SA Recycling Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Terminal Island Operations

The scrap metal recycling firm SA Recycling, headquartered in Orange, Calif., is celebrating the 50th year of the operations of its Terminal Island, Calif., location. SA Recycling, which has more than 50 locations in three Western states, processes about 3 million tons of ferrous and nonferrous scrap per year.
 

To commemorate the anniversary, the company held a celebration at its Terminal Island site on Feb. 27, 2012. The facility, on 27 acres, has operated a mega shredder since 2006. SA Recycling has operated the Terminal Island facility for nearly five years. Prior to SA Recycling acquiring the facility, the Terminal Island location has operated under different names.
 

David Thornburg, a spokesman for SA Recycling, says since the company acquired the facility it has transformed the location to one of the “greenest” recycling facilities in the country. The company has state-of-the-art stormwater systems and other programs to reduce the facility's impact on the environment, he says.
 

During the anniversary celebration, the company singled out Francisco “Pancho” Rojas, who has worked at the location for 44 years and now serves as a maintenance manager of the facility.
 

Franciscois not the onlyRojas  family member working at SA Recycling. Frank Rojas, Francisco’s son, has worked for the company for the past eight years. 
 

In addition to the Rojas, SA Recycling says five members of the Vizcarra family work for the company; Antonio Cuevas, who has served at the Terminal Island facility for 33 years, works at the facility with two sons; and Francisco Tinajero and his son Francisco Jr. both work at the port facility.

 

“Yes, it's a family business, and not just in the literal sense,” SA Recycling CEO George Adams says. “I think this attitude sets us apart from some organizations that do not include loyalty and putting family first as key values.”

 

The facility has a total of about 150 employees.