Push Iron And Metals Recycling

What Push Iron And Metals Recycling does

Push Iron & Metals is a privately held metal recycling company headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa, founded in 1944 as A-Line Iron & Metals and rebranded to its current name in January 2024. The company operates three Iowa processing locations (Waterloo, Britt, and Kellogg) and buys, processes, and recycles ferrous and non-ferrous metals — including steel, aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel, and cast iron — from both commercial enterprises and individual consumers. Customers bring materials to be weighed on public scales and receive payment by check on-site.

The company's revenue model is primarily transaction-based, with pricing determined per pound for scrap metal purchases and distance-based flat fees for container and tub delivery services ($70 for 0-15 miles, $140 for 16-30 miles, $250 for 31+ miles, plus $50 demurrage). Beyond yard operations, Push Iron & Metals operates Push Transportation, a nationwide trucking and logistics sub-brand that leverages a network of over 9,000 carriers to move heavy machinery, construction equipment, and scrap materials using a diverse fleet (flatbed, step deck, RGN, van, hotshot, pneumatics, and dump trucks). The company also runs the Ruin't Podcast on Spotify and YouTube, hosted by three company leaders, as a content and brand-building channel targeting the scrap industry.

Push Iron & Metals serves a horizontally segmented customer base including machine shops, manufacturers, demolition contractors, construction sites, auto recyclers, tradespeople, farmers, homeowners, and nonprofit organizations through scrap drive fundraisers. Distribution occurs through three physical drop-off locations with public scale hours, online container scheduling, dedicated transportation sales (led by Colin McDonnell), and community fundraiser partnerships. The company is locally owned with no institutional investment or parent company involvement disclosed, led by Owner & President Julia Stone and Co-Owner & Vice President Jeff Holmes.

Name

Push Iron And Metals Recycling

Legal name

Push Iron & Metals Inc.

Website

https://pushironandmetals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Push Iron & Metals is a privately held Iowa-based metal recycling company operating three locations, purchasing and processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals from commercial and residential customers, complemented by nationwide transportation logistics and container delivery services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Recycling Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

akta.pro primary industry

Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Steel/Iron) (EUAIAJAA), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc) (EUAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Scrap metal recycling
• Ferrous non-ferrous metals
• Metal recycling services
• Scrap metal pickup
• Industrial recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Recycling and Purchase: Buying, processing, and recycling various ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the public and commercial businesses. Customers bring materials, get weighed on scale, receive payment by check.
2. Transportation Services: Trucking and logistics services for heavy machinery, construction equipment, windmill parts, lumber, and metals. Services include flatbed, step deck, RGN, van, hotshot, pneumatics, and dump trucks with nationwide coverage.
3. Container and Tub Delivery: Distance-based pricing for container delivery (0-15 miles: $70, 16-30 miles: $140, 31+ miles: $250, demurrage: $50). Revenue from delivery service fees and container rental.
4. Scrap Drive Fundraisers: Partnership with churches, schools, and non-profits to organize scrap drive fundraisers. Company provides metal collection and processing services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Push Iron And Metals Recycling is a scrap metal recycler that buys, processes, and resells ferrous and non-ferrous metals from commercial and residential sources. Operating three Iowa-based recycling yards since 1944 (rebranded from A-Line Iron & Metals in January 2024), the company provides drop-off and scheduled pickup, container/roll-off rental, hauling/logistics, and community fundraising scrap drives.

Product overview

Push Iron & Metals operates as a metal recycling company offering a unified suite of services centered on ferrous and non-ferrous metal purchasing, processing, and recycling. The core product is the metal recycling service at three Iowa locations (Waterloo, Kellogg, Britt), supported by complementary offerings: Push Transportation (nationwide trucking via flatbed, step deck, RGN, van, hotshot, pneumatics, dump trucks with 9,000+ carrier network), various container solutions (rolloff 10-30 yard, lugger 6-16 yard, tip-cart 60-gallon, gaylord boxes), custom tub delivery with distance-based pricing, commercial scrap collection, residential drop-off, and the Ruin't podcast. The company rebranded from A-Line Iron & Metals in January 2024 while maintaining same ownership and service quality. A fundraiser/scrap drive program and live-load container options round out the portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Push Transportation: Trucking and logistics services offering flatbed, step deck, RGN, van, hotshot, pneumatics, and dump truck services with nationwide coverage.
• Ruin't Podcast

Products and services

• Commercial Scrap Metal Recycling
• Residential Scrap Metal Drop-Off Recycling

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ReMA (Recycled Materials Association)coreOthersProud member of ReMA (formerly ISRI). Regularly participates in national recycled materials events including ReMA National Convention & Exposition, Roundtables in Chicago, and Mid-America Consumers Night in St. Louis. Active participation in industry events and association activities.
• Hawkeye Farm ShowminorOthersAnnual agricultural trade show sponsorship and participation in the community.
• Waterloo Bucks Baseball TeamminorOthersAnnual employee outings with the Waterloo Bucks baseball team for team building.
• Iowa Woo Arena Football TeamminorOthersOwned by company co-owner Jeff Holmes. Support provided through attendance and promotion of owner's arena football team.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cohen Recycling: Midwest-focused scrap metal recycler operating multiple yards serving both commercial and residential customers with ferrous and non-ferrous processing. Closely comparable regional business model to Push Iron & Metals.
• PSC Metals: Multi-yard regional scrap metal recycler operating across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic with ferrous and non-ferrous processing, providing a directly comparable yard network footprint and customer mix.
• Scrap Metal Services: Regional scrap metal processor serving the Midwest with demolition and industrial scrap collection, ferrous and non-ferrous processing, and containerized logistics services comparable to Push's commercial offering.

Broad incumbents

• SA Recycling: One of the largest non-ferrous and ferrous scrap recyclers in the United States, operating dozens of yards nationwide with significantly greater scale, processing equipment, and commercial account reach than Push.
• EMR Group: Global metals recycling group with US operations in ferrous and non-ferrous scrap processing, providing a broad-incumbent benchmark on scale, sustainability initiatives, and downstream mill relationships.
• The David J. Joseph Company: One of the largest scrap metal processors in North America, a subsidiary of Nucor, with extensive shredding and brokerage capabilities that compete with regional yards for industrial and demolition volumes.
• Radius Recycling: National metals recycler (formerly Schnitzer Steel) operating a network of yards, shredders, and downstream processing assets, competing for the same commercial and industrial accounts but with broader geographic and structural reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ruintpod
• Facebookfacebook.com/pushironandmetals
• Instagraminstagram.com/ruintpod
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/push-iron-and-metals-recycling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Push Iron And Metals Recycling