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BIR Convention is out
of this world
G l o b a l re c y c l i n g s c e n e m e e t s i n C o p e n h a g e n
Satellite tracking in real time, soaring copper
prices and smarter textile sorting were among
the wide range of issues considered at the
world recycling organisation’s latest
gathering.
tall trees and integrates those in the
exhibition area with those taking part
in the plenary sessions.
EYE IN THE SKY
Many delegates were clearly transfixed
by the intriguing news that individual
metal shipments by sea or rail any-
where in the world can now be logged
at four-hourly intervals. The ferrous
session heard that satellite imagery,
combined with smart algorithims, can
also accurately estimate the activity
rate of mills and smelters and even the
size and composition of their stock-
piles.
Navigate Commodities’ co-founder
and managing director Atilla Widnell
explained how his company’s logging
of end-to-end global supply chains
was world-beating. ‘Our data tends to
lead customs data,’ he said, adding
that the information performed
‘incredibly well’ against industry
benchmarks.
He added: ‘This technology, this data,
has existed for the last 10-15 years in
oil and gas and they are well ahead of
us. It is our responsibility to make that
investment and create that information
for industry but no-one has done it.
The data has always been there but it
has become more affordable.’
Most recently, the company has been
able to track barges carrying ferrous
metals across Europe.
Navigate Commodities, with its satel-
lite partner Earth-i, covers 97% of
global steel-making capacity and can
‘watch’ the throughput of every inte-
grated plant. ‘You can hold the steel
industry to account,’ Widnell told del-
egates. ‘Think how this technology can
serve your interests.’
FOLLOWING SHIPS
Using Earth-i’s images, he showed the
ArcelorMittal plant near Marseille in
France. Coke ovens, blast furnaces
and rolling lines were all visible.
Regular overflying from the satellites,
coupled with thermal imaging, indi-
‘Navigating recycled ferrous metals
markets from space’ was the most
intriguingly titled presentation at the
world recycling organisation’s recent
convention held in Denmark’s capital
Copenhagen – and so it transpired.
A hi-tech approach to tracking dry
bulk commodities around the world in
real time underscored one of the
themes of the BIR event – innovation.
Others included the more usual topics
of free trade, creeping regulation and
market trends.
The convention was staged in the
impressive Bella Center, a venue which
hosted the United Nations Climate
Change conference in 2009.
Overlooked by the curious Hotel Bella
Sky, a landmark visible from kilometres
around, the centre is said to be the
second biggest in Scandinavia. The
airy, bright central area boasts several
Scrap art in the port
of Copenhagen.
A U T H O R | P H O T O S Robin Latchem, Martijn Reintjes
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