Our History
Doing good for generations
1906
The company that would become Schnitzer Steel is started by Russian immigrant Sam Schnitzer as a one-man scrap business called Alaska Junk Company. Sam started his business buying and selling the scrap metal he could carry on his back as he settled into Portland, Oregon.
Sam Schnitzer's five sons start taking major roles in the family business.
1920's -1930's
The company is incorporated in Oregon. Sam turns the business over to his sons. Over time, Sam's sons would grow the company into a successful group of recycling, shipping and real estate businesses.
1946
1952
Founder Sam Schnitzer dies.
1965
Schnitzer opens metals recycling facility and deep water port in Oakland, CA.
Schnitzer grows quickly as many new electric arc furnace steel mini-mills requiring scrap are built.
1970's
Sam Schnitzer's youngest son, Leonard becomes chairman. He would become CEO in 1973 and remain CEO until 2002 and Chairman until his death in 2003.
1971
1973
Schnitzer opens metals recycling facility in Sacramento, CA.
1984
Schnitzer acquires Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, Inc., an electric arc furnace steelmaker located in McMinnville, OR (near Portland) originally founded in 1968.
Cascade Steel completes rebuild of rolling mill #1.
1986
Schnitzer acquires metals recycling facility in Fresno, CA. Schnitzer enters Pick-n-Pull joint venture.
1989
1993
Schnitzer becomes a publicly traded company. Schnitzer acquires Sessler, Inc., adding four metals recycling facilities in central and southern Oregon.
1995
Schnitzer acquires Manufacturing Management, Inc., including its metals recycling facility and deep water port in Tacoma, WA.
Schnitzer acquires Proler International, including its interests in a joint venture with Hugo Neu Corporation. Cascade Steel completes construction of rolling mill #2.
1996
Schnitzer and Hugo Neu increase the size of their joint venture partnership by buying out a third partner and completing two other strategic joint venture acquisitions.
1998
2000
Schnitzer operates its first mega-shredder at the Tacoma, WA facility.
2003
Schnitzer buys out its partner in the Pick-n-Pull joint venture. Pick-n-Pull becomes a wholly owned subsidiary and the first member of Schnitzer's Auto Parts Business.
Cascade Steel completes construction of a new electric arc furnace (EAF) in its melt shop.
2004
Schnitzer and Hugo Neu Corp end their joint venture. As a result of the agreement, Schnitzer gains full ownership of five metals recycling facilities in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Hawaii plus controlling interests in the joint venture's interest in two Rhode Island facilities. Three of these facilities are located at deep water ports.
Schnitzer expands its Auto Parts Business by acquiring GreenLeaf Auto Recyclers, including 22 locations selling recycled auto parts to wholesale customers.
Schnitzer's Metals Recycling Business expands into the Southeastern U.S. by acquiring Regional Recycling, with nine facilities in Georgia and Alabama.
2005
2006
Schnitzer gains full ownership of two Rhode Island metals recycling facilities in which it previously had a controlling interest.
Schnitzer expands its Northeastern U.S. metals recycling presence by acquiring Advanced Recycling with four facilities in New Hampshire.
Schnitzer completes installation of mega-shredders at its Oakland, CA and Everett, MA facilities.
2007
Schnitzer acquires metals recycling facilities in Alaska, Maine, Alabama and Georgia.
Schnitzer listed in Fortune 1000 Companies.
Schnitzer completes installation of a mega-shredder at its Portland, OR facility.
Schnitzer acquires metals recycling facilities in Georgia and Washington and opens another in Tennessee.
Schnitzer acquires three self-service auto parts facilities in Arkansas and Texas.
2008
Schnitzer acquires three metals recycling facilities in Puerto Rico and one in Nevada. Schnitzer acquires two self-service auto parts facilities in Northern California and four in Oregon.
Schnitzer sells its GreenLeaf Auto Recyclers full-service auto parts business.
2009
2010
Schnitzer acquires three self-service auto parts facilities in Texas.
Schnitzer acquires a metals recycling facility in Montana, one in Hawaii, two in Georgia and six in British Columbia, Canada.
2011
Schnitzer acquires a metals recycling facility in Massachusetts, two in California and four in British Columbia, Canada.
Schnitzer opens an additional metals recycling facility in California.
Schnitzer acquires three self-service auto parts facilities in Washington and opens a new self-service auto parts facility in California.
Schnitzer acquires a metals recycling facility in Alberta, Canada.
Schnitzer opens new metals recycling facilities in Alberta, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Schnitzer opens a new self-service auto parts facility in California.
Schnitzer acquires four auto parts facilities in British Columbia, Canada; acquires one self-service auto parts facility in Kansas and acquires another self-service auto parts facility in Missouri.
2012
Schnitzer completes major capital projects in Alberta and Puerto Rico.
Schnitzer acquires two auto parts facilities in Massachusetts, and one each in Alberta, Rhode Island and Washington.
Schnitzer opens a new auto parts facility in Missouri.
2013
2014
Schnitzer opens a new auto parts facility in Rhode Island.
2015
Schnitzer integrates its Auto Parts Business and Metals Recycling Business into a single integrated recycling business, the Auto and Metals Recycling business (AMR).
Schnitzer acquires a leading metals recycler with eight operating facilities across Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
2021
Schnitzer acquires the operating assets of a recycler in the Atlanta Metro Region, including two metal recycling facilities, a metal shredding operation, and recycled auto-parts center.
2022
2023
Schnitzer is named the World's Most Sustainable Company by Corporate Knights.
Schnitzer acquires metals recycling management services and solutions provider with customers in 48 U.S. states.
Schnitzer is named to TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies list.
2023
Schnitzer rebrands as Radius Recycling.
Radius Recycling, Inc. acquired by Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. ("TAI"), a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("Toyota Tsusho").
2025
