Shearing is the process of cutting oversized scrap metal — car bodies, structural beams, plate steel, large tanks — into smaller, manageable pieces using an industrial hydraulic shear. Shearing is essential because export furnaces require scrap to meet specific size specifications (typically under 1.5 metres). Material that is too large to fit the shear is first reduced using oxy-acetylene torches or mechanical processors. At Auckland scrap yards including endless metals, shearing is a continuous yard operation that transforms bulky ferrous scrap into export-ready product. Sheared steel is then either baled or loaded loose into shipping containers for export.