Metal Exchange

What Metal Exchange does

Metal Exchange is a privately held, vertically integrated aluminum and nonferrous metals company founded in 1974 in St. Louis, Missouri, and operating as the flagship of MX Holdings. The company buys, sells, trades, and processes metals and alloys across more than 28 countries and six continents, sourcing primary aluminum (P1020 grade, 99.7% purity) directly from smelters and supplying value-added products (billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, coil) in multiple alloy series and tempers. Its core technology is the proprietary MECPlus trading platform, built in 2005 to manage physical and financial trading risk internally and for customers, complemented by a customer-facing portal for inventory review and order placement.

The business spans four interconnected revenue streams: aluminum trading (transaction-based), risk management services (price hedging and flexible pricing), industrial recycling (scrap handling, RSI processing, dross), and logistics/supply chain services (ocean, barge, rail, trucking). Manufacturing is handled through the wholly-owned Pennex subsidiary, which provides end-to-end aluminum engineering, casting, extrusion, fabrication, and assembly. The company operates five strategically located US warehouses (Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles) plus international offices in Zurich and Shanghai, enabling just-in-time delivery and global sourcing.

Metal Exchange serves manufacturers and fabricators (extruders, rolling mills, foundries) as its primary segment, with secondary reach into industrial scrap generators, marine and transportation, and architecture/construction. Go-to-market is direct, relationship-based B2B sales with key account management and long-term supply agreements alongside spot orders. Ownership is concentrated in the founding family through MX Holdings (Mike Lefton as Executive Chairman, Matt Rohm as CEO since 2023), with no public equity holders or external investors disclosed in available data.

Name

Metal Exchange

Legal name

Metal Exchange Corporation

Website

https://metalexchange.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Metal Exchange is a privately held, vertically integrated aluminum and nonferrous metals company founded in 1974 that trades, manufactures, distributes, and recycles aluminum products across 28+ countries via its Pennex subsidiary and global warehouse network, serving manufacturers, fabricators, and industrial scrap generators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-ferrous metals trading and distribution

NAICS

Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510), Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum (331314), Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding (331318), Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing (3313)

SIC

Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050), Sheet Metal Work (3444), Miscellaneous Primary Metal Products (3390)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Aluminum Scrap Collection, Sorting & Processing (IMAKACAJ), Aluminum Casting & Ingot/Billet/Slab Production (IMAKACAE), Scrap Collection, Brokerage & Trading (Dealers, Aggregators, Exporters) (EUAIAJAH), Metal Melting & Secondary Smelting/Refining (Recycled Feedstock Producers) (EUAIAJAJ)

Keywords

• Aluminum trading
• Non-ferrous metals
• Metal recycling
• Aluminum manufacturing
• Commodity supply chain

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Aluminum Trading: Buying and selling of primary aluminum, value-added aluminum products (billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, coil), and recycled aluminum/scrap materials across global markets
2. Risk Management Services: Helping customers manage price risks tied to purchases, sales, and inventory through flexible pricing options and hedging strategies
3. Recycling Services: Industrial recycling solutions including scrap handling and roll-off services for ferrous and non-ferrous materials
4. Logistics and Supply Chain Services: Transportation, logistics coordination, and supply chain management services including ocean, barge, rail, and trucking delivery

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Metal Exchange buys, sells, trades, and processes primary aluminum (P1020 grade with 99.7% purity), value-added aluminum products (billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, and coil), and recycled aluminum/scrap materials across more than 28 countries and six continents. The company also provides integrated risk management, supply chain logistics, and industrial recycling services, supported by its wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary Pennex (casting, extrusion, fabrication, assembly).

Product overview

Metal Exchange is a comprehensive aluminum and nonferrous metals solutions provider operating as the flagship of MX Holdings. The company offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services: Primary Aluminum (P1020 grade, 99.7% purity) sourced globally; Value-Added Aluminum including billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, and coil products; Recycled Aluminum with over 100 types of scrap and alloys; and Aluminum Coil/Sheet/Plate in various alloys and tempers. These products are supported by integrated services including Supply Chain Management (global logistics via ocean, barge, rail, trucking), Risk Management (price hedging and flexible pricing), and Industrial Recycling. The company also operates Pennex, a manufacturing subsidiary providing casting, extrusion, fabrication and assembly capabilities. Customers access products through the MECPlus Customer Portal. The company operates five strategically located U.S. warehouses (Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles) and international offices in Shanghai and Zurich.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Aluminum High-quality primary aluminum (P1020 grade with 99.7% purity) sourced directly from smelters across six continents for use in extrusion, rolling, and alloying applications.
• Value-Added Aluminum Value-added aluminum products including billet, rolls, sheet, wire-rod, and coil providing flexibility and a wide range of products to meet customer needs.
• Aluminum Coil, Sheet and Plate Aluminum coil, sheet and plate available in various alloys (1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx series) and tempers (F, O, H14-H38, T3-T74) in gauges from 0.010" to 5.9", distributed through five strategically located U.S. warehouses.
• Recycled Aluminum Recycled aluminum materials including over a hundred types of scrap, RSI, and primary and secondary alloys ensuring consistent supply for customer needs.
• Pennex Manufacturing Services Manufacturing subsidiary providing end-to-end aluminum manufacturing with expertise in advanced aluminum engineering, casting, extrusion, fabrication, and assembly.
• Supply Chain Management Supply chain management solutions leveraging cutting-edge technology, expert insight, and global logistics network to ensure reliable on-time delivery via ocean, barge, rail, and trucking.
• Risk Management Risk management services bridging physical and financial sides of metal business, helping customers manage price risks tied to purchases, sales, and inventory with flexible pricing options.
• Industrial Recycling Industrial recycling solutions including comprehensive scrap handling and efficient roll-off services for ferrous and non-ferrous materials.
• MECPlus Customer Portal Customer-facing online portal for reviewing available inventory and placing orders. Accessible through the Metal Exchange website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% energy savings with recycled aluminum vs primary production

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Century AluminumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint venture announced in 2024 to produce low carbon, technologically advanced secondary billet. Combines Metal Exchange's focus on customer service with Century's state-of-the-art facility, cutting edge processes, and advanced technical expertise.
• Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC)minorOthersIndustry organization for aluminum extrusion companies; Metal Exchange participates in collaborative learning events including Safety Summits
• Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)minorOthersTrade association representing the scrap recycling industry
• Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)minorOthersGlobal recycling industry organization
• Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)minorOthersAutomotive industry collaboration organization
• The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI)minorOthersTrade association for metal service centers
• Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI)minorOthersIndian recycling industry association
• American Clean Power AssociationminorOthersRenewable energy industry association
• European Aluminum AssociationminorOthersEuropean aluminum industry association
• Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI)minorOthersGlobal certification body for aluminum sustainability standards; Metal Exchange mentions ASI certification for low-carbon aluminum sourcing

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Metal Exchange