With the supply chain challenges facing industry today, having real-time and direct information on all your rollingstock can provide the critical edge to help keep your operations moving.  In the scrap metal recycling industry, for companies that do not already have this capability, now would be a good time to take advantage of the benefits of container tracking software.

The purpose of container tracking software is to provide a bird’s-eye-view of where all your containers are at any given moment with the help of GPS tracking devices.

This information can enable users to optimize the movement of containers and utilize them in the most productive way possible.  This is particularly important in the scrap metal recycling industry where the focus of the business is the collection and movement of material.

A good container tracking software for scrap metal recyclers will allow them to do the following:

  • Reduce manual, redundant tasks necessary to keep track of inventory
  • Gain visibility over rollingstock
  • Keep track of your asset types, purchase date and any notes about the inventory
  • Get updates on container location and determine container and vendor turnover
  • Accurately spot containers that are not turning over as they should so the vendor can be contacted to resolve the issue
  • Assist with finding “lost” containers or pinpoint containers that are damaged when they are placed at a given vendor location
  • Interface with the other digital aspects of a scrap yard’s business
  • Interface with mapping software so that dispatchers can optimize truck routes

“A solid container tracking module is an important addition for any scrap metal recycling company trying to improve its productivity and efficiency,” says Joe Floam, President of ScrapWare Corp.  

ScrapWare has been providing software to the scrap metal recycling industry for more than 33 years and has a container tracking module as part of its overall software solution.  The ability to provide a variety of insightful reports is one of ScrapWare’s most important features and a critical aspect of tracking solutions, Floam says.  In ScrapWare, users may access up-to-date information using its Container Tracking Module’s in-depth reports to help users manage their inventory.  Reports include:

  • Container/Trailer Inventory
  • Container/Trailer Offsite
  • Container Exception Report
  • Container/Trailer Onsite
  • Container/Trailer Turnover
  • Vendor Turnover Report

To use ScrapWare’s Container Tracking Module, users simply fill out an electronic form to set up the current container or trailer inventory and select the current location of each asset.  ScrapWare designed the module to ensure simple and accurate data entry with the use of a color-coded interface, extensive pop-up menus and field validation.  This Container Tracking Module simplifies processes as a stand- alone feature, but for additional functionality, it can be interfaced with the Truck Dispatch Module.  Container movement can be documented with either module, but whichever method is chosen, ScrapWare will provide precise after-the-fact location reports for container movements.  Users can then download container locations to mapping software and receive detailed street maps of container locations throughout an operating area.  The maps can then be used to help dispatch staff optimize scheduling for trucks. 

Installing software to track containers is a move toward digitizing scrap metal recycling yards to increase efficiency, productivity and profitability.  In today’s environment, with supply chain challenges and other economic uncertainty, it is an easy tool to add to keep scrap yards one step ahead. 


About ScrapWare Corporation: Since 1989, Rockville, Maryland-based ScrapWare Corporation has been the software of choice for the recycling industry. Its ease of installation and simplicity saves users time and money, while helping them achieve compliance and maintain accurate business insights. With state-of-the-art functionality that‘s tailored to each organization’s unique requirements, ScrapWare is an advanced dynamic software solution that alleviates the most pressing recycling industry worries. For more information, please call (301) 517-8500 or visit https://www.scrapware.com/.