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