Scrap Theft & Leakage: Track, Secure, and Retain (Anonymized Case File)
Unaccounted material losses reduce margins and distort inventory. How tracking, access control, and process discipline reduced leakage and improved accountability.
Small losses scale quickly
Failure mode. Discrepancies emerged between recorded intake and export weights. Uncontrolled access, informal handling, and lack of tracking created opportunities for material loss across the yard.
Stabilize first. Restrict access points and assign controlled entry and exit procedures. Conduct an immediate inventory reconciliation to establish a baseline.
Track and verify. Introduce weight-based tracking at intake, movement, and dispatch stages. Use consistent recording methods to identify variance across the process.
Secure operations. Define controlled storage zones and monitor high-value materials. Implement basic surveillance and supervision at key handling points.
System correction. Establish accountability across handling stages and enforce documentation standards. Field rule: “If it is not recorded, it is not retained.”
Visibility protects value
Common Mistake
Untracked movement within the yard often causes more loss than external theft. Internal controls and consistent recording are the first line of defense.
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