The U.S. electronics recycling industry has shown tremendous growth over the past 10 years. This maturing segment of the scrap recycling industry provides a boost of approximately $20.6 billion, including exports of $1.45 billion, to the U.S. economy (up from less than $1 billion in 2002) and employs more than 45,000 full time employees (up from 6,000 in 2002).

In 2011, the U.S. electronics recycling industry processed more than 4.4 million tons of used and end-of-life electronics equipment. More than 70 percent of the collected equipment is manufactured into specification grade commodities — including scrap steel, aluminum, copper, lead, circuit boards, plastics, and glass. These valuable commodities are then sold to basic materials manufacturers in the United States and globally as raw material feedstock for new products, such as steel, copper, aluminum, plastic, and glass.

Electronics recyclers repair, refurbish and resell functioning electronics equipment as used products into domestic and international markets. Companies also provide a number of logistical services, like collection, storage and transportation as well as scrubbing hard drives of sensitive personal and commercial data.

The industry is driven by equipment collected from businesses and commercial interests, comprising up to 75 percent of the market on a volume basis. The electronics recycling industry is poised to meet the anticipated increased demand for more used products and specification grade commodities.

The electronics recycling industry has seen a dramatic increase in the use of third-party certifications. The marketplace is pushing electronics recyclers to become certified to programs like ISRI’s R2/RIOS® program (www.CertifyMeRecycling.org) to improve operational controls, meet customer demands, and secure a competitive advantage.

The reuse of used electronics equipment and consumption of commodity grade materials recovered from electronics to manufacture new products boosts the U.S. economy, creates jobs, sustains the earth’s natural resources, conserves impressive amounts of energy in the manufacturing process, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from those facilities.

Company History

Metal Recycling Companies, Scrap Metal Recycling Business
Four Generations of Recycling
Family Owned & Operated Since 1910

Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co. was built on the reputation of quality local service, honesty, and the passion for building strong relationships. At a time when horse and buggy was the main form of transportation, the company began when Louis Miller formed Consumer Tire & Supply after he immigrated to Minnesota from Russia in the early 1900’s. They mainly sold tires, but also purchased rags, paper, and scrap metals and sold them for recycling purposes. Louis’ son, William, and his wife Esther, got involved in the business and later separated from Consumer Tire & Supply Co. and formed Miller Salvage and Supply Co. in 1950. Miller Salvage became Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co. in 1955 and continued in the ferrous and non-ferrous scrap business.

In the early 1960′s, Miller Scrap expanded their scrap recycling operation into the refuse and roll-off dumpster business along with a small mixed solid waste (MSW) transfer station. In the early 1970′s, Miller Scrap purchased 10 acres of industrial land from the Winona Port Authority and moved their entire operation to the current location at 1252 Trempealeau Drive in Winona, MN. Today the third and fourth generations of the Miller family, along with a dedicated team of employees, are involved in the full service recycling operation.

Miller Scrap’s growth has been made possible by maintaining and building a reputation of quality service, honesty, strong relationships, and dedicated employees. The Millers are proud to be a family owned and operated business that dates back to 1910 and they still do business with many companies that they have been dealing with for multiple decades.