United Scrap Metal Inc- Cicero
1545 S Cicero Avenue, Cicero, Illinois, United States

United Scrap Metal was started in 1978 on a $200 investment. The company is an independently held scrap metal recycler. Metals recycled include aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, nickel alloys, steel and precious metals. The company serves the automotive, aerospace,defense/military and government industries. United also assists customers in the development and maintenance of comprehensive recycling programs and the reduction of waste streams such as paper, plastic and wood. The company has been honored with numerous awards including being named by Arthur Anderson the 1996 National Small Business Subcontractor of the Year. United is a WBE Certified, Woman-Owned Business and is headquartered in Cicero, Ill.

Total Waste-Stream Management Solutions

United Scrap Metal (USM), founded in 1978, is an award-winning provider of innovative recycling solutions. We purchase, process and market recyclable commodities, enabling our customers to focus on their core business. Underlying every relationship and each transaction is a constant commitment to high integrity.

We take a consultative approach to each client relationship. Our team of 180 dedicated employees serves more than 2,500 commercial clients coast to coast. United Scrap Metal's many awards and positive media coverage has made our company one of the most recognized firms in the industry.

A multicultural, diverse organization dedicated to quality and continuous improvement, United Scrap Metal is a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) that can help customers meet their diversity goals, including second-tier WBE credits when we provide recycling services to our customers’ subcontractors. (view WBE certificate)

USM has been recognized for its commitment to corporate social responsibility that benefits our team, customers, community and planet. Many customers enthusiastically join us in our community and charitable initiatives.

United Scrap Metal Historical Timeline

• 1978 – Founded with $200 and a Rent-A-Truck
  
  
• 1979 – Winter Blizzard presented first major emergency response project at Del Monte can plant

• 1980 – Expanded to three trucks
  
  
• 1981 – Purchased facility at 16^th & Cicero (8,000 square ft. building) and opened Recycling Center to serve the community
  
  
• 1983 – Customer base expanded via manufacturing companies, job site clean-up’s, auctions, and equipment resale
  
  
• 1985 – Secured major project with the demolition of Arlington Park Race Track. Facilitated the hauling of scrap after fire required 24/7 emergency work to run the Arlington Million race event
  
  
• 1987 – Purchased one acre parcel to accommodate utility customers
  
  
• 1989 – Second generation, Brad Serlin, entered the business in an operating role
  
  
• 1990 – Purchased adjacent 55,000 sq. ft. building
  
  
• 1991 – Continued growth into surrounding states and market segments
  
  
• 1993 – Acquired additional acreage and 25,000 sq. ft. building
  
  
• 1994 – Successfully implemented statewide “single source” recycling program for major utility. Increased facility size by purchasing a 25,000 sq. ft. building to accommodate high speed baling operation

• 1995 – Secured major telecommunication customer with multiple sites. Comprehensive program covered entire commodity by-product stream leading to vendor of the year honor
  
  
• 1996 – Recipient of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Regional and National Subcontractor of the Year Award
  
  
• 1997 – Acquired RPS Industrial Metals in Franklin Park. Entered wire granulating business with turnkey system purchase partially funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity (DCEO), while also constructing 40,000 sq. ft. of new indoor processing space
  
  
• 1998 – Recipient of Grant Thornton Woman Executive of the Year, Outstanding Illinois Recycling Business and Humanitarian of the Year Awards
  
  
• 2000 – Expanded utility presence with the implementation of several new multi-site operating system programs
  
  
• 2001 – Inducted into the Junior Achievement Chicago Business Hall of Fame
  
  
• 2002 – Constructed new office building and Recycling Center Facility
  
  
• 2003 – Incorporated government grant funding for two operational projects
  
  
• 2004 – Expanded footprint with purchase of adjacent nineteen acre parcel
  
  
• 2005 – Winner of “101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For,” Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Manufacturing, and AWMI Company of the Year Award. Established formal strategic alliance as the recycling partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities
  
  
• 2006 – Selected to facilitate national Aluminum Printing Plate Recycling Program and received Stevie Award for Manufacturing Sales Organization of the Year 
  
  
• 2007 – Honored with Arnstein & Lehr Women of Vision Award and listed as a one of the fifty fastest growing companies in the Chicago Area in Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Fast Fifty” 
  
  
• 2008 – C200 Luminary Award recipient and second consecutive year as a “Fast Fifty” company. Outstanding Supplier Award presented by Luvata
  
  
• 2009 – Anti-Defamation League’s Woman of Achievement Award and third consecutive listing in Crain’s “Fast Fifty”
  
  
• 2010 – Listed as the fifth largest Woman-Owned Business and one of the largest privately held companies in the Chicagoland Area by Crain’s Chicago Business 
  
  
• 2011 – Recognized by the Illinois Recycling Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Expanded facility to roughly thirty-five acres with an additional three acre property

Policy: The nature of the United Scrap Metal operations has a positive impact on the environment through the processing and conservation of metals, plastic, and other non-renewable resources. Consistent with these core operations, it is United Scrap Metal’s goal to accomplish its business objectives while meeting and exceeding the quality, environmental and health & safety expectations of our management, employees, customers, suppliers, and regulators.

We will continually improve our systems while striving to minimize adverse impacts on the environment throughout our operations. In order to achieve the above statement of this QEH&S and other objectives, United Scrap Metal is committed to the following:

• Ensure that these policies are appropriate to our operations, and its potential environmental impacts and health and safety risks;
• Comply with all relevant QEH&S legal requirements, customer and product requirements, industry guidelines applicable to RIOS member company industries and any other QEH&S commitments made by the RIOS member company;
• We will strive for continual improvement;
• Prevent work place injuries;
• Provide  the framework for establishing QEH&S goals;
• Ensure high customer satisfaction;
• Prevent pollution;
• This system and policies are communicated and understood by all employees;
• That QEH&S is made available to the public, suppliers, customers, contractors, and other interested parties and is reviewed and amended, as necessary and appropriate.

We recognize that the responsibilities for protection of the environment are shared, requiring cooperation, not only between employees and their supervisors, but also among and between all those who assume the various positions within the company. United Scrap Metal will continually improve its environmental performance including the setting of quality, environmental, health, and safety goals while considering our footprint as well as business, financial, operational and legal requirements. 

United Scrap Metal meets the global needs of buyers of both non-ferrous and ferrous metals, as well as other non-metallic commodities. In every transaction, United operates on high integrity and full transparency.

Suppliers of the high-quality materials purchased and then recycled by United include prominent mills, foundries, many specialty markets and investment casting companies.

Our local, national and global reach enables us to sell high-quality recyclable materials to consumers operating in markets around the world. A bar-coded inventory system, utilizing real-time information, allows us to efficiently tag and ship orders. Consumers are provided with highly accurate and timely information. At our customer’s request, United Scrap can provide versatile processing and customized packaging. Since we operate our own delivery fleet, we ensure quick response, with 24/7 order processing. All orders, including high-volume transactions, are processed and delivered on schedule.

Other benefits to consumers doing business with United Scrap Metal include:

WBE Diversity

• We can help consumers meet their supplier diversity goals, including tier 1 and tier 2 credits.
• Our status is especially useful for Fortune 1000 customers doing automotive, defense and government contracting work.

Health, Safety and Environmental Excellence

• United’s “Green Triangle” methodology, our internal commitment to responsible behaviors, encompasses safety, quality and environmental excellence.
• Our company fully complies with all local, state and federal environmental regulations.

A Global Source for High-Quality Recyclable Commodities

United Scrap Metal meets the global needs of buyers of both non-ferrous and ferrous metals, as well as other non-metallic commodities. In every transaction, United operates on high integrity and full transparency.Suppliers of the high-quality materials purchased and then recycled by United include prominent mills, foundries, many specialty markets and investment casting companies.Our local, national and global reach enables us to sell high-quality recyclable materials to consumers operating in markets around the world. A bar-coded inventory system, utilizing real-time information, allows us to efficiently tag and ship orders. Consumers are provided with highly accurate and timely information. At our customer’s request, United Scrap can provide versatile processing and customized packaging. Since we operate our own delivery fleet, we ensure quick response, with 24/7 order processing. All orders, including high-volume transactions, are processed and delivered on schedule.

Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety

The nature of the United Scrap Metal operations has a positive impact on the environment through the processing and conservation of metals, plastic, and other non-renewable resources. Consistent with these core operations, it is United Scrap Metal’s goal to accomplish its business objectives while meeting and exceeding the quality, environmental and health & safety expectations of our management, employees, customers, suppliers, and regulators.We will continually improve our systems while striving to minimize adverse impacts on the environment throughout our operations. In order to achieve the above statement of this QEH&S and other objectives, United Scrap Metal is committed to the following:

• Ensure that these policies are appropriate to our operations, and its potential environmental impacts and health and safety risks;
• Comply with all relevant QEH&S legal requirements, customer and product requirements, industry guidelines applicable to RIOS member company industries and any other QEH&S commitments made by the RIOS member company;
• We will strive for continual improvement;
• Prevent work place injuries;
• Provide the framework for establishing QEH&S goals;
• Ensure high customer satisfaction;
• Prevent pollution;
• This system and policies are communicated and understood by all employees;
• That QEH&S is made available to the public, suppliers, customers, contractors, and other interested parties and is reviewed and amended, as necessary and appropriate.

We recognize that the responsibilities for protection of the environment are shared, requiring cooperation, not only between employees and their supervisors, but also among and between all those who assume the various positions within the company. United Scrap Metal will continually improve its environmental performance including the setting of quality, environmental, health, and safety goals while considering our footprint as well as business, financial, operational and legal requirements.