Top Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling Suppliers in the U.S.

Every steel mill in the country depends on it. So does every foundry, every pipe manufacturer, and every rebar producer. Scrap metal is the feedstock that keeps a significant share of U.S. metals production running, and the companies that collect, process, and wholesale it occupy a position in the industrial supply chain that most people never think about until the supply tightens. 

The U.S. scrap iron & metal recycling sector is among the oldest and most geographically concentrated in American manufacturing, with a Midwest-heavy footprint, companies averaging more than six decades in business, and facilities that tend to be substantially larger than those in most other industrial categories. This article examines the current state of the industry using data collected directly from U.S. scrap metal suppliers, explores the key trends shaping the sector in 2026, and highlights the largest companies and top suppliers serving buyers and processors across the country.

Key Facts on U.S. Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling Suppliers

MNI, compiler and publisher of industrial business profiles for the U.S. industrial sector and the informational engine behind IndustryNet, directly collects key data points on this essential industry. The following are key findings drawn from MNI's direct, company-by-company verification of U.S. scrap iron & metal recycling suppliers.

• There are currently 93 scrap iron & metal recycling suppliers listed on IndustryNet.
• Companies in this sector employ nearly 2,000 workers across verified locations in the MNI dataset.
• Roughly 29% of suppliers distribute internationally, one of the higher international distribution rates in this series, consistent with the global nature of scrap metal commodity markets.
• About 8% of suppliers import raw materials from outside the United States.
• The average scrap metal facility operates out of approximately 307,000 square feet, reflecting the land-intensive nature of scrap yard operations.
• The average U.S. scrap metal company has been in business for 65 years, with a median founding year of 1975.
• 26.5% of suppliers hold ISO certifications, with ISO 14001 environmental management certifications appearing prominently alongside ISO 9001.
• Women-owned businesses represent approximately 4% of the sector.
• The Midwest dominates the industry's geographic footprint, accounting for 65% of all suppliers. The South follows at 22%, with the West and Northeast each at roughly 6%.

What Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling Suppliers Do

Scrap iron & metal recycling companies collect, sort, process, and redistribute ferrous and nonferrous metal materials that have reached the end of their original useful life. The finished product of that process, processed scrap, is sold as a raw material input to steel mills, foundries, smelters, and other metals manufacturers that use it to produce new metal products.

The work spans a wide range of material types and sources. Ferrous scrap, which includes iron and steel, is the highest-volume category and comes from end-of-life automobiles, industrial equipment, structural steel, appliances, and manufacturing offcuts. Nonferrous scrap covers aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, stainless steel, and precious metals, which typically command higher prices per ton than ferrous material and require separate processing and sorting. Some yards handle both categories; others specialize.

Core operations at a scrap yard typically include collection and intake, sorting by material type and grade, shredding and shearing to reduce material to processable sizes, baling and bundling for transport, and quality grading before sale. Many larger processors also operate fleets of vehicles and roll-off containers to collect material directly from industrial customers, demolition sites, and municipalities. Some companies add wire processing, electronics recycling, and end-of-life vehicle dismantling to their service offerings.

The customers for processed scrap include electric arc furnace steel mills, which depend on scrap as their primary raw material input, as well as integrated steel mills that use scrap to supplement iron ore-based production, aluminum smelters, copper refiners, and a range of foundry operations. Export markets, particularly in Asia and Europe, have historically been significant buyers of U.S.-origin scrap, which helps explain the relatively high international distribution rate in this sector.

Largest Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling Companies in the U.S.

About the Largest Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling Companies in the U.S.

The following companies represent the largest scrap iron & metal recycling suppliers in the United States by workforce size. Three of the ten entries are separate facilities of Alter Trading Corp., reflecting the company's multi-location regional footprint in the Midwest. Their collective scale reflects the land, capital, and operational infrastructure required to process and move scrap metal commodities at volume.

OmniSource, LLC
Fort Wayne, IN | 298 Employees

Founded in 1943, OmniSource operates from a 350,000-square-foot facility and serves as the headquarters and wholesale operation for a major recycled scrap and secondary metals business with national reach. Holding ISO 9002 certification and reporting annual sales of $1.8 billion, the company is one of the largest scrap metal processors in the country and a significant supplier to the steel industry.

Alter Trading Corp.
Milwaukee, WI | 160 Employees

Established in 1903, Alter Trading Corp. operates its corporate headquarters in Milwaukee and serves as the parent operation for one of the Midwest's most established scrap metal networks. Holding ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 certifications and distributing internationally, the company processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap from junk automobiles, appliances, and household items including iron, steel, brass, bronze, and copper across multiple facilities.

EMR (Southern Recycling)
Metairie, LA | 140 Employees

Founded in 1940, EMR Southern Recycling operates as a wholesaler of metal waste and scrap with international distribution reach, serving industrial and commercial customers across the Gulf Coast region and beyond. The company's long operating history and regional concentration reflect the industrial character of the Louisiana and Gulf South market.

Sadoff Iron & Metal Co.
Fond du Lac, WI | 125 Employees

Established in 1964, Sadoff Iron & Metal operates from an 880,000-square-foot facility and combines recycled scrap iron wholesaling with materials reclaimed from recycled end-of-life electronics. Holding ISO 9001:2000 certification and distributing internationally, the company serves industrial customers with a dual focus on ferrous metals and the growing e-scrap recovery market.

GII, LLC
Chicago, IL | 100 Employees

Founded in 1955, GII operates as a scrap metal recycler serving the regional Chicago market from its Illinois base. The company's seven decades of operation in one of the country's most active industrial corridors reflect the depth of relationships and local market knowledge that define the regional scrap business.

Alter Trading Corp.
Rockford, IL | 80 Employees

The Rockford facility of Alter Trading Corp., established in 1906, operates from a 1,000,000-square-foot site and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap from end-of-life automobiles, appliances, and household items including iron, steel, brass, bronze, and copper. Holding ISO 9001:2008 certification, the facility serves the regional manufacturing market in northern Illinois.

Belson Steel Center, Inc.
Bourbonnais, IL | 70 Employees

Founded in 2001, Belson Steel Center operates as a wholesaler and broker of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, with processing capabilities and reported annual sales of $50 million. The company imports materials and serves a regional customer base from its Illinois location, representing a newer entrant in a sector otherwise dominated by companies with multi-decade histories.

Eco-Cycle, Inc.
Boulder, CO | 67 Employees

Established in 1976, Eco-Cycle operates from a 450,000-square-foot facility in Boulder and focuses on recycled paper and scrap metals reclaimed from books and electronics, serving a regional market with a mission-driven approach to materials recovery. The company occupies a distinct niche within the broader scrap sector, combining traditional metal recycling with electronics and paper recovery.

Commercial Metals Co.
Chattanooga, TN | 60 Employees

Founded in 1915, the Chattanooga facility of Commercial Metals Co. operates as a publicly traded recycled scrap metal wholesaler serving national customers. The location is one of many operated by a company with more than a century of history in the metals industry, representing the regional presence of a major national metals enterprise.

Alter Trading Corp.
Peoria, IL | 58 Employees

The Peoria facility of Alter Trading Corp., established in 1906, processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap from end-of-life automobiles, appliances, and household items, operating under the Behr Iron & Steel and Joseph Behr & Sons brand names and holding ISO 9001 certification. The facility serves the central Illinois manufacturing market as part of Alter's broader Midwest network.

IndustryNet's Top Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling Suppliers

Beyond the largest processors, a network of regional and specialized scrap metal companies serves industrial buyers, manufacturers, and the broader recycling market with local collection infrastructure, niche material expertise, and the operational flexibility that comes from deep community and industry ties. Many of these suppliers have served their regional markets for generations.

• SA Recycling, LLC (Decatur, AL): SA Recycling operates as a full-service ferrous and nonferrous metal recycler and processor, serving industrial and commercial customers in the Southeast with collection, processing, and wholesale capabilities.

• Alliance Recycling Group (Minneapolis, MN): Alliance Recycling Group focuses on steel and scrap recycling, serving the Upper Midwest market from its Minneapolis base with ferrous and nonferrous metal recovery services.

• MIMCO (Montgomery, AL): MIMCO provides scrap metal processing services to industrial and commercial customers in central Alabama, operating as a regional processor in a state with a significant automotive and manufacturing supply chain.

• Sabel Steel, Scrap Metal Division (Montgomery, AL): Sabel Steel's scrap metal division combines steel service center operations with scrap recycling, rebar fabrication, and engineering services, giving customers access to both raw material recovery and finished steel products from a single source.

• A & W Iron & Metal, Inc. (Kewaskum, WI): A & W Iron & Metal buys and processes recyclable metals and nonferrous materials, serving Wisconsin manufacturers and industrial customers with local collection and processing capabilities.

• Brown's Aluminum & Catalytic Converters (Somerville, AL): Brown's specializes in purchasing scrap metals and end-of-life vehicles, with a particular focus on aluminum and catalytic converter recovery, serving customers in northern Alabama and surrounding markets

• Cozzi Recycling, LLC (Bellwood, IL): Cozzi Recycling provides scrap metal recycling services from its Bellwood, Illinois, location, serving industrial and commercial customers in the greater Chicago metropolitan area.

• Stratton Metals, LLC (Richmond, VA): In business since 1887, Stratton Metals brings nearly 140 years of recycling history to the Virginia market, providing wire processing, nonferrous metal wholesaling, and roll-off container service for commercial and industrial customers.

• Allied Scrap Processors, Inc. (Lakeland, FL): Allied Scrap Processors operates as a scrap metal wholesaler serving industrial and commercial customers in central Florida, providing material recovery and processing services for the region's manufacturing and construction sectors.

• Sims Metal (Chicago, IL and Sparks, NV): With facilities in Chicago and Sparks, Nevada, Sims Metal processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap alongside electronic waste, with specialization in bus, railcar, and aluminum trailer recycling and stainless steel operations, serving customers in both the Midwest and Mountain West regions.

• Steel Etc. (Great Falls, MT): Steel Etc. specializes in new, used, and surplus steel and aluminum products alongside recycling solutions, serving customers in Montana and the broader Mountain West with a combined materials supply and scrap recovery offering.

Key Trends in Scrap Iron & Metal Recycling in 2026

1. Electric Arc Furnace Expansion Driving Scrap Demand

The continued growth of electric arc furnace steelmaking in the United States is one of the most significant structural tailwinds for the domestic scrap metal industry. EAF steel production uses scrap as its primary raw material input, and as new EAF capacity comes online and existing mills expand, demand for high-quality processed scrap is rising accordingly. Scrap processors positioned near EAF operations or capable of meeting the quality specifications those mills require are finding themselves well situated as this transition accelerates.

2. Tariffs and Trade Policy Creating Market Volatility

Scrap metal is a globally traded commodity, and shifts in trade policy have direct and immediate effects on pricing, export volumes, and domestic supply dynamics. Recent tariff activity affecting steel and aluminum imports has altered the competitive landscape for domestic scrap buyers, in some cases tightening supply for export-oriented processors and in others creating new opportunities for domestic-focused operations. Scrap yards with diverse customer bases spanning both domestic mills and export channels are better positioned to absorb policy-driven market swings.

3. Nonferrous Recovery Growing in Importance

Aluminum, copper, and other nonferrous metals command significantly higher prices per ton than ferrous scrap and are increasingly important revenue contributors for processors that handle mixed material streams. Growth in electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, and consumer electronics is expanding the volume of nonferrous materials entering the scrap stream, while also shifting the composition of end-of-life material that yards are receiving. Processors with the equipment and expertise to efficiently sort, clean, and grade nonferrous material are capturing a larger share of the value in the materials they handle.

4. End-of-Life EV Batteries Creating New Challenges and Opportunities

As the first generation of mass-market electric vehicles approaches the end of its useful life, scrap processors are beginning to grapple with the challenge of handling high-voltage lithium-ion battery packs. These batteries require specialized handling, storage, and processing protocols that differ significantly from conventional automotive recycling. Early movers in battery recycling and materials recovery stand to benefit as this material stream grows, but the capital investment and safety requirements are substantial barriers to entry for smaller operations.

5. Environmental Compliance Raising Operating Costs

Scrap yards operate in a heavily regulated environment, and ongoing tightening of environmental standards around stormwater management, air emissions from shredder operations, and the handling of hazardous materials is adding to operating costs across the sector. The relatively high ISO 14001 certification rate in this industry reflects both genuine environmental commitment and the practical reality that large industrial customers and regulators increasingly expect documented environmental management systems. Smaller yards that lack the resources to invest in compliance infrastructure face growing pressure.

6. Consolidation Continuing Among Regional Operators

The scrap metal industry has been consolidating for decades, with large national and regional platforms acquiring family-owned yards as founding generations retire. That trend is continuing, driven by the capital intensity of modern processing equipment, the value of geographic density in collection networks, and private equity interest in commodity-adjacent businesses. Independent operators with strong local relationships, established customer bases, and well-maintained facilities remain attractive acquisition targets, but the competitive landscape for mid-sized operators is becoming more crowded as larger platforms expand their footprints.

7. Infrastructure and Demolition Activity Supporting Near-Term Supply

Federal and state infrastructure investment, ongoing commercial construction activity, and a wave of industrial facility upgrades are generating significant volumes of structural steel and ferrous scrap that are working their way through the supply chain. Demolition contractors and industrial customers generating large quantities of obsolete equipment are active sources of inbound material for processors in markets with heavy infrastructure activity. This dynamic is expected to support scrap supply volumes through the near term, even as longer-cycle collection sources such as end-of-life vehicles remain subject to inventory fluctuations.

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About This Data

MNI collects detailed information firsthand, making direct contact with each industrial company in the U.S. to verify multiple data points about their business. This data powers IndustryNet, an industrial sourcing platform connecting buyers with suppliers across thousands of product categories, and IndustrySelect, which offers real-time access to detailed company and executive profiles for sales, marketing, recruiting, and research.