SOS Metals Island Recycling Sold to Schnitzer Steel Industries

PUUNENE, Maui, Hawaii, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandy and Don Shadrow announce the sale of their company, SOS Metals Island Recycling, to Schnitzer Steel Industries, which also operates a scrap metal processing facility on Oahu.

The Shadrows, brothers from Los Angeles, have been in the business of recycling scrap metals of all types, including jet engines, for over 30 years. When both men bought homes on Maui, they recognized a huge demand for their services. "We drove around Maui and saw hundreds of abandoned appliances and cars," Sandy Shadrow said. "It was a mess."

Maui County officials at that time agreed with the Shadrows' assessment. "We needed their help and expertise. We were pleased that someone with their experience in scrap metal was willing to invest in Maui."

In March of 2005, the headline of the Maui News paper read, "Maui's only scrap yard closes." Stepping into this island-wide disaster was SOS Metals Island Recycling, a new scrap metal recycling facility on a three-acre plot at the Central Maui Base yard.

The site included a 12,000 square-foot enclosed warehouse, a high-speed auto bailer (car crusher) and an Envirorac System which is used to safely separate fluids from old vehicles. SOS invested millions and developed cutting edge environmental controls to keep the site safe and eliminate pollution. SOS's professional approach combined efficient recycling with environmental responsibility. 

In 2006, the county signed a contract with SOS to process derelict vehicles and appliances dumped along Maui's roads. SOS gave the county a fair price, bidding one million dollars less than the next highest bidder, thereby saving the taxpayers over one million dollars a year. "SOS cut the price charged to recycle an auto and appliance to less than half of what the county was paying before we opened," stated Sandy Shadrow. 

Maui county officials, at the time, stated, "We now have the means to guarantee an end to the junk car problem and increase the effectiveness of an on-going County program."

In July 2008, SOS won another county bid, this time to clean up the Hana Landfill. They bid $400,000 lower than the next highest bidder. For twelve years, miscellaneous scrap metal, 3,000 derelict vehicles, broken appliances, propane tanks, batteries, and tires had been stockpiled at the Hana landfill.  SOS worked on site at the landfill to prepare approximately 4,000 tons of materials for hauling to their facility. The successful remediation and recovery of this eyesore and environmental disaster gave residents a renewed vision of keeping Maui beautiful.

There was also an untapped amount of energy savings dividends in restoring the Hana Landfill. When this project was completed, SOS saved approximately 35 million pounds of green house gases and 2 million gallons of gasoline. All of these energy savings were accomplished through recycling.

SOS worked with Community Workday Program to receive all the scrap from their Hana Highway Clean-up Project as well as other clean-up projects. 

In 2010, SOS partnered with the County to implement a pilot scrap metal collection program at the Central Maui Landfill. Every month about 50 tons of metal are dropped off by the public, at the landfill, and is hauled off to SOS for processing. 

Recently, working along with Maui county, SOS implemented the "EARTH DAY EVERYDAY" program and offered free pick-up of derelict vehicles.  As of September, they picked-up over 1,600 vehicles.  Recycling one car saves 120 lbs. of limestone, 2,500 lbs. of iron ore, and 1400 lbs. of coal that would be used to make new steel. The recycling of one car saves 86% in air pollution (from the burning of coal), reduces 8,800 lbs. of green house gases and a saves 502 gallons of gasoline.

"We're pleased to have made a contribution to this community. With the help of our employees, we accomplished what we set out to do." The Shadrows want to express their appreciation to all SOS employees and everyone who works to keep Maui clean and free of junk and scrap metal. Since opening, SOS recycled close to 100 million pounds of metal.  

SOURCE SOS Metals Island Recycling