GREAT BEND, Kan. — Acme Scrap is proud to celebrate the opening of its new, state-of-the-art facility while honoring a legacy that has served the Great Bend community for more than 70 years.
The story of Acme Scrap began as Acme Pipe & Steel in the 1950s when Ben and Ruth Poznik founded the business. Their vision was simple but ahead of its time: recycle scrap metal while also supplying new steel products to local businesses, farmers, and industry. Their commitment to hard work, integrity, and customer service established what would become one of Great Bend’s longest-standing local businesses.
In 1963, the Pozniks sold Acme Scrap to Joe Kalpin, who continued growing the company alongside his son, Barry Kalpin. Together, they built on the reputation established by the Poznik family and served the community for more than three decades.
In 1999, Barry Kalpin sold Acme Scrap to Lloyd and Sue Fletcher of K&L Auto Crushers, now known as K&L Recycling. Under their ownership, Acme Scrap has continued to evolve while remaining committed to the values on which it was founded.
Today, K&L Recycling remains a privately owned family business, and the third generation is now actively involved in the company, continuing the family’s commitment to serving customers and investing in the communities where they operate.
Over the past year, Acme Scrap:
- Served more than 20,000 customers
- Purchased approximately 26 million pounds of recyclable scrap metal
- Diverted those 26 million pounds from area landfills, returning valuable raw materials back into American manufacturing
- Provides employment for seven local team members
- Helps provide income for many individuals and families, including those facing barriers to traditional employment or those transitioning between jobs. For many customers, recycling scrap metal helps put food on the table, pay utility bills, and bridge financial gaps when they need it most.
To better serve its customers and support the continued growth of Great Bend, K&L Recycling has invested more than $1 million in a new 7,500-square-foot recycling facility.
The new building was designed to provide customers with a cleaner, safer, and more efficient experience while creating an improved workplace for employees. The investment also reflects the company’s belief that recycling facilities can be modern, professional, and an asset to the communities they serve.
Community involvement has long been a cornerstone of Acme Scrap’s mission. For more than 20 years, Acme Scrap and K&L Recycling have proudly partnered with Kans for Kids, providing collection trailers, transportation, and recycling services that have helped the organization raise funds benefiting children and families throughout central Kansas. The partnership reflects the company’s belief that success is measured not only by business growth, but also by giving back to the communities that have supported it for generations.
The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce recently recognized this investment with a ribbon-cutting celebration, marking not simply the opening of a new building, but another chapter in a business that has continued to reinvest in Great Bend for more than seven decades. The project reflects the Chamber’s Elevate GBK Beyond Today strategic plan by highlighting the power of long-term local investment, supporting quality jobs, strengthening the regional economy, and celebrating businesses that help ensure Great Bend remains a place where companies—and families—can thrive for generations.
“Acme Scrap has always been about more than buying and recycling metal,” said Andy Wells, third-generation owner of K&L Recycling. “It’s about building relationships, earning trust, and being a positive part of the Great Bend community. We’re incredibly proud of the history that Ben and Ruth Poznik started, grateful for the stewardship of the Kalpin family, and honored to continue that legacy. This new facility is our investment in the future—our customers, our employees, and the community we call home.”
As Acme Scrap begins its next chapter, the company remains committed to the same principles that have guided it since the 1950s: honesty, integrity, exceptional customer service, environmental stewardship, and reinvesting in the communities it serves.
Acme Scrap extends its sincere appreciation to its customers, employees, and the Great Bend community for their continued support over the decades and looks forward to serving central Kansas for generations to come.
While the facility is new, Acme Scrap’s commitment to Great Bend remains unchanged—serving the community, supporting local organizations, creating opportunities for local families, and helping keep central Kansas clean for generations to come.
About Acme Scrap
Acme Scrap, a division of K&L Recycling, is a full-service metal recycling facility located at 700 Frey St, Great Bend, Kansas. The company purchases ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the public, businesses, farms, contractors, and industrial customers, helping conserve natural resources while returning millions of dollars to the local economy through recycling. Call Us at (620) 793-6532, Mon – Fri 9 am – 5 pm Sat 8 am – 12 pm, klrecycling.com/great-bend-ks.
