Radius Recycling, Inc. (formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries) is a scrap recycling and steel manufacturing company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. The company operates auto parts recycling, metal recycling, and steel manufacturing with locations in 26 states and two Canadian provinces, as well as Puerto Rico.[1] The company recycles vehicles, rail cars, home appliances, industrial machinery, and scrap.[1] The company has 103 recycling facilities including the Pick-n-Pull auto parts recycling chain with 50 locations and 53 metals recycling facilities.[1] Steel manufacturing is through the Cascade Steel Rolling Mills plant in McMinnville, Oregon.[1] The company was acquired by Toyota Tsusho in July 2025.
History
The company was founded as Alaska Junk Company by Russian immigrant Sam Schnitzer in 1906 as a one-person scrap metal recycler.[2] Between 1947 and 1950, his son Harold Schnitzer worked at the company.[3]
In 1984, the company bought Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, who operated a steel mill in McMinnville, Oregon.[4] Schnitzer purchased eight service centers from U.S. Steel in 1986 for its Metra Steel subsidiary.[5] In 1993, Schnitzer Steel became a public company via an initial public offering.[6]
In January 2003, the company acquired Pick-n-Pull, a chain of automobile scrap yards where consumers can obtain autoparts from scrapped vehicles.[7]
In October 2005, it acquired GreenLeaf Auto Recyclers,[8] which was sold in 2009,[9] and Regional Recycling, a metals recycling business with 10 locations in the Southeastern United States.[10]
In December 2006, the company acquired Advanced Recycling.[11][12]
In December 2007, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged former chairman and CEO Robert Philip for violating bribery laws as part of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in relation to dealings with Chinese steel mills.[13][14]
Tamara Lundgren became the chief executive officer, and John Carter became chairman in November 2008.[15]
In January 2010, the Schnitzer family sold their shares such that their ownership in the company fell below 20%.[16]
In April 2010, the company acquired Golden Recycling & Salvage, a recycling company in Billings, Montana.[17]
In January 2011, the company acquired State Line Scrap, a recycling company in Attleboro, Massachusetts.[18][19] In February 2011, it acquired Ferrill's Auto Parts of Seattle.[20]
In 2013, the company moved its headquarters to the KOIN Tower in downtown Portland, Oregon.[21]
The company changed its name to Radius Recycling in July 2023.[22]
In July 2025, the company was acquired by Toyota Tsusho for $1.3 billion.[23]
See also
- List of companies based in Oregon
- List of steel producers
External links
References
- Radius Recycling, Inc. 2024 Form 10-K Annual Report U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, October 24, 2024^
- History Radius Recycling, retrieved November 19, 2025^
- Paid Notice: Deaths Schnitzer, Harold J. The New York Times, May 15, 2011^
- Cascade Steel The New York Times, September 18, 1984^
- USX sold eight of its service centers in the West. Los Angeles Times, October 27, 1986^
- Sherri Buri. Heaps of Junk Metal Bringing Piles of Cash to Company Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1996^
- Schnitzer to Acquire 100% of an Industry Leading Auto Dismantler Business Wire, January 10, 2003^
- Schnitzer Steel Completes Separation with Hugo Neu Association for Iron and Steel Technology, October 4, 2005^
- LKQ Corporation Acquires Greenleaf Auto Recyclers, LLC From Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. and Sells Some of Its Retail Oriented Self-Service Recycling Businesses GlobeNewswire, October 2, 2009^
- Schnitzer Steel Completes its Acquisition of Regional Recycling Steel Orbis, November 1, 2005^
- Schnitzer Steel Completes Acquisition of Advanced Recycling Association for Iron and Steel Technology, December 19, 2006^
- Schnitzer Steel acquires Advanced Recycling American City Business Journals, August 16, 2006^
- SEC Charges Former Chairman/CEO of Schnitzer Steel for Authorizing Cash Bribes to Foreign Officials U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, December 13, 2007^
- Brad Kenney. Scrapping With the Chinese: Schnitzer Steel Industries IndustryWeek, March 5, 2008^
- Anne Saker. Schnitzer Steel names new CEO American City Business Journals, November 4, 2008^
- Brent Hunsberger. Schnitzer family sells stock, loses control of steel company The Oregonian, January 27, 2010^
- Schnitzer buys Golden Recycling, terms undisclosed The San Diego Union-Tribune, April 19, 2010^
- Schnitzer Acquires State Line Scrap Association for Iron and Steel Technology, January 5, 2011^
- Robert Goldfield. Schnitzer Steel buys State Line Scrap American City Business Journals, January 4, 2011^
- Schnitzer Steel buys Seattle firm American City Business Journals, February 1, 2011^
- Andy Giegerich. Schnitzer Steel moving HQ to downtown Portland American City Business Journals, February 6, 2013^
- Elliot Njus. Schnitzer Steel scraps name in rebranding The Oregonian, July 26, 2023^
- Toyota Tsusho Completes Stock Acquisition of Radius Recycling Inc. Toyota Tsusho, July 11, 2025^