The David J Joseph Co

In the scrap recycling industry, DJJ has a well-earned reputation for integrity and innovation. We’re recognized as a good community citizen who is trustworthy, financially strong and environmentally proactive. Since 1885, we’ve followed the principles of our founder Joseph Joseph. And become one of the most respected leaders in the industry.Today, we have relationships with several thousand scrap metal businesses around the world. Businesses that trust us to provide value beyond price.  Our customers know we deliver what we promise. Sellers know we pay fairly and on time.  Here’s what else sets us apart:Today, we have relationships with several thousand scrap metal businesses around the world. Businesses that trust us to provide value beyond price.  Our customers know we deliver what we promise. Sellers know we pay fairly and on time.  Here’s what else sets us apart:Today, we have relationships with several thousand scrap metal businesses around the world. Businesses that trust us to provide value beyond price.  Our customers know we deliver what we promise. Sellers know we pay fairly and on time.  Here’s what else sets us apart:

• A global brokerage team dedicated exclusively to the scrap metal market.
• The industry’s most advanced network of ferrous and nonferrous metal recycling centers dedicated to responsibly recycling this valuable resource.
• One of the largest independent fleets of railcars in the business, ensuring reliable, timely delivery.
• A family of self-serve used auto parts stores that save do-it-yourselfers money while helping save the environment.

We’re a world leader in scrap processing and trading. And we’re not only helping change old metal back into new, we’re also changing misperceptions of what a scrap company can do... and be.

Vision and Profile

When you’ve been around for over a century, you know the difference between quick opportunistic profits and long-term financial success. To DJJ, it’s about recycling one of the world’s most reusable materials, while conserving our precious natural resources in the process.  It’s also about understanding that our long-term mission can only be achieved by maintaining long-term relationships. We manage our business for the long term by creating a culture where people choose life-long careers and business partnerships span generations.

Our portfolio of services includes:

• Railcar Lease, Purchase, Sales and Finance, and Engineering Services. Our Rail Equipment Group leases and trades railroad equipment, including new and used railcars, throughout North America.

• Private Railcar Fleet. One of the largest independent fleets of open top gondola railcars helps deliver DJJ traded commodities.

• Industrial Services. We process, arrange transportation and market scrap generated by industrial companies of all sizes.

• Railcar Dismantling. Railcar parts are re-used or recycled.

• U-Pull-&-Pay. Our self-serve used auto parts stores save customers money while helping the environment.

Environmental Focus

Sure, there are tons of environmental benefits to recycling scrap metal. Over 70 million tons to be exact. That’s the amount of scrap recycled in the USA every year. But we think the true measure of our own environmental commitment is how we go about recycling this precious metal in the first place. How we’re continually improving our electrical and mechanical efficiencies and developing better separation processes to extract every ounce of metal in the recycling process. And how we are reducing the volume of materials sent to landfills.

Pure, clean scrap.
We’re always looking for new ways to make our environmentally friendly steel even friendlier. Like having all our recycling facilities adopt a source control program to ensure that all “convenience” light switches – which may contain mercury - are removed prior to receipt of automobiles for shredding. We also support the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP). This partnership between steelmakers, scrap suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, environmental groups and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is dedicated to removing and recovering mercury light switches from older model cars before they enter the scrap supply stream.

Responsibility

With our overriding goal of zero accidents, we have comprehensive safety procedures in place at all our facilities. This includes ongoing training to ensure the safety of all employees, customers, suppliers and visitors. Our safety process is guided by the following principles:

• Safety is recognized and promoted as a core value throughout every level of the organization
• Safe operating practices will not be sacrificed for the sake of production
• All employees are responsible for and take an active part of making their workplace safe

DJJ’s safety process follows the Continuous Improvement Principle and our injury and illness rates have declined steadily since we started tracking rates back in 1979. Likewise, our 2011 injury and illness rate was the lowest in our company’s history and was less than one half of the industry average. Are we satisfied? No. The only acceptable number of injuries is zero. Speaking of zero, 40 of our recycling facilities were injury-free in 2011.

Active employee participation is vital to the success of our safety process. Employees are assigned to a 'functional team' that meets weekly. The task of these team members is to recognize and spot hazards in their work areas, then to work cooperatively with plant managers to correct the problems.

Our supervisors receive additional training by attending our 'Safety School,' a detailed three day program covering 25 topics to equip them with the basic information they need to help run our plants safely. In addition to lockout/tag out, fall protection and hearing conservation, our supervisors learn how to present effective safety meetings, how to safeguard the shredders, balers and other equipment specific to our industry, and how to effectively administer our Continuous Improvement process.

Supervisors also attend safety conferences where they meet their peers, compare notes on administering and implementing safety procedures, and receive updates from company safety staff.

Besides functional team walkarounds and frequent inspection by supervisors and safety managers, a quantitative site inspection, called a “Safety Scorecard”, is completed at the facility annually. This inspection includes a complete review of the administrative, physical and behavioral elements of the safety process. Plants receive an official score and those that do well are recognized for safety excellence. This generates a lot of excitement and healthy competition between plants to perform well on all facets of our safety process.

We are proud of our safety accomplishments to date, and work continuously, refining our process to better keep DJJ employees safe on the job.

Can a scrap yard help save the Earth?

Well-maintained with state of the art equipment and customer-friendly employees, our recycling facilities defy expectations of what a scrap yard should look like. But it’s on the inside where you’ll find our greenest initiatives. First and foremost, you’ll see sustainability in action. Our recycling facilities literally hold the key to conserving our natural resources. Our “green” shows when:

• We methodically clean and sort all scrap before shipping. That means safely and efficiently removing fluids, CFC’s, mercury switches and other items from vehicles and appliances that could harm the environment. In fact, as part of the Nucor Corporation, we led a nationwide movement to remove mercury switches found in older model cars before they are recycled.

• Through our comprehensive source control programs, we continually screen to stop potentially hazardous materials from entering our facilities. In fact, all our operations employ the industry’s most comprehensive radiation detection equipment and procedures.

Serving those who serve and protect.

We work actively with local law enforcement and fire departments to protect our communities. To combat metal theft and deter stolen scrap from being brought into any of our recycling facilities, we use a computerized imaging system that captures every transaction. It provides police with an easy way to identify suspects. We also support community fire departments. For example, we provide space and vehicles for firefighters training with the “Jaws of Life”.