What CW Metals does

CW Metals is a Minnesota-based metal recycling company that operates two physical yards — in Monticello (9696 Fallon Ave NE) and Lakeville (21675 Hamburg Ave) — purchasing and processing three material streams: ferrous metals (sheet iron, mild steel, cast iron, wrought iron, steel siding, car bodies, steel turnings), non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass, lead, electric motors, stainless steel, insulated copper wires, and automotive scrap including radiators, starters, alternators, AC compressors, transmissions, and batteries), and catalytic converters containing platinum, palladium, and rhodium. The company positions catalytic converter recycling as a differentiated capability, citing on-site unit testing, transparent grading, knowledgeable staff, and volume throughput as the basis for competitive pricing.

The business model is a buy-side spread: CW Metals purchases recyclable metals from a horizontally diversified supplier base and resells the processed materials to downstream processors or end users, capturing the margin between purchase and sale prices. GTM is entirely direct and field-driven: onsite buyers transact at the two yards, road buyers travel to sellers' locations, and scheduled industrial account service uses roll-offs, luggers, and boxes for higher-volume commercial generators. Supplier segments include large scrap dealers and salvage yards, machine shops and fabricators, trade contractors (siders, HVAC, electricians, plumbers), muffler shops and auto repair facilities, and walk-in public sellers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Technically and organizationally, the company is low-tech and asset-light on intellectual property: no proprietary software stack, no mobile app, no API, no AI/ML capabilities, no patents or trademarks, and no disclosed data flywheel. The only meaningful technical moat referenced is the on-site converter testing and grading methodology. The company is privately held (no funding rounds disclosed), employs 11-50 people, and operates exclusively in the United States (Minnesota). Industry positioning is enhanced by representation on the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) 2026-2028 national officer slate and inclusion as a panelist at the 2026 Scrap Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.

Name

CW Metals

Legal name

CW Metals

Website

https://cwmetals.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CW Metals is a Minnesota-based metal recycling company operating two yards in Monticello and Lakeville that purchases ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, and catalytic converters from scrap dealers, salvage yards, auto repair shops, contractors, industrial accounts, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Recycling Services

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Scrap Metal Collection, Logistics & Aggregation (Yards, Roll-off, Container Programs) (IMAKAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Manufacturing Scrap Recycling (Factory Scrap, Turnings, Offcuts) (IMAKAMAE), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF), Construction & Demolition (C&D) Metal Recycling (Structural Steel, Rebar, Roofing, Wire) (IMAKAMAF)

Keywords

• Metal recycling services
• Ferrous scrap processing
• Non-ferrous scrap processing
• Catalytic converter recycling
• Scrap metal brokerage

Headquarters

HQ city

Monticello

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Recycling - Purchase and Resale: CW Metals purchases recyclable metals (ferrous, non-ferrous, and catalytic converters) from suppliers and resells the processed materials. Revenue is generated through the margin between purchase price paid to sellers and sale price to downstream processors or end users.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CW Metals is a Minnesota-based metal recycling company that purchases ferrous metals (sheet iron, mild steel, cast iron, wrought iron, steel siding, car bodies, steel turnings), non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass, lead, electric motors, stainless steel, insulated copper wires, and automotive scrap such as radiators, starters, alternators, AC compressors, transmissions, and batteries), and catalytic converters (containing platinum, palladium, and rhodium) from a broad range of suppliers and resells the processed materials. The company operates two yard locations and field-based road buyers to acquire scrap, and uses on-site testing and transparent grading to value converters.

Product overview

CW Metals is a Minnesota-based metal recycling company offering a unified suite of recycling services. The company operates four core offerings: Ferrous Metal Recycling (processing iron-containing magnetic metals), Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling (handling non-magnetic metals like aluminum, copper, and brass), Catalytic Converter Recycling (specializing in precious metal recovery from automotive converters), and Scrap Brokers (managing scrap material trading). These services are delivered through two Minnesota locations (Monticello and Lakeville) and serve various customer segments including large scrap dealers, salvage yards, machine shops, fabricators, contractors, and industrial accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ferrous Metal Recycling Recycling service for ferrous metals (iron-containing, magnetic metals) including sheet iron, mild steel, cast iron, wrought iron, steel siding, car bodies, and steel turnings, sold by scrap dealers, salvage yards, contractors, machine shops, and industrial accounts.
• Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling Recycling service for non-magnetic, non-ferrous metals including aluminum, copper, brass, lead, electric motors, stainless steel, insulated copper wires, and automotive scrap such as radiators, starters, alternators, AC compressors, transmissions, and batteries.
• Catalytic Converter Recycling Specialized recycling service for catalytic converters containing platinum, palladium, and rhodium, with on-site unit testing, transparent grading, and competitive pricing for muffler shops, salvage yards, scrap yards, tow haulers, independent buyers, and the general public.
• Scrap Brokers Brokerage service for managing and trading scrap metal materials on behalf of suppliers and downstream buyers.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Recycling Today Media Group (Scrap Expo 2026)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 September 2026CW Metals is one of several major US metals recycling companies featured as speakers/panelists at the 2026 Scrap Expo organized by the Recycling Today Media Group in Louisville, Kentucky. This represents participation in an industry event for visibility and thought leadership, not a formal commercial partnership.
• Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)coreOthers · 1 January 2026Neil Byce of CW Metals was elected to serve on the ReMA (Recycled Materials Association) national leadership team for 2026–2028. ReMA is the primary trade association for the recycled materials industry in the United States, guiding strategic priorities around advocacy, member engagement, and policies promoting recycling and trade.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Friedman Recycling: St. Louis-area scrap metal recycler serving the Midwest with ferrous, non-ferrous, and electronics recycling. Comparable regional yard operating model and customer base, with overlapping Midwest seller geography.
• Friedman Iron & Metal: Family-owned regional scrap yard in the upper Midwest buying and processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Comparable as a similarly sized regional competitor in the same geography.

Direct peers

• Cohen Metal: Mid-Atlantic/Midwest scrap metal recycler with yards buying ferrous and non-ferrous scrap from industrial, demolition, and individual sellers. Comparable as a similarly sized regional yard operator competing for the same seller base.
• Scrap Metal Services LLC: Multi-yard US scrap metal processor serving industrial, demolition, and consumer sellers of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Directly comparable end-to-end scrap collection/processing/resale model.
• City Scrap Metal: Multi-location regional scrap metal buyer accepting ferrous, non-ferrous, and catalytic converters from industrial and individual sellers. Closely comparable service mix including converter buying.
• GLE Scrap Metal: US scrap metal recycler with yards buying, processing, and reselling ferrous and non-ferrous scrap. Comparable multi-stream collection and resale model serving industrial and retail sellers.
• Metalico: US scrap metal recycler operating multiple yards collecting, processing, and trading ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, including catalytic converters. Directly comparable operating model to CW Metals — multi-yard collection and processing for resale to mills and smelters.
• Wieland North America Recycling: North American non-ferrous metals recycling arm of Wieland, operating scrap yards that aggregate copper, brass, and other non-ferrous streams. Comparable non-ferrous-focused collection model.

Broad incumbents

• Republic Services: Large US environmental services company with a recycling segment that handles metals, paper, and other recyclables. Comparable as a buyer in adjacent recycling channels but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple waste streams.
• Radius Recycling (formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries): Large publicly traded US metals recycler with nationwide ferrous and non-ferrous yard and shredder network, plus downstream finished steel products. Comparable as a buyer/reseller of the same scrap streams (ferrous, non-ferrous, catalytic converters) but at vastly greater scale and with integrated mill assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cwmetals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cw-metals-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 CW Metals