PITTSBURGH, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — During the transformative era known as the Roaring Twenties, when American industry was booming and innovation was accelerating, TMS International was founded. Now, a century later, TMS, a leading global provider of outsourced industrial and environmental services, proudly announces its 100th anniversary, celebrating 100 years of innovation, growth, and commitment to its customers and employees.
Since its founding in 1926, the company has evolved from a one-person operation in Western Pennsylvania into an international organization employing more than 4,200 colleagues at more than 70 locations worldwide.
The company began as Tube City, founded by David Coslov, a young Lithuanian immigrant who started processing scrap iron and steel in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, a city outside Pittsburgh. At the time, McKeesport was the home to National Tube, then one of the largest tube mills in the world and was widely known as “The Tube City,” a name that inspired Coslov’s original company, Tube City Iron and Metal.
In 1928, the company relocated to Glassport, Pennsylvania. In 1987 the company was acquired by David’s grandson, I Michael Coslov, and renamed Tube City, Inc.
In its earliest days, processing scrap was labor-intensive. Using a hacksaw and a chisel, it took David Coslov up to 30 days to prepare a single railcar of scrap. After purchasing a torch, production increased tremendously. Mr. Coslov reportedly took such care of his new production tool that he brought it home with him every night to clean it and store it under his bed.
Meanwhile, in 1936, Hugh Nelson and Jack Kaiser formed Kaiser-Nelson near Cleveland, Ohio, to engage in the slag processing and metal recovery business. This company would later become International Mill Service (IMS).
In 2004 Wellspring Capital Management, LLC acquired IMS and subsequently obtained a majority interest in Tube City from Blue Point Capital. That same year, Tube City and IMS combined to form Tube City IMS Corporation, creating the largest outsource provider of products and services to the steel industry in North America, with an expanding presence worldwide.
In 2014, the company was acquired by The Pritzker Organization of Chicago, Illinois. Two years later, in 2016, Tube City IMS Corporation was renamed to TMS International Corporation to reflect the company’s global presence and continued growth.
“To mark 100 years of existence is an extraordinary achievement and shows the resilience and excellence of TMS,” said Joel Hawthorne, TMS President and CEO. “The company has overcome the Great Depression, World War 2, 9/11, the Great Recession, COVID-19 and more, and every time we have emerged stronger.”
“The heart of TMS is not only our customer services and products , but also the teammates who make them possible. It is their passion, creativity and expertise that inspire us to push boundaries and continue to create brighter futures for the next generation and beyond. By focusing on people, investing in communities and solving customer problems, TMS has built a strong foundation for growth, becoming a premier industrial and environmental services leader.”
To commemorate its 100th anniversary in 2026, TMS will celebrate with its customers during several industry trade shows and will host celebrations at some of its facilities.
For more information about the company’s 100th anniversary, please go to tmsinternational.com/tms100.
About TMS International
TMS International is one of the largest global providers of outsourced environmental and industrial services. Since 1926, TMS has set high standards in the area of environmental responsibility through recycling, maintaining energy-efficient operations, processing co-products for beneficial reuse and developing innovative, 24/7 programs designed to reduce greenhouse emissions and help customers reduce their carbon footprint.
For additional information, visit the Company’s website at www.tmsinternational.com.
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SOURCE TMS International Corporation
