B.L. Duke receives recognition as fast growing Chicago company
B.L. Duke receives recognition as fast growing Chicago company
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B. L. Duke, a metals recycling company based in Forest View, Illinois, has been named a 2018 Fast Fifty company by the Chicago Crain’s business publication. The annual Fast Fifty list is released each year by Crain’s to recognize Chicago-area companies that have shown significant growth during the previous five years. This is the second time B.L. Duke has made this list, the first time being in 2015 for growing nearly 300 percent in five years.
“It’s truly an honor to be named among the impressive list of honorees across many thriving industries,” says Lou Plucinski, B.L. Duke’s president and CEO. “Hands down, this recognition is the direct result of the hard work of our team. I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together as a company in the past few years.”
In 2017, B.L. Duke increased sales revenue by 65 percent and added 32 employees. In addition, the company has evolved practices as the industry demands it, according to Plucinski. He cites as an example responding proactively to impending 2018 IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) regulatory changes by adding 13 trucks, a 30 percent increase in the company’s fleet; hiring new drivers; and building a new maintenance shop to manage operating costs and better maintain its fleet.
“The growth our industry has seen over the past few years has been incredible. Paired with the fact that we’ve focused on strengthening our logistics services, building customer relationships, and investing in technology, we’ve been able to expand our services and continue to revolutionize the industry,” says Plucinski.
In related news, B.L. Duke recently launched a new subsidiary, known as B.L. Duke River Transport, which will focus on stevedoring services and includes both indoor and outdoor storage. The new subsidiary will give B.L. Duke the ability to transload finished steel products, including coils, bar stock, rebar, wire and structural steel.
In launching the new subsidiary, B.L. Duke says it will continue to grow its barge and rail service, not only to control its own logistics costs, but to diversify and create a new revenue source.
B.L. Duke River Transport is located at the company’s recently acquired site that previously housed the Gerdau Rolling Mill in Joliet, Illinois. The 30-acre site includes a 250,000-square-foot facility and has both barge and rail terminals.
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Source: Recycling Today
B.L. Duke receives recognition as fast growing Chicago company
<![CDATA[B. L. Duke, a metals recycling company based in Forest View, Illinois, has been named a 2018 Fast Fifty company by the Chicago Crain’s business publication. The annual Fast Fifty list is released each year by Crain’s to recognize Chicago-area companies that have shown significant growth during the previous five years. This is the second time B.L. Duke has made this list, the first time being in 2015 for growing nearly 300 percent in five years. “It’s truly an honor to be named among the impressive list of honorees across many thriving industries,” says Lou Plucinski, B.L. Duke’s president and CEO. “Hands down, this recognition is the direct result of the hard work of our team. I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together as a company in the past few years.” In 2017, B.L. Duke increased sales revenue by 65 percent and added 32 employees. In addition, the company has evolved practices as the industry demands it, according to Plucinski. He cites as an example responding proactively to impending 2018 IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) regulatory changes by adding 13 trucks, a 30 percent increase in the company’s fleet; hiring new drivers; and building a new maintenance…