With all the reports and negative publicity Northern Metals Recycling has received in the last month, NMR COO Scott Helberg decided to open the doors to the new facility (literally) — presenting an opportunity for skeptics and curious neighbors to learn about the new facility and ask any questions of the company to Helberg and Plant Manager Jake Hansen.

About a dozen or so people — some critics,  some doubters and some supporters — arrived at the still-being-constructed premises south of Hwy. 10 to hear from the head guy at NMR and find out for themselves whether Becker is making the right or wrong move in bringing the highly-controversial company to Sherburne County.

Rep. Shane Mekeland, along with Becker Mayor Tracy Bertram, City Administrator Greg Pruszinske and Council Member Mike Doering, came along on the tour to address the questions and get a feel for how the plant will look when it opens its doors in the near future.

Members of the Gilyard family were in attendance as well as business owners Joe and Stephanie Gruenes. Ryan Hubbard of Hubbard Electric was amongst the crowd as well as citizens Robin Dingmann, Lori Keller and Robert Clifford.

Helberg explained how the trucks loaded with material and unloaded ones will enter and leave the grounds of the facility. He pointed out that since the city began construction on a road on the south side of the railroad tracks from Hancock Ave. to Co. Rd. 8, he foresees very little, if any, traffic from the big rigs traveling along Hwy. 10. Trucks arriving from the south (Hwy. 94 in Monticello), will travel along Co. Rd. 11 off Hwy. 25 and turn left at Sherburne Ave.

Helberg described the entry points for the trucks and the stops at the site they will need to adhere to. NMR has weigh stations with sensors being built to make sure only proper materials are entering the facility and no hazardous matter.

Helberg guided the tourists to the south side of the property where numerous components to the facility wait on the tarmac to be installed. He pointed out where certain materials will reside (indoors) until semi-trucks are sequestered to fill up and transport to the Vonco II landfill.

Helberg and Anderson directed the visitors to the center of the facility where the gigantic shredder is being constructed as well as its enclosure. Anderson brought some of the guests up the stairs to the mid-platform to show the engine that drives the shredder and told them they will be able to shred an entire vehicle in four seconds flat.

All the materials from the vehicles will then ride along a conveyor belt into the sorting building where automated machines separate the materials. Magnets are used to pull out the precious metals and other machines are designed to isolate and partition other materials and send them along divided shuttles.

He pointed out where on the property the new rail line from BNSF will originate and explained how all materials that come in to NMR via truck, go out via rail.

NMR is still weeks, maybe months away from being fully operational, but  one could sense Helberg and his employees are excited to break in the new facility.

And it appeared those in the crowd who may have been hesitant to throw their support to the business, walked away having all their questions answered and satisfied.