Northern Metal Recycling

Northern Metal Recycling is an industry leader, committed to the highest level of environmental responsibility, best-practices plant operations and quality customer service.It is our goal to make metal recycling as efficient as possible - by building upon our global capabilities, economies of scale and technical specialization.We handle over 100 grades of ferrous and nonferrous metals and serve the Upper Midwest through our three-state network of recycling facilities.

Buying scrap from Northern Metals

Northern Metal handles over 100 grades of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal. Our extensive transportation network and barging facilites gives us direct access to domestic and global markets.

Recycler turns trash into cash

• 'A cherry picker swings across the skyline, its extended claw snatching up chunks of scrap metal from huge piles.

• 'We started with two people. Now we’ve got seven, and we’re looking for two more,' said Blakeman. 'So we’re growing.'

• Northern Metal Recycling, headquartered in Minneapolis, is a subsidiary of European Metal Recycling, a privately owned global metal recycling company that sells 10 million tons of recycled commodities per year, employing 3,500 people in 150 countries, according to its website.

• NMR has 12 locations in Minnesota, two in Wisconsin and three in North Dakota, including Milnor and Bismarck.

• 'As time went on we grew, and they decided to open a new facility,' Blakeman said.

• The company found rental space across from the West Fargo stockyards.

• “We decided to see if it would grow into something, and it did,” Blakeman said.

• The company recycles anything metal.

• 'We like to say don’t throw it in the trash, turn it into cash,' Blakeman said.

• NMR accepts everything from household steel and industrial scrap to car bodies, which are shipped to a company shredder in the Twin Cities, he said.

• It’s business area includes Fargo-Moorhead and towns within a 60-mile radius, he said.

• Northern Metal Recycling is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• 'We’re just tickled to death to be here in West Fargo,' Blakeman said.

UNACCEPTABLE MATERIALS

• PCB Capacitors or PCB capacitor bearing materials and items

• Fluorescent lights including ballasts

• Cracked and/or broken lead-acid batteries. This means to include pieces of batteries

• Mercury or any mercury bearing items

• Magnesium turnings

PROVISIONALLY ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS

• Automobile bodies: accepted at St. Paul, Bismarck, St. Cloud, Willmar, Eau Claire, Rice Lake, Green Isle, Maple Grove and Glenwood locations

• Materials which were formerly capacitor bearing, will be considered ONLY if all capacitors have been removed and supplier has signed a supplier certificate

• Gas Tanks. Tanks that have been completely drained and punched with a minimum of three holes, both top and bottom, or, cut in half are acceptable

• Sealed units including: propane tanks, hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic jacks, shock absorbers, drivelines must be cut in half and drained of all oils and other nonmetallic substances

• Compressed Gas Cylinders and Oxygen Bottles if valves have been removed, a hole drilled in bottom and free of all liquid and gaseous materials

• Barrels, drums, aerosol cans or other containers that are empty. Containers must have lids removed and/or several large holes punched in bottom, so as to assure containers are empty. Tanks must be cut in half. Closed tanks approved on a case by case basis

• Air conditioners (automobile, window, etc.) or other items formerly containing CFC's (refrigerants) provided they are accepted from American Iron certified suppliers

• Transformers and other components which have been properly tested for PCB's

• Lead scrap if properly segregated and stored in nonferrous warehouse before shipping

• Automotive scrap associated with oils such as motor blocks, transmissions, torque converters that have been drained of all fluids. Motor blocks must have oil filters removed, torque converters must have hole punched and oil removed

• Gauges and Measuring Devices free of radioactivity

• Metallic sludges and drosses that seller can provide appropriate documentation which proves the sludge or dross is not hazardous and has been managed in compliance with applicable legal requirements

• Military and/or government Scrap which has been certified to be free of explosive and hazardous materials

• Brake Shoes with no asbestos

• Magnesium flashing and magnesium solids