play combination.

The brothers and co-owners of Texas Recycling/Surplus Inc. explain a lot of their business philosophy with sports metaphors. “The shortstop doesn´t always look to see if the second baseman´s there, he knows he´ll be there,” said President Joel.

“It´s a team game,” adds Vice President Craig. “We win or lose as a team.”

The Dallas-based company, though, has always been powered by Team Litman. Father Stanley was an industrial chemicals salesman before buying a paper and rag recycling business, Daltex Waste Material Co., in the early 1980s. Joel was working in public relations and advertising when he joined his dad in 1984. Craig, a certified public accountant, came on board five years later. “I saw it as an opportunity to be in the family business, and eventually hoped we´d own it one day,” Joel said.

As appeared in Scrap Magazine (Page 136 Scrap JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010), One on One by Staff Writer

Joel Litman

JOEL LITMAN TEXAS RECYCLING/SURPLUS (DALLAS)

Q: How did you enter the scrap business?

A: My father, Stan, bought a small scrap paper and rag business in 1980, when he was 52. After managing the company on his own for four years, he reached a point where he needed another person to help take the company to the next level. I was working for a public relations and ad agency in Dallas when he asked if I had any interest in joining him. I knew the work culture would be different from the corporate world of an ad agency, as would the opportunities to grow and eventually own the business. To help me decide, I took a week’s vacation from my job and worked at the scrap plant. I quickly realized it was a tremendous opportunity. I joined my dad three weeks later, and I’ve never looked back.