Metal Exchange Corporation

What Metal Exchange Corporation does

Metal Exchange Corporation is a privately held, family-owned non-ferrous metals distributor, trader, and processor founded in 1974 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with wholly-owned offices in Shanghai and Zurich. The company buys, sells, trades, and processes aluminum and other non-ferrous metals across more than 28 countries on six continents, serving global manufacturers and industrial buyers in casting, engineering, extrusion, fabrication, and assembly. Its core offerings span primary aluminum, value-added aluminum products (billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, coil), and recycled materials (100+ types of scrap, RSI, and primary/secondary alloys), supported by integrated supply chain management, risk management, and industrial recycling services.

The company generates revenue primarily through trading margins on non-ferrous metals, fees from value-added processing (casting, extrusion, fabrication, assembly), and logistics services across a multi-modal network of ocean, barge, rail, and trucking. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, varying by metal type, grade, volume, and market conditions. Distribution is executed through direct B2B sales teams based at offices in the U.S., Shanghai, and Zurich, targeting enterprise industrial customers globally. The company is the flagship of a broader family of companies focused on aluminum and other non-ferrous metals, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or public listing.

Operationally, Metal Exchange leverages 50+ years of industry expertise and relationships across nine major industry associations (including AEC, ISRI/REMA, BIR, AIAG, MSCI, ASI, and European Aluminum) to maintain market position and standards influence. The company does not disclose a proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or detailed technical stack in the available source material. With 501-1,000 employees and no disclosed revenue, M&A, funding, or product launch events, the company presents as a mature, established trading and distribution enterprise with stable horizontal segmentation across global industrial customers.

Name

Metal Exchange Corporation

Legal name

Metal Exchange LLC

Website

https://metalexchangecorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Metal Exchange Corporation is a privately held, family-owned non-ferrous metals trader, distributor, and processor founded in 1974, headquartered in St. Louis, with offices in Shanghai and Zurich serving industrial buyers across 28+ countries through aluminum trading, value-added processing, logistics, and risk management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Ferrous Metals Distribution and Processing

NAICS

Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510), Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing (3313), Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum (331314)

SIC

Wholesale-Metals Service Centers & Offices (5051), Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Ferrous Base Metals Trading (Aluminum, Copper, Zinc, Lead, Tin, Nickel) (IMAKAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aluminum Trading, Marketing & Distribution (IMAKACAK), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)

Keywords

• Non-ferrous metals distribution
• Aluminum trading
• Scrap metal recycling
• Industrial metal supply
• Aluminum processing

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Metal Trading and Processing: Metal Exchange buys, sells, trades, and processes non-ferrous metals and alloys across global markets. Revenue is generated through the margin between buying and selling prices, with additional value derived from processing, risk management services, and logistics across the supply chain. The company also earns fees for industrial recycling services and value-added processing such as casting, extrusion, and fabrication.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Metal Exchange Corporation buys, sells, trades, and processes non-ferrous metals (primarily aluminum) across 28+ countries, supplying primary aluminum, value-added aluminum products (billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, coil), and recycled/scrap materials. It complements product sales with global supply chain management, price risk management, industrial recycling, and advanced aluminum manufacturing services including casting, extrusion, fabrication, and assembly.

Product overview

Metal Exchange Corporation offers a comprehensive suite of non-ferrous metal products and services. The core product portfolio consists of three main categories: Primary Aluminum (high-quality metals traded across six continents), Value-Added Aluminum (billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, and coil), and Recycled Materials (scrap, RSI, and primary/secondary alloys). These products are supported by complementary services including Supply Chain Management (global logistics via ocean, barge, rail, and trucking), Risk Management (price risk management for purchases, sales, and inventory), Industrial Recycling (scrap handling and roll-off services), and Advanced Aluminum Manufacturing (casting, engineering, extrusion, fabrication, and assembly). The company operates across more than 28 countries and serves as the flagship of a global family of companies focused on aluminum and other non-ferrous metals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aluminum Extruders CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is an active member of the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), playing an active role in the continued advancement of the aluminum industry through industry collaboration and standards development.
• Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI/REMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (REMA division), supporting the continued advancement of the scrap recycling industry and industrial sustainability.
• Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange partners with the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) to play an active role in the continued advancement of the global recycling industry.
• Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), participating in industry-wide initiatives and standards development for the automotive supply chain.
• The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI), supporting the service center industry's standards, education, and best practices.
• Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), contributing to the advancement of material recycling in the Indian market.
• American Clean Power AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the American Clean Power Association, supporting the advancement of clean energy and sustainability in the power sector through aluminum supply chain involvement.
• European Aluminum AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the European Aluminum Association, contributing to industry advancement and sustainability initiatives in the European aluminum market.
• Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal Exchange is affiliated with the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI), supporting responsible aluminum production and sourcing standards globally.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Gerald Metals: Gerald Metals is one of the world's largest privately held metals trading companies focused on non-ferrous (aluminum, copper, zinc, lead) and ferrous metals, closely mirroring Metal Exchange's profile as a privately held, globally diversified non-ferrous metals distributor with risk-management offerings.
• Traxys (Trafigura): Traxys is a major global commodity trader specializing in non-ferrous metals and minerals distribution, matching Metal Exchange's trading-distribution model, customer segments, and global footprint; Trafigura ownership gives it more capital but the core operating profile is directly comparable.
• Amalgamated Metal Trading: Amalgamated Metal Trading is a privately held global non-ferrous metals merchant and recycler, directly comparable to Metal Exchange on trading, recycling, and global distribution of aluminum and other non-ferrous metals.
• Real Alloy: Real Alloy is the world's largest vertically integrated aluminum recycling and smelting company, comparable to Metal Exchange's recycled materials and industrial recycling business on feedstock sourcing and secondary aluminum supply.

Broad incumbents

• Glencore: Glencore is the world's largest diversified commodities trader, with a major industrial and aluminum trading business that overlaps Metal Exchange's core activity; it is much larger and broader, but competes for the same industrial customers and physical metal flows.
• Mitsubishi Corporation RTM International: Mitsubishi RTM (formerly Mitsubishi International) is a major non-ferrous metals trader and one of the largest aluminum distributors globally, overlapping significantly with Metal Exchange's aluminum trading and distribution activities.
• Norsk Hydro: Norsk Hydro is a major global primary aluminum producer and trader; while primarily a producer, its metal-market sales and bauxite-to-metal operations overlap Metal Exchange's primary aluminum trading and value-added distribution functions.
• Kaiser Aluminum: Kaiser Aluminum is a publicly traded manufacturer of value-added semi-fabricated aluminum products (plate, sheet, extruded products), directly comparable to Metal Exchange's value-added aluminum manufacturing capabilities including billet, rolls, sheet, and coil.
• Constellium: Constellium is a global value-added aluminum manufacturer with strong positions in aerospace, automotive, and packaging flat-rolled products; comparable to Metal Exchange's value-added aluminum product portfolio serving industrial/OEM customers.

Others

• Materion Corporation: Materion is a publicly traded specialty metals producer and distributor (beryllium, copper, aluminum, composites); thematically comparable as an industrial metals distributor with value-added processing, though focused on specialty metals rather than primary aluminum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metal-exchange-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Metal Exchange Corporation