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At R.K. Freedman & Son, Inc. we pride ourselves on our rich history and a legacy of over 100 years of serving the business and residential scrap metal recycling needs of the community. Our legacy starts over 100 years ago in Troy, NY where Morris “Smitty” Freedman traveled throughout the then booming industrial neighborhoods of the city with his horse drawn carriage collecting bottles, bones and rags. Smitty as he was known in Troy would then sell these items to a larger local dealer who would then recycle these items to market. Troy, NY in the 1940s was a booming industrial city filled with foundries, factories and breweries. During that period two of Morris “Smitty” Freedman’s four sons would follow in his footsteps, Reuben “Kelly” Freedman and his brother Nathan Freedman. Kelly, a well known and respected athlete in the city of Troy got his nickname from his many years as being the only Jew to play in an all Irish Basketball league in the city, and the name stuck for the rest of his life. Kelly, also the company’s namesake opened the first yard in a small garage in North Troy. During this period Kelly and his brother Nathan would buy scrap metal form the many breweries and foundries as well as the neighborhood peddler, he was now buying scrap from people like his father. In 1950, Kelly’s oldest son Jacob “Jake” Freedman was 10 years old. It was at this age that Jake would ride on the small broken down truck with his father and help him break cast iron boilers and by hand remove them out of basements and load by hand tons of scrap steel, copper, stainless steel and other metals that came out of the many factories and mills at that time. It was in the early 1960s that Kelly and his son Jake would move from their small yard in North Troy to a larger yard just over the Hudson River in Watervliet, NY. It was at this time that Jake started to grow the small 4 man business into a much larger company and begin the pursuit of his dream of operating the biggest and best scrap yard in Upstate New York. With the dedication and hard work of a few men the seeds were sown. In 1970 Jake decided to take a huge risk, and against everyone’s advice including that of his father Kelly, he purchased a 12 Acre parcel of land in Green Island, NY. Jake risked everything that was built by three generations of hard work in an effort to purchase the equipment needed to process scrap metal in an efficient and cost effective manner and provide Steel Mills and Foundries the necessary feedstock. By 1980 the Freedman organization had grown from 4 to 40 men in just over 10 years. The risk paid off and the dream became a reality. In 1987 Morris “Maish” Freedman joined the company. Maish, the oldest son of Jake continued a long tradition and became the fourth generation of Freedman’s to work in the family business. On June 13th, 1993 our then President Jacob “Jake” Freedman was killed in an automobile accident. This was a devastating time for family, friends and employees. Those that fortunate enough to have shared time or to have known Jake will never forget his unmistakable kindness, warmth, and character. His incredible sense of humor and the way he treated all those that worked for him will not be forgotten. In 1993 Maish Freedman took over as president of the company. Together with many dedicated and long serving employees he would continue to position the company for the future. R.K. Freedman & Son Inc. is still operating at the same site
Jacob “Jake” Freedman purchased in 1970 maintaining a
long tradition of growth, perseverance and hard work.
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“In Business Over 100 Years, There Must Be A Reason”
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