History - Almost A Century

The reuse of metal objects is one of the oldest businesses on earth. Long ago, if a metal sword broke, it might have been remade into a dagger.  Metal cups, bowls and plates were rarely thrown away. They were melted down and made into new utensils.

Louis Shostak immigrated to Kansas City from Russia in the early 1900’s.  Louis had little formal education and had difficulty with the English language.  He started out walking the streets of Kansas City buying glass, rags, bones and metals.  In the beginning he used a push-cart, but eventually his business grew and he was able to buy a horse and wagon.   In 1917 Louis Shostak started Shostak Iron & Metal Co.  The next person responsible for growing the business was his son-in-law who had returned from World War 2, where he had served as the U. S. Army’s metal recycling specialist in India.

In 1974 Shostak moved from Down Town Kansas City, MO to the present location in the Fairfax Industrial District of Kansas City, Kansas.  Shostak found seven acres with a building that needed very few improvements to fit the needs of a metal recycling business. 

Today, the three main managers have more than 90 years of combined experience in the metal recycling business.  They are responsible for the present and future growth of Shostak Iron and Metal Co., Inc.

Shostak buys scrap metal from four basic groups.  We buy from companies that manufacture products from metal.  In any manufacturing process there is some excess metal cut offs and mistakes.  We buy plant scrap metal, demolition and construction scrap from companies that do not have anything directly to do with metal manufacturing.   Shostak buys from individuals who collect scrap metal from streets, vehicle service stations, businesses and farms.  We also buy scrap metal from salvage yards and scrap metal dealers in smaller communities.  After sorting, processing, consolidating and packaging, Shostak Iron & Metal Co., Inc. will supply consumers of scrap metals all over the world. 

In 2017 we will celebrate 100 years of continuous metal recycling.  Long before it was politically correct, Shostak Iron and Metal Co., Inc. was preserving the environment by recycling metals.