BL Duke

What BL Duke does

BL Duke is a privately held, mill-direct scrap metal recycling and processing company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Forest View, Illinois. The company purchases ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals from industrial manufacturers, demolition contractors, scrap dealers, and the general public, processes them across four Midwest facilities spanning 79 acres, and sells directly to steel mills and foundries. Its processing footprint includes a 250,000 sq. ft. non-ferrous warehouse, a Midwest-first enclosed steel turnings containment facility in Joliet, and a fleet of 110+ trucks supported by in-house maintenance.

The company's core differentiator is its multi-modal logistics stack — branded "Triple Threat Logistics" — which combines company-owned barges, Class 1 rail spurs, shipping container capability, and trucking to move scrap between Forest View, Joliet, and now Portage, Indiana. Approximately 70% of recycled material is moved by barge, removing roughly 200 trucks from roads each month. A real-time customer portal (RIMAS) provides GPS tracking, load photos with chemistry readings, and settlement transparency to industrial customers.

BL Duke operates a transaction-based revenue model, earning the spread between scrap purchase and mill sale prices indexed to commodity benchmarks (LME, COMEX, ferrous scrap indices). The go-to-market is direct sales with dedicated account managers targeting four primary segments — manufacturers and service centers, demolition and construction companies, scrap dealers and brokers, and mills and foundries. A 2026 strategic supply partnership with U.S. Steel at the Portage, Indiana mill anchors a dedicated 24/7 logistics program managing 20+ loads per day, supported by a $10 million heavy-haul fleet investment.

Name

BL Duke

Legal name

BL Duke

Website

https://blduke.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BL Duke is a privately held Midwest scrap metal recycler and mill-direct supplier, processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals across four Illinois and Indiana facilities using barge, rail, and truck logistics to serve manufacturers, mills, and demolition customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scrap Metal Recycling

SIC

Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Manufacturing Scrap Recycling (Factory Scrap, Turnings, Offcuts) (IMAKAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scrap Metal Collection, Logistics & Aggregation (Yards, Roll-off, Container Programs) (IMAKAMAK), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Aluminum, Copper, Brass/Bronze, Lead, Zinc, Nickel) (IMAKAMAB), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF), Metal Scrap Trading & Brokerage (Ferrous & Non-Ferrous) (IMAKAJAI)

Keywords

• Scrap metal recycling
• Ferrous metal processing
• Non-ferrous recycling
• Multi-modal logistics
• Industrial demolition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scrap Metal Sales: BL Duke purchases scrap metal (ferrous and non-ferrous) from industrial manufacturers, demolition companies, scrap dealers, and other sources, processes the materials, and sells them directly to steel mills and foundries. Revenue is generated through the margin between purchase and sale prices, influenced by commodity market pricing for steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, and other metals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BL Duke purchases ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal from industrial manufacturers, demolition contractors, scrap dealers, and the general public, processes and grades the materials at its Midwest facilities, and sells them directly to steel mills and foundries as a mill-direct supplier. The company also provides industrial demolition and plant clean-up services and operates multi-modal logistics across barge, rail, truck, and shipping container to move material at scale between generators and mills.

Product overview

BL Duke is a full-service ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal recycler and processor founded in 2000, operating as a mill-direct supplier across the Midwest. The company offers a unified service portfolio centered on scrap metal recycling with integrated logistics capabilities: Triple Threat Logistics provides multi-modal transportation (barge, rail, truck, shipping containers), complemented by specialized facilities including a Steel Turnings Containment Building and a 250,000 sq. ft. non-ferrous warehouse. Additional services include a Customer Portal for real-time tracking and settlement visibility, plus Industrial Demolition & Plant Clean-up. The portfolio operates across four strategically located Midwest facilities spanning 79 acres, supported by a fleet of 110+ trucks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ferrous Metal Recycling Recycling and processing of ferrous scrap metals including prime grades (No. 1 Bundles, Busheling), obsolete grades (shredded, heavy melt, cut grades), and steel turnings for delivery to steel mills and foundries. Targets industrial manufacturers, service centers, and mills generating or consuming iron and steel scrap.
• Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling Recycling and processing of non-ferrous metals including aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel, and other non-ferrous materials, supported by a 250,000 sq. ft. non-ferrous warehouse. Serves manufacturers, service centers, and mills requiring non-ferrous scrap recovery.
• Triple Threat Logistics (Multi-Modal Transportation) Multi-modal transportation network combining barge, rail, truck, and shipping container capabilities to move scrap metal efficiently across the Midwest and reach mills and foundries outside the immediate region. Includes company-owned dedicated barges between Forest View and Joliet and Class 1 rail spurs serviced by CN.
• Industrial Demolition and Plant Clean-up Dismantling and cleanup services for industrial facilities, helping manufacturers clear accumulated scrap and convert materials into revenue. Targets demolition contractors, plant operators, and industrial facility owners requiring large-scale scrap removal and site clearance.
• Steel Turnings Containment Facility Enclosed processing and storage service for steel turnings, cast iron borings, and steel fines at BL Duke's Joliet, IL facility, shielding materials from rainwater and preventing environmental runoff. Provides customers with cradle-to-grave environmental documentation and liability management for steel byproduct materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of recycled materials transported by barge, with goal to increase to 80% by 2030
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United States Steel (U.S. Steel)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026BL Duke announced an expansion into Portage, Indiana enabled by an agreement to supply recycled steel to United States Steel's Portage mill. Under the partnership, BL Duke manages over 20 loads per day between U.S. Steel's Portage facility and other Indiana-based operations under a dedicated 24/7 logistics program. This is a strategic supply partnership positioning BL Duke as a key logistics provider for U.S. Steel in the northwest Indiana manufacturing corridor.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Radius Recycling (formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries): Publicly traded US scrap metal recycler and mill-direct supplier operating one of the largest ferrous and non-ferrous collection/processing networks. Directly comparable to BL Duke in mill-direct ferrous and non-ferrous supply, though at materially larger scale.
• OmniSource Corporation: One of the largest privately held scrap metal processors in the US, supplying ferrous and non-ferrous to mills and foundries across multiple regions. Closely comparable operating model (collection, processing, mill-direct sale) to BL Duke, but with broader geographic footprint.
• PSC Metals: Mid-size US scrap metal recycler processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals with multiple yards and mill-direct supply relationships. Closely comparable operating model and customer base to BL Duke.
• Ferrous Processing & Trading Co. Detroit-based scrap metal recycler with a Midwest footprint serving steel mills, foundries, and industrial manufacturers. Comparable to BL Duke in industrial scrap sourcing, mill-direct sales, and multi-modal logistics capabilities.
• David J. Joseph Company (DJJ, Nucor subsidiary): Nucor's scrap metal procurement, processing, and trading arm, operating yards across the US. Directly comparable mill-direct supply model with strong industrial ferrous sourcing, scale, and technology investment.

Broad incumbents

• EMR (European Metal Recycling): One of the world's largest metal recyclers with US operations, operating a broad ferrous, non-ferrous, and end-of-life vehicle processing platform. Comparable to BL Duke's recycling activities but with global scale, integrated smelting, and downstream metal production capabilities.

Regional players

• Liberty Iron & Metal: Midwest-based scrap metal processor with yard and processing facilities serving the regional ferrous and non-ferrous market. Comparable in regional focus and customer type to BL Duke.
• Cohen Metals Group: Indiana-headquartered scrap metal recycler operating yard locations across the Midwest. Highly comparable as a regional Midwest competitor overlapping with BL Duke's Indianapolis/Portage geography and customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/b-l-duke
• Xx.com/BLDukeChicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/bldukechicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 BL Duke