IMS Recycling celebrates 60th anniversary

San Diego-based IMS Recycling (IMSR), a CP Global company, is celebrating 60 years of serving the San Diego community in 2014. The family-owned company is a California certified processor of CRV (California Redemption Value) material and has been the city of San Diego’s curbside recycling processor of choice for 20 years. IMSR handles nonferrous metals, fiber, CRV items and electronics, serving residents who want to recycle their bottles and cans as well as large industrial accounts. IMSR, CP Group and IMS Electronics comprise the CP Global brand.

Founded in 1954 by Charles M. Davis Jr., IMSR began as a scrap yard processing nonferrous metals and automobiles.

In the early 1970s, IMSR partnered with Alcoa Aluminum to develop an aluminum can reclamation program to analyze the profit potential and environmental impact of recycling aluminum cans.

As aluminum can recycling grew in popularity, volumes of cans coming through IMSR’s scrap yard increased exponentially, the company says. Being a mechanical engineer, Davis developed the first can flattener for use in his own yard: the CP100. He honed the design and manufactured more units until he was selling can flatteners to scrap yards around the country, IMSR says. This success led to the establishment of CP Manufacturing in 1977.

In 1998, IMS Electronics Recycling, a branch of IMSR, was formed. This special division is devoted to processing electronic scrap.

Because of growing demand for material recovery facilities (MRFs) in the early 1990s, CP Manufacturing expanded to provide more comprehensive sorting solutions. In 2003, the company acquired MSS Inc., now CP’s optical sorting division. In 2007, CP acquired Krause Manufacturing, its construction and demolition equipment division, and in 2012, the company added Advanced MRF Inc., its controls division. Today, these companies and brands make up the CP Group.

CP Manufacturing built IMSR’s MRF on Boston Avenue. In light of IMSR’s advanced waste management capabilities, the company says it has been contracted by the city of San Diego to process half of the city’s curbside recycling for the past 20 years.

Matt August, vice president and general manager of IMSR, says, “IMS is very proud of the fact that what we do is not just good for the community of San Diego but is good for the Earth. I am personally very proud to be able to help sustain the environment for future generations and to be a part of IMS Recycling and its parent brand, CP Global.”

IMSR says it continues its tradition of fostering leadership and raising environmental awareness by partnering with local groups like Boy Scouts of America and Urban Corps to collect recyclables at local events across San Diego County.