Reel program
Recurring yard pickup
For distributor branches, contractors and plants that empty reels every week, we run a standing pickup: the same weekday, the same spot, no call needed. The driver counts, sorts and loads, and leaves a ticket each visit.
Who it suits
A wire and cable branch takes back cut-down reels and customer returns every day. An electrical contractor's yard fills up after every pull. A plant receiving wire on reels empties them on the line. For all three, reels arrive steadily, and a call each time is a chore somebody forgets.
A standing pickup fixes the day and the place. Reels go to one staging area as they empty; the truck comes on the agreed day; the area is clear again by noon.
Setting it up
- We visit once, sort the backlog, and agree the staging area with you: on dunnage, standing on edge, with room for forks.
- We mark makers' returnables and agree how to keep them apart going forward.
- We set the day and frequency: weekly, every two weeks or monthly.
- You tell us when a week has nothing, and we skip it.
Tickets and records
Every visit leaves a ticket listing what was bought, what was recycled and what was left for a maker. Branches often forward them to their regional office; plants file them with waste records. The tickets also show when reel flow changes, which is useful when a big job starts or ends.
An example schedule
A distributor branch in Wood Dale empties about sixty reels a month: cut-down remnants, customer returns and incoming one-way reels. It goes on an every-other-Tuesday pickup at 9 a.m. The counter staff roll empties to a marked bay by the side door, keep supplier-tagged reels in a separate rack, and forget about them until the truck backs in.
In January and February, when building slows, the branch drops to monthly. In May it goes back to fortnightly.
Choosing a frequency
| Reels emptied per month | Suggested frequency | Typical site |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | Monthly | Small contractor or shop |
| 20 to 80 | Every two weeks | Contractor yard, small branch |
| 80 to 200 | Weekly | Busy branch, plant receiving dock |
| Over 200 | Weekly or twice weekly | Large plant, regional branch, big job |
Frequency can change as work changes. Branches often go weekly in the summer building season and monthly in winter.
Keeping the staging area clean
A good staging area is the difference between a ten-minute stop and an hour of shuffling. Pick a spot near the gate or dock, on firm ground or concrete, with dunnage under each row. Stand reels on edge and chock them, keep small reels on pallets, and leave the returnables in a row of their own, clearly marked.
Put the staging area where the truck can reach it without moving anything else. If the yard changes layout, tell the driver before the next visit.
Questions
Can a branch get a weekly reel pickup?
Yes. Weekly, every two weeks or monthly, on a set day, with a ticket each visit.
Do I need to count reels before each pickup?
No. The driver counts and sorts at the stop.
What if there are no reels one week?
Tell us and the stop is skipped.
Can we change the frequency later?
Yes. Tell us and the schedule changes from the next visit.
Can several branches share one schedule?
Yes. Branches in the same region can be visited on the same corridor day, each with its own ticket.
Is there a minimum commitment?
No contract length is required. A standing pickup continues until you ask to pause or stop it, and seasonal pauses are common in winter.
Reel words on this page
- Returnable reel
- A reel its maker expects back, usually stencilled or tagged to say so.
- Reel tag
- The label or plate carrying the maker, the reel number and sometimes the return terms.
- One-way reel
- A reel nobody is collecting. Once empty, it belongs to whoever holds it.
- Flange
- The round side discs that hold the cable in. Flange diameter, edge to edge, is the size a reel is known by.
- Payoff
- The stand or trailer a reel turns on while cable is pulled off it.
Request a pickup or quote
Work order received
- Reference
- Request
Next we read what you sent, sort the reels by tag and condition, and come back with what we buy, where returnables go, and a pickup day for your corridor. If it helps, reply with a photo of the stack and the reel tags.