SA Recycling acquires Southern Recycling

SA Recycling has deepened its footprint in the southeast US with the acquisition of scrap metal processor Southern Recycling, allowing it to increase shredding, metals operations and scrap purchasing volumes in the region.

The acquisition includes a shredder in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as locations in Bowling Green and Owensboro, Kentucky.

SA Recycling officially closed the deal on 13 August with Southern Recycling's owner Houchens Industries. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SA has retained the employees of Southern Recycling and operations will continue uninterrupted, effective 16 August, under the business name SA Recycling.

Orange, California-based SA Recycling has aggressively expanded its footprint in the southeast over the last five years with a spate of acquisitions.

SA Recycling first made its entry into the southeast scrap market in 2016 when it purchased 17 scrap metal processing facilities from Newell Recycling Southeast.

The recylcer has since acquired numerous companies including Decatur, Alabama-based Tennessee Valley Recycling in 2017; Savannah, Georgia-based Georgia Recyclers, as well as two Alter Trading yards in 2018; and Birmingham, Alabama-based Steel City Recycling in 2020.

In 2021, SA entered the Florida market with the purchase of Capital Scrap with locations at Pompano Beach, West Palm Beach, and Stuart. The company also acquired Southern Scrap in Pensacola and Metals USA with operations in Lauderhill, Opa Locka, and Miami.

The Southern Recycling acquisition complements SA Recycling's footprint throughout the southeast by providing additional east coast market share for the recycler.

SA Recycling, a 50-50 joint venture between global recycler Sims Metal Management and Adams Steel, operates 87 facilities the US, including 15 shredders and 3 port-loading operations in Long Beach, California, and Los Angeles in addition to Savannah. The company also operates an iron ore facility in Long Beach, California offering high grade iron ore to the international marketplace.

By Brad MacAulay