Green Metals launched its first resources recycling site in Georgetown, Kentucky in 2000. The company's resources recycling business experienced rapid growth during its early years in tandem with Toyota Motor Corporation's acceleration of manufacturing operations outside Japan. As the Toyota Tsusho's primary recycling company, Green Metals didn't stop with North America. Instead, it rapidly built up a global recycling network with new sites in Europe, China, and South Africa.

Green Metals uses its own facilities and machinery to recycle resources. Under its original business model, however, the company acted as an intermediary, collecting scrap metals generated during automobile and auto parts production processes through local scrap metals partners without maintaining its own facilities or machinery.

Green Metals then shifted its business model from asset-free to self-owned assets. In fact, the establishment of the Green Metals Group marked a decisive change in Toyota Tsusho's recycling business model. Toyota Tsusho leveraged its trading know-how in providing products and services matching customer needs to make new investments into the recycling business.

Resource-recycling Model for Automotive Industry

1. *1Supply materials for consumption
2. *2Collect used materials for reuse and recycling, and return the recycled materials to manufacturers