From Schnitzer Steel to Radius Recycling: Rebranding for Sustainability

Schnitzer Steel, one of America’s largest manufacturers and exporters of recycled metal products, wasn’t getting credit for its ethics and leadership in environmental sustainability. People saw it as a steel company, not a global firm committed to recycling and reusing waste metals, and it wanted to correct these stakeholder misperceptions.

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Brand Federation took on this rebranding project in close partnership with brand design firm and frequent collaborator, Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, to:

• Develop a rebranding strategy and communication platform,
• Refresh the company’s name and visual identity, and
• Roll out an activation plan for the rebrand.

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Brand Federation conducted intensive internal and external research to understand:

• the company’s core competencies, audience, and future goals, 
• the market challenges in the metals and recycling industry, and
• the perceptions of Schnitzer Steel.

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The research played a pivotal role in shaping the brand strategy and generated a communications platform anchored by a central message: "It isn't waste if you don't waste it." The message reinforced the company's role in the circular economy and helped shift perceptions of the brand from specific raw materials, such as steel, to the broader activity of recycling. The platform helped the company transition from being seen as part of the steel industry to a company committed to making the most of discarded metals.

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The brand strategy and communications platform informed the company’s name change to Radius Recycling, a new visual identity, and the implementation of the rebrand across various marketing and communication channels.

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The rebranding effort was highly successful in reflecting the company as a responsible metal recycler, and earned high-profile media placements in TIME, CNBC, and Forbes.

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The new brand resonated with internal and external stakeholders alike, aligning the company's identity with its true mission. The rebranding not only clarified the company's mission but also positioned it as a prominent player in the circular economy and green technology sectors.

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