Company History

Joseph Behr and Sons is a recycling company which was incorporated in 1906. It began in Rockford, Illinois with a capitalization of $30,000.00.

Joseph Behr, the company's founder immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1902. A year later his wife Celia, with three children, two boys and a girl, boarded a vessel to join him. Sadly measles claimed the lives of two of the children. Only the youngest, a baby boy, Isadore, arrived with his mother. Seven more children were born in the U.S. A lot of mouths to feed, a strong incentive for economic achievement! .

Joseph began business in Chicago, pedaling fruit from a horse and wagon. He traveled through the countryside selling his produce, eventually settling in Rockford. The family began in business by bottling ammonia, vinegar and bluing. These products soon gave way to scrap iron, metals, rags, paper and glass (cullet). Eventually, the scrap recycling business emerged as the focus of the company.

Joseph Behr's son, Isadore, I.J., joined the firm in 1918. In 1923, Phillip Behr began his career at Behr's, followed by a third brother, Ben, in 1939. Joseph passed away a year later, in 1940. His oldest son, I.J., had already become president, a position he retained until his death in 1958. Under I.J.'s leadership the company grew and prospered. The business was split into divisions which were eventually developed into eight separate corporations.

I.J. Behr's leadership set the company's vision and created our corporate culture. Integrity, service to customers and quality in all products, became Behr standards. They remain the standard we work by today.

I.J. was succeeded by his brother Phil who led the company until 1964. Then, I.J.'s son Richard, who joined the company in 1956, assumed the presidency. Richard engrained two new standards into the corporate work ethic. The first was protect the environment. We have dedicated a section of our web site to this critically important subject. We regard protecting our environment as more important than just complying with E.P.A. regulations. To us, it's an obligation.

We have designated safety as our second new standard. We regard safety as equal in importance to all proceeding corporate standards.

Today, the Behr companies play a major role in the recycling industry. A verbal description can go only so far. To really learn about our company come see us. Showing you Joseph Behr & Sons is our pleasure.