River Metals Recycling

What River Metals Recycling does

River Metals Recycling (RMR) is a privately held scrap metal recycler headquartered in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, and a wholly owned subsidiary of The David J. Joseph Company (DJJ), itself part of Nucor Corporation's family of companies since 2008. Founded in 1998 through the consolidation of the Klempner Brothers yard, River City Baling, River City Shredding (all Louisville, KY), and DJJ's Henderson and Newport, KY yards, RMR today operates 18 recycling facilities across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama, and is described as the largest scrap recycler in Kentucky and the greater Cincinnati area. Its asset base includes four automobile shredders, one aluminum shredder, balers, shears, mobile shearing equipment, torch processing stations, auto crushers, an extensive truck fleet, certified scales, and patented on-line bulk scrap analyzers used to certify scrap chemistry for buyers.

RMR purchases and processes ferrous scrap (iron, steel, end-of-life vehicles), non-ferrous scrap (aluminum, copper, brass, wire), and electronic scrap (cell phones, computers, hard drives), serving two primary customer segments: individual consumers selling household scrap for immediate cash payment, and business and industrial clients (manufacturing plants, construction companies, auto wreckers) requiring container services, transportation, mobile car crushing and baling, demolition, dismantling, and railcar and barge processing. The company also runs the MyScrapInfo.com customer portal for industrial account management and dispatches mobile service crews across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Six facilities hold OSHA SHARP safety certification, and RMR has received the Nucor President's Safety Award and Kentucky Governor's Safety and Health Award, reinforcing its preferred-vendor positioning with regulated industrial counterparties.

RMR generates revenue on a transactional basis: market-rate cash purchases from individual scrap sellers (paid via on-site ATM) and service-fee arrangements with industrial clients for logistics, container rental, demolition, and specialized processing. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies with commodity market conditions. As a vertically integrated supplier inside the Nucor/DJJ scrap ecosystem—alongside sister affiliates Advantage Metals Recycling, Trademark Metals Recycling, Western Metals Recycling, Texas Port Recycling, Metal Recycling Services, and Gemini Recycling—RMR benefits from corporate backing, capital access, and a captive offtake channel to Nucor's steel mills, while operating with operational independence in regional scrap procurement and processing.

Name

River Metals Recycling

Legal name

River Metals Recycling, LLC

Website

https://rmrecycling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

River Metals Recycling is a privately held scrap metal recycler operating 18 facilities across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama. It purchases and processes ferrous, non-ferrous, and electronic scrap from individual consumers and industrial clients as a wholly owned subsidiary of Nucor-affiliated The David J. Joseph Company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scrap Metal Recycling

NAICS

Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing (3314), Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum (331314)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

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), Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Steel/Iron) (EUAIAJAA), E-Waste & Electronics Metal Recovery (ITAD, Circuit Boards, Precious Metal Recovery) (IMAKAMAG), Industrial & Manufacturing Scrap Recycling (Factory Scrap, Turnings, Offcuts) (IMAKAMAE), Auto Shredding & Metal Fragmentation (Shredder Operations) (EUAIAJAD)

Keywords

• Scrap metal recycling
• Ferrous metal processing
• Non-ferrous recycling
• Industrial demolition services
• Electronic waste recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Erlanger

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Scrap Metal Purchase and Processing: RMR purchases ferrous scrap (iron, steel, autos that stick to magnets), non-ferrous scrap (aluminum, copper, brass, wire), e-scrap, and end-of-life vehicles from individuals and businesses, processes the materials at their facilities using shredders and balers, and sells the processed scrap to steel mills and manufacturers.
2. Industrial Scrap Management Services: Provides container services, transportation, mobile crushing, mobile baling, demolition, dismantling, and railcar processing for industrial clients. Revenue from service fees for logistics and specialized equipment operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

River Metals Recycling (RMR) purchases ferrous scrap (iron, steel, autos), non-ferrous scrap (aluminum, copper, brass, wire), electronic scrap, and end-of-life vehicles from individuals and businesses at 18 facilities across the Midwest. The company processes the scrap using shredders, balers, shears, mobile shearing, torch processing, auto crushers, and certified scales, then sells processed scrap to steel mills and manufacturers. Industrial clients additionally receive container services, transportation, mobile crushing, mobile baling, demolition, dismantling, and railcar processing.

Product overview

River Metals Recycling (RMR) operates as the largest scrap recycler in Kentucky and the greater Cincinnati area, offering a unified platform of recycling services through 18 facilities across five states. The core offering centers on purchasing and processing ferrous metals (iron, steel, autos), nonferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass, wire), and electronic scrap from household sellers, businesses, and industrial clients. Key services include household scrap purchasing, E-Scrap recycling, end-of-life vehicle acquisition with mobile crushing, industrial scrap management, demolition and dismantling services (railcar and barge), transportation and container services, and certified scale transactions. The company operates four automobile shredders, an aluminum shredder, balers, shears, mobile shearing equipment, torch processing, auto crushers, and an extensive truck fleet. Customer-facing tools include MyScrapInfo.com for account management and proprietary bulk scrap analyzers for chemistry certification. RMR is wholly owned by The David J. Joseph Company, which is part of Nucor's family of companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Household Scrap Cash purchase of household ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal from individual sellers at RMR facilities; paid immediately via ATM.
• Electronic Scrap (E-Scrap) Purchase and recycling of electronic waste including cell phones, computers, hard drives, and laptops from individuals and businesses.
• End of Life Vehicles Cash purchase of end-of-life vehicles (cars, trucks, lawnmowers) from individuals and auto wreckers, including mobile car crushing services.
• Industrial Scrap Management Comprehensive scrap management for businesses including mobile car crushing, industrial demolition, containers and transportation, and certified scale transactions.
• Mobile Baling Services Mobile baling crews operating across the Midwest using mobile baling equipment for ecologically sound metal recycling for public and private sector clients.
• Demolition and Dismantling Services Custom plant demolition, railcar dismantling (100+ railcars/month capacity), and barge cutting using cranes, torches, and shears for industrial clients.
• Transportation and Container Services Dispatch and container services providing roll-off containers (10-65 yard sizes), specialty containers, and reliable scrap shipment from customer facilities to recycling plants.
• MyScrapInfo.com Customer Portal Online customer account portal providing account information including past trips and weights for industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Keeps scrap metal out of landfills and reuses precious resources
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The David J. Joseph Company (DJJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDJJ is the parent company that wholly owns River Metals Recycling, LLC. DJJ, established in 1885, is one of the USA's largest scrap metal companies providing brokerage, recycling, and transportation services.
• Advantage Metals RecyclingminorOthersSister affiliate company under DJJ/Nucor. Operates scrap metal recycling facilities across Missouri and Kansas.
• Gemini RecyclingminorOthersSister affiliate company under DJJ/Nucor. Provides complete scrap management services for companies of all sizes.
• Metal Recycling ServicesminorOthersSister affiliate company under DJJ/Nucor. Operates scrap metal recycling facilities throughout North Carolina.
• Texas Port RecyclingminorOthersSister affiliate company under DJJ/Nucor. Operates scrap metal recycling facilities throughout Texas.
• Trademark Metals RecyclingminorOthersSister affiliate company under DJJ/Nucor. Operates scrap metal recycling facilities throughout Florida.
• Western Metals RecyclingminorOthersSister affiliate company under DJJ/Nucor. Operates scrap metal recycling facilities across Utah, Colorado and Nevada.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trademark Metals Recycling: Sister affiliate under DJJ/Nucor operating scrap metal recycling facilities throughout Florida. Most directly comparable to RMR as a sister platform with identical parent ownership, service mix (ferrous/non-ferrous, industrial, household), and operating model — different geography.
• Advantage Metals Recycling: Sister affiliate under DJJ/Nucor operating scrap metal recycling facilities across Missouri and Kansas. Same parent, same service offering (ferrous, non-ferrous, industrial, demolition), regional U.S. scrap recycler — directly comparable operating model.
• Metal Recycling Services: Sister affiliate under DJJ/Nucor operating scrap metal recycling facilities throughout North Carolina. Identical business model and ownership to RMR; commercial operations are even jointly managed (shared Commercial Manager).
• SA Recycling: One of the largest independent ferrous and non-ferrous scrap recyclers in the U.S., operating yards across the Southeast and Midwest. Direct competitor for industrial scrap, end-of-life vehicles, and mill supply in overlapping geographies.
• Texas Port Recycling: Sister affiliate under DJJ/Nucor operating scrap metal recycling facilities throughout Texas. Identical operating model, services, and ownership — directly comparable to RMR as a regional DJJ platform.
• Western Metals Recycling: Sister affiliate under DJJ/Nucor operating scrap metal recycling facilities across Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. Same parent and service offering, focused on the Mountain West region.

Broad incumbents

• Schnitzer Steel Industries: Publicly traded (NASDAQ: SCHN) ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal recycler with auto parts and steel mill operations across the U.S. Operates as a much larger, broadly diversified platform that competes with RMR on regional ferrous supply and downstream mill demand.
• The David J. Joseph Company: Direct parent company of RMR, established 1885, and one of the largest U.S. scrap metal brokerages, recyclers, and transportation providers. Operates the affiliate network (RMR, Trademark, Advantage, etc.) — comparable on every dimension but at a corporate/brokerage level.
• Nucor Corporation: Ultimate parent company (Fortune 120) and the largest EAF steel producer in the U.S. RMR's largest off-taker and strategic anchor — Nucor's vertical integration into scrap supply directly contextualizes RMR's role in the value chain.

Emerging players

• Cohen Metals Group: Regional ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal recycler with yards across the Midwest and Mid-South. Smaller and privately held, but competes for industrial and household scrap in geographies overlapping with RMR's footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RiverMetalsRecycling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/river-metals-recycling/jobs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 River Metals Recycling