RMG

What RMG does

Reserve Management Group (RMG) is a privately held, Chicago- and Stow, Ohio-co-headquartered scrap metal recycling company founded in 1991, operating 11 facilities across Ohio, Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ontario. The company processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap metals through a family of specialized subsidiaries, including Southside Recycling (Chicago, 175-acre shredding campus built at $80M+ cost), Reserve Iron Ohio (Canton), Reserve Alloys (Twinsburg, aluminum processing), Auburn Metal Processing (dense media separation), Resource Reclamation Toledo (auto shredder residue recovery), Napuck Salvage and Supply/Waupaca (Wisconsin ferrous), Reserve Marine Terminals (Calumet River stevedoring and warehousing), South Shore Recycling, Windy City Iron and Metal (Chicago retail), and Reserve Transport. Core technology comprises mechanical shredding, density separation, eddy current separation, and dense media separation systems, with proprietary capability in auto shredder residue (ASR) recovery and advanced pollution control equipment positioned as best-in-class among Midwest shredders.

RMG generates revenue primarily through the buy-sell spread on processed scrap: purchasing ferrous and nonferrous metals from industrial suppliers, retail walk-in sellers, and scrap generators, processing them into finished grades (e.g., aluminum twitch, zorba, heavies, aluminum deox, foundry steel, blast furnace iron), and selling to steel mills, foundries, and aluminum manufacturers. The company runs a dual go-to-market motion — long-term enterprise supply contracts with steel mills and aluminum producers paired with retail cash-for-scrap operations serving individuals, contractors, plumbers, and electricians at certified-scale yards. Adjacent revenue streams include brokerage, transportation/freight (truck, rail, barge, ocean vessel), and stevedoring/warehousing at the Calumet River marine terminal. Pricing is driven by competitive commodity scrap market rates; the company is described as price-taker with margins derived from processing efficiency and logistics integration.

Name

RMG

Legal name

Reserve Management Group

Website

https://reserve-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

RMG is a privately held, Midwestern scrap metal recycler founded in 1991, operating 11 facilities across six states and provinces that process ferrous and nonferrous metals for steel mills, foundries, aluminum producers, and retail sellers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scrap Metal Recycling

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (5621), Warehousing and Storage (4931), Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330)

akta.pro primary industry

Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Aluminum, Copper, Brass/Bronze, Lead, Zinc, Nickel) (IMAKAMAB), Scrap Metal Collection, Logistics & Aggregation (Yards, Roll-off, Container Programs) (IMAKAMAK), Scrap Metal Export/Import & Trading (International Sourcing, Compliance, Documentation) (IMAKAMAL), E-Waste & Electronics Metal Recovery (ITAD, Circuit Boards, Precious Metal Recovery) (IMAKAMAG), Industrial & Manufacturing Scrap Recycling (Factory Scrap, Turnings, Offcuts) (IMAKAMAE)

Keywords

• Scrap metal recycling
• Ferrous scrap processing
• Nonferrous metals recycling
• Auto shredder residue recovery
• Marine terminal stevedoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Scrap Metal Trading (Buy and Sell): RMG purchases ferrous and nonferrous scrap metals from suppliers, processes the materials, and sells them to steel mills, foundries, and aluminum manufacturers. Revenue is generated through the margin between purchase price and sale price of processed metals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

RMG purchases, processes, and sells ferrous and nonferrous scrap metals through 11 specialized facilities across 6 U.S. states and Ontario, with core capabilities in handling hard-to-recycle material streams including automotive shredder residue (ASR). The company also provides stevedoring, warehousing, and marine terminal services via its Reserve Marine Terminals subsidiary on Chicago's Calumet River, complemented by brokerage and multimodal transportation services.

Product overview

RMG is a family of distinct but related businesses engaged in ferrous metals recycling, nonferrous metals recycling, and related services, operating 11 facilities across 6 states and provinces (Ohio, Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ontario). The company operates through subsidiary brands including Auburn Metal Processing (mixed metals separation), Napuck Salvage and Supply, Napuck Salvage of Waupaca, Reserve Alloys (aluminum recycling), Reserve Iron Ohio, Reserve Marine Terminals, Resource Reclamation Toledo, Southside Recycling, South Shore Recycling, Windy City Iron and Metal, and Reserve Transport. Core services include ferrous scrap handling and processing, nonferrous scrap handling and processing, and stevedoring/warehousing/marine terminal services. Additional offerings include brokerage services leveraging their North American supplier/consumer network, and transportation/freight services via owned fleet and third-party carriers. While each business unit functions independently, RMG's integrated structure creates synergies, cost reductions, and operational efficiencies passed along to customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ferrous Scrap Handling and Processing Processing and handling of ferrous (iron-containing) scrap metals including automotive scrap, steel mill byproducts, and various grades of iron scrap for steelmaking; delivered through specialized facilities including Reserve Iron Ohio, Napuck Salvage, and Southside Recycling for supply to major steel mills and foundries.
• Nonferrous Scrap Handling and Processing Processing and handling of nonferrous metals including aluminum, copper, brass, zinc, lead, and specialty alloys using mechanical shredding, eddy current separation, dense media separation, and other advanced sorting technologies, producing outputs such as aluminum deox, aluminum twitch, zorba, and heavies for steelmakers and secondary aluminum manufacturers.
• Stevedoring, Warehousing, and Marine Terminal Services Marine material handling services including loading, unloading, material storage, and value-added services through the Reserve Marine Terminals subsidiary, with access to a 4,000-foot dock on the Calumet River that supports ship, barge, rail, and truck modes for finished steel and bulk cargo customers.
• Auburn Metal Processing (Dense Media Separation) State-of-the-art dense media metals separation plant in Auburn, NY that recovers ferrous and nonferrous metals from mixed material streams, producing finished grades such as aluminum twitch, zorba, and heavies for domestic and international metal buyers.
• Napuck Salvage and Supply Premier scrap metal recycling center in Neenah, WI (680 Tullar Road) specializing in purchasing and processing industrial, retail, and obsolete ferrous scrap metals with on-site collection services for industrial suppliers and walk-in retail customers.
• Napuck Salvage of Waupaca Regional scrap recycling leader with locations in Waupaca, WI (255 Wendt Drive) and Chicago, specializing in buying and processing ferrous and nonferrous scrap, with particular focus on automotive engine blocks, auto cast, and foundry steel.
• Reserve Alloys (Aluminum Recycling) Aluminum scrap recycling facility in Twinsburg, OH utilizing mechanical shredding, screening, sorting, baling, shearing, and eddy current separation to produce aluminum deox and custom products for steelmaking and secondary aluminum manufacturing customers.
• Reserve Iron Ohio Ferrous scrap metal recycling specialist in Canton, OH strategically located near multiple major steel mills, processing and preparing all ferrous scrap grades and providing customized solutions to complex scrap management challenges for industrial customers.
• Reserve Marine Terminals Chicago-based metals recycler operating the Reserve Marine Terminals subsidiary, specializing in acquisition, processing, and marketing of recycled metals with stevedoring, warehousing, and marine terminal services on the Calumet River, including a 4,000-foot dock with full seaway draft for finished steel and bulk cargo clients.
• Resource Reclamation Toledo (ASR Recovery) Specialized metals recovery facility in Toledo, OH focused on recovery of ferrous and nonferrous metals from auto shredder residue (ASR) and other mixed material streams using advanced mechanical and density separation technologies, processing materials other recyclers cannot handle.
• Southside Recycling (Advanced Shredding) Advanced metal shredding facility on a 175-acre campus on Chicago's Southeast Side, built at a cost of more than $80 million, featuring state-of-the-art pollution control equipment that surpasses the emissions control chain found at any other shredding facility in the Midwest region, processing ferrous and nonferrous scrap for downstream customers.
• South Shore Recycling (Retail and Commercial Scrap Buying) Scrap metal recycling yard on Chicago's Southeast Side purchasing all grades of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal with certified scales and instant cash payments for retail and commercial customers including plumbers, electricians, and contractors.
• Windy City Iron and Metal (Retail Scrap Buying) Retail scrap metal buying and selling yard in Chicago (West Division Street) purchasing ferrous and nonferrous metals including sheet iron, appliances, copper, brass, aluminum, steel, lead, and zinc, offering cash payments with certified scales to walk-in retail sellers.
• Brokerage Services Brokerage services leveraging RMG's network of supplier and consumer relationships throughout North America, enabling partners to maximize returns by selling scrap where it makes the most economic sense across the company's geographic footprint.
• Transportation and Freight Services Multimodal shipping capabilities via truck, rail, barge, and ocean vessel, supported by an owned fleet of trucks, trailers, and railcars plus access to a third-party carrier network, providing integrated logistics solutions for RMG customers and partners.
• Reserve Transport Transportation subsidiary providing trucking services as part of RMG's integrated logistics capabilities, supporting the movement of ferrous and nonferrous scrap materials across the company's Midwestern and Northeastern operating geography.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces energy-intensive mining of virgin natural resources
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Radius Recycling (formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries): One of the largest publicly traded ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal recyclers in North America, operating shredders, retail yards, and export terminals. Directly comparable to RMG across the full scrap value chain from collection through processing to mill and export customers.
• SA Recycling: Major US non-ferrous and ferrous scrap metal recycler with extensive yard network and shredding operations across the Southeast and West Coast. Highly comparable mid-to-large private recycler competing for similar mill supply and obsolete scrap volumes.
• Ferrous Processing & Trading (FPT): Privately held Detroit-based scrap metal processor with strong ties to automotive and steel mill customers in the Midwest. Closely matches RMG's geographic Midwest focus, automotive scrap orientation, and mill-direct supply relationships.
• Cohen Recycling: Multi-state scrap metal recycler with shredding, shearing, and brokerage capabilities serving steel mills and foundries. Comparable operating model and customer base to RMG, particularly in the Midwest and Southeast US.
• Metalico: Scrap metal recycler operating shredders and non-ferrous processing facilities with focus on the Northeast and Midwest. Highly comparable in scale, asset profile, and customer mix to RMG's regional operations.
• OmniSource Corporation: Major Midwest scrap metal processor and subsidiary of Steel Dynamics, operating yards and shredders supplying ferrous scrap to SDI's flat-rolled and structural steel mills. Direct competitor for Midwest scrap supply with similar mill-customer model.

Broad incumbents

• Commercial Metals Company (CMC): Vertically integrated steel manufacturer with significant scrap recycling operations feeding its minimills. Comparable end markets and recycled metal supply chain, though broader scale and public-market steel exposure differentiate the business model from RMG's pure-recycling focus.
• Nucor Corporation: Largest US steel producer with substantial scrap purchasing operations and growing recycling footprint via its David J. Joseph Co. subsidiary. Key RMG customer competitor/comparable; broader steel manufacturing scope makes it an incumbent rather than direct peer.

Regional players

• EMR Group (European Metal Recycling): One of the world's largest metal recyclers with global shredder and export operations. Similar integrated model covering ferrous, non-ferrous, and marine logistics, though primarily serving European rather than North American customers.

Others

• David J. Joseph Company (DJJ): Nucor-owned scrap metal broker and processor handling sourcing, processing, and trading of ferrous scrap for Nucor mills. Adjacent comparable given shared mill-supply focus, though embedded within a larger steel manufacturer rather than independent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RMG