Investment Recovery Then & Now: How a Century of Practice Points to What’s Next

A quick look back (so we can plan smarter)

• Early 1900s: Heavy industry (oil, rail, utilities) begins systematically tracking and selling used equipment and scrap—often managed at the plant level.

• Post-WWII: The Surplus Property Act catalyzes professional redistribution and disposal; surplus dealers and auctioneers expand; private firms adopt structured surplus programs (environment wasn’t yet center stage).

• 1960s–70s: Dedicated IR roles emerge as inflation, oil shocks, and recessions force cost discipline; leaders formalize redeploy/scrap/recycle decisions and add compliance oversight.

• 1980s–90s: The Investment Recovery Association forms (1981); best practices, certification, and benchmarking rise; regulations (e.g., RCRA) elevate IR’s role in compliance and sustainability; asset reuse/valuation becomes a reportable performance lever.

• 2000s: Online auctions, ERP connections, and global supply chains push IR into governance and risk management conversations.

• 2010s–2020s: IR becomes a pillar of circularity and ESG—prioritizing reuse, lifecycle asset management, and responsible decommissioning.

• Today: Digital-first IR—AI, analytics, and tighter regulatory expectations (e.g., e-waste rules, cross-border compliance). Programs now span data center and energy decommissions, complex plants, and global vendor ecosystems.

What this means for IR professionals right now

1. Build (or refresh) your IR business plan. Tie redeploy/recycle/resale decisions to measurable value, risk reduction, and sustainability metrics your CFO and ESG team already track.
2. Operationalize AI responsibly. Move beyond curiosity: identify a few high-ROI use cases (price discovery, vendor scoring, condition extraction from photos, smarter lotting) and pair them with policy/controls.
3. Harden metals revenue. Lock in upside with better material segregation, market-responsive contracts, and transparent fee structures.
4. Treat e-waste as a triple-line issue. Certs (R2/e-Stewards), auditable data-destruction, and chain-of-custody can unlock value and meet governance thresholds.
5. Make circular partnerships real. Tap local circular-economy hubs and regional partners to close loops on tough waste streams and to pilot reuse at scale.

Get “ahead of the curve” together in Westminster

Dates & place: September 21–24, 2025 • Westminster, Colorado. Official show page and attendee guide confirm the dates, venue, and agenda focus for IR practitioners.

Sessions built for hands-on value

• Economic outlook: “Monetary Masala” with Dr. Anirban Basu—what macro shifts mean for IR planning, budgets, and timing decisions.

• AI for IR (two-parter): A fast-moving overview plus a deeper, practical workshop to translate hype into safe, auditable workflows you can take home.

• Back to the basics: A refresh on the core processes, roles, and relationships that still drive the best results—ideal for new pros and as a reset for veterans.

• Developing an IR business plan: How to structure a case for headcount, equipment, or new initiatives that wins leadership support.

• Metals panel: Tactics to maximize revenue and align with sustainability reporting—segregation, vendor vetting, and tariff awareness.

• E-waste panel: Turn data-risk into value while meeting environmental obligations; what to require from vendors and how to prove it.

• New for members: IR ChatBot—your AI assistant for IR resources, events, and CMIR info.

Why it matters to invrecovery.org readers: This agenda directly tackles the real work of IR—turning idle assets into budget relief, proving ESG contributions with evidence, and running decommissions and disposals that stand up to audit and IT/security scrutiny. It’s built for practitioners who buy, sell, and manage surplus assets every day.

How to justify the trip (copy/paste for your approval memo)

• Business case: “Attending will directly support $X in targeted value recovery via metals/e-waste program upgrades and an IR business plan we can execute in Q4.”

• Risk reduction: “We will implement an auditable e-waste/vendor protocol aligned to recognized certifications and IT data-security controls.”

• Capability lift: “We’ll pilot 1–2 AI-assisted workflows (e.g., lot valuation and vendor scoring) under clear governance.”

• Networking: “Access to vendors and peers who actively process ~$20M/year in surplus—useful for benchmarking contract terms and KPIs.”

Make the most of it: what to bring and what to ask

• Bring: A current asset backlog (top 20 high-value items), your metals and e-waste contracts (fee schedules and adjustment clauses), and last year’s IR KPIs.

• Ask vendors: “Show where you’ve delivered audited value gains; walk me through your data-destruction evidence; how do your fees flex with market swings?”

• Plan a 30-60-90: Use the AI workshop and business-plan session to leave with 2 prioritized pilots and an approval pathway.

See you in Westminster: https://invrecovery.org/2025-show/

Let’s put a century of know-how to work on the next decade of value recovery, risk control, and circular outcomes—together, September 21–24 in Westminster.