Tri Coastal Trading

What Tri Coastal Trading does

Tri Coastal Trading, LLC is a Houston, Texas-headquartered scrap metal processing and trading company, founded in 2012 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australia-listed Sims Limited since its 2024 acquisition for US$66.5 million. The company purchases ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal from manufacturing byproducts, scrap dealers, salvage yards, and demolition contractors, processes material at multiple yards, and resells to steel mills and foundries in the United States, Mexico, and overseas markets. The company manages its own freight and logistics across truck, rail, barge, and ocean-going vessel modes, and operates physical infrastructure including the shallow water Greenwood dock in Houston, the deepwater Woodhouse dock in Galena Park, and a terminal handling and scrap processing facility in Monterrey, Mexico operated in partnership with BRX.

Tri Coastal offers five interlocking service lines: Houston Scrap Purchasing and Industrial Services (local shearing, torching, heavy lift to 100,000 lbs); National Accounts US and Mexico (IMEX-certified consolidated multi-location recycling across scrap, plastics, and cardboard); Stevedoring and Storage (terminal handling, 160-ton crane capacity, barge and Union Pacific rail access); Secondary Surplus Services via wholly-owned Tri Coastal Steel Trading, LLC (industrial asset recovery, surplus steel resale, plant liquidations, demolitions); and Trading and Brokerage (international scrap sourcing and sale to mills and foundries). The company self-describes as the largest independent recycler in Texas, with stated revenue exceeding $350 million and annual throughput above 800,000 tons.

Revenue is generated through transactional margins on buying and reselling scrap metal rather than through subscription or recurring fees, with individual transactions ranging from 20 to 45,000 tons. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-based, relying on direct B2B relationships with manufacturing companies, scrap dealers, demolition contractors, and steel mills, supplemented by a LinkedIn corporate presence and a website. Industry positioning is supported by ISRI membership and Greater Houston Manufacturing Association affiliation. The technology stack is not publicly disclosed and there is no evidence of proprietary software, AI/ML capability, or platform-as-a-service offering; competitive advantage rests on owned docks, in-house logistics, and long-tenured trader relationships.

Name

Tri Coastal Trading

Legal name

Tri Coastal Trading, LLC

Website

https://tricoastaltrading.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tri Coastal Trading is a Houston-based scrap metal processor and trader that purchases, processes, and resells ferrous and nonferrous scrap to steel mills, foundries, and industrial customers across the United States, Mexico, and overseas, operating wholly-owned docks and a Mexico terminal via BRX.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scrap Metal Recycling

NAICS

Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers (42393), Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Scrap Trading & Brokerage (Ferrous & Non-Ferrous) (IMAKAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scrap Metal Export/Import & Trading (International Sourcing, Compliance, Documentation) (IMAKAMAL), Scrap Metal Collection, Logistics & Aggregation (Yards, Roll-off, Container Programs) (IMAKAMAK), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Aluminum, Copper, Brass/Bronze, Lead, Zinc, Nickel) (IMAKAMAB), Scrap Collection, Brokerage & Trading (Dealers, Aggregators, Exporters) (EUAIAJAH), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc) (EUAIAJAB), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)

Keywords

• Scrap metal trading
• Ferrous nonferrous recycling
• Industrial scrap processing
• Metal brokerage services
• Scrap yard operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scrap Metal Trading and Brokerage: Tri Coastal Trading generates revenue through the purchase and resale of scrap metal, handling transactions ranging from 20 tons to 45,000 tons. The company trades scrap metal throughout the United States, Mexico, and overseas markets, dealing directly with foundries and steel mills. Revenue is derived from margins on buying scrap from generators and selling to consumers.
2. Secondary Surplus Services: Tri Coastal Steel Trading, LLC, the usable arm of Tri Coastal Trading, purchases surplus steel and focuses on resale of usable material and equipment including stainless and carbon steel pipe, valves, fittings, flanges, plate, beams, angle, and bar. Additional revenue comes from plant liquidations, demolitions, and job site cleanups.
3. Stevedoring and Terminal Handling: The company provides stevedoring, terminal handling, and short-term storage for coils and finished steel products. Revenue is generated through barge and rail transfer services, staging areas, and heavy lift capacity (160 ton crane) services.
4. National Accounts Services: Provides consolidated recycling services for companies with accounts across multiple US and Mexico locations, handling scrap metal, plastics, and cardboard streams under IMEX Certified operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Tri Coastal Trading purchases, processes, and trades ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, serving mills, foundries, and industrial clients across the US, Mexico, and overseas markets. The company operates scrap yards, shallow water and deepwater docks in the Houston/Galena Park area, and provides stevedoring, terminal handling, industrial asset recovery, and nationwide multi-location account management for recyclable materials including scrap metal, plastics, and cardboard.

Product overview

Tri Coastal Trading is a scrap metal processing and trading company offering a unified suite of services under a single operational umbrella. The portfolio consists of five interconnected offerings: Houston Scrap Purchasing and Industrial Services (local scrap buying and processing with heavy lifting capabilities); National Accounts US and Mexico (Immex-certified multi-location account management covering both countries); Stevedoring and Storage (terminal handling with barge, rail, and 160-ton crane capacity at Greenwood and Woodhouse docks); Secondary Surplus Services operated through Tri Coastal Steel Trading, LLC (industrial asset recovery and surplus steel resale); and Trading and Brokerage (worldwide scrap metal trading with steel mills and foundries). The company also handles plastic and cardboard recyclables alongside its core scrap metal operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tri Coastal Steel Trading: Industrial asset recovery and surplus steel resale division specializing in plant liquidations, demolitions, and job site cleanups.

Products and services

• Houston Scrap Purchasing and Industrial Services Scrap metal purchasing and processing services for manufacturing companies, scrap metal dealers, salvage yards, and demolition contractors in the Houston area. Features shearing, torching, and heavy lifting capabilities up to 100,000 lbs, plus roll off container, flatbed, and end dump services.
• National Accounts US and Mexico Multi-location service offering for customers with accounts across the US and Mexico. Features Immex certification, consolidated reporting, single point of contact, and handling of multiple waste streams including scrap metal, plastics, and cardboard.
• Stevedoring and Storage Stevedoring, terminal handling, and short-term storage services for coils and finished steel products. Includes barge and Union Pacific rail access, transfer services, staging areas, and heavy lift capacity up to 160 tons.
• Secondary Surplus Services (Tri Coastal Steel Trading, LLC) Industrial asset recovery division purchasing surplus steel, stainless and carbon steel pipe, valves, fittings, flanges, plate, beams, and obsolete machinery for resale in the secondary marketplace. Specializes in plant liquidations, demolitions, and job site cleanups.
• Trading and Brokerage

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BRX (Monterrey, Mexico)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with BRX located in Monterrey, Mexico has expanded Tri Coastal Trading's presence into Northern Mexico amongst mills and manufacturers. BRX provides terminal handling and scrap processing capabilities at their Guayabo 252 location in Los Nogales, Ciudad General Escobedo, N.L., Mexico.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tct-trading-llc

Compliance1 record

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 Tri Coastal Trading