The Global Stainless Steel Recycling Market was valued at USD 29.8 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 47.2 Billion by 2030, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.8% during the forecast period (2023–2030). This robust growth is fueled by escalating demand from the construction, automotive, and manufacturing sectors, alongside a global push for sustainability and adherence to stringent environmental regulations that champion the circular economy.
As industries worldwide pivot towards greener operations and resource efficiency, the stainless steel recycling sector has become a cornerstone of modern manufacturing. In this blog, we profile the Top 10 Companies in the Stainless Steel Recycling Industry—a dynamic group of global recyclers, metal traders, and integrated producers shaping the future of sustainable metal supply chains.
🔟 1. Hanwa Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: Osaka, Japan
Key Offering: Global scrap metal trading, Stainless steel scrap procurement and distribution
Hanwa is a leading global trading company with a formidable presence in non-ferrous and ferrous scrap metal. Its metals recycling division is integral to the global stainless steel supply chain, sourcing and supplying high-quality scrap to mills and foundries worldwide, ensuring a steady flow of recycled raw materials.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Extensive global network for scrap collection and processing
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Commitment to promoting circular economy principles in the metals industry
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Investments in logistics and technology to enhance recycling efficiency
Download FREE Sample Report: Stainless Steel Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report
9️⃣ 2. Outokumpu Oyj
Headquarters: Helsinki, Finland
Key Offering: Recycled stainless steel products, Circular Economy Solutions
Outokumpu is one of the world’s largest producers of stainless steel and a pioneer in integrating recycled content into its production. The company has set ambitious targets for using recycled raw materials, with a significant portion of its melt shop input coming from stainless steel scrap, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of its products.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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World’s first stainless steel producer to issue a Sustainability-Linked Bond
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Target of 95% recycled content in its stainless steel by 2030
8️⃣ 3. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon, USA
Key Offering: Ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal recycling, Auto parts recycling
Schnitzer is a major player in North America’s recycling industry, operating a network of scrap yards and steel manufacturing facilities. Its subsidiary, Radius Recycling, processes millions of tons of scrap metal annually, supplying essential recycled feedstock to domestic and international stainless steel producers.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Comprehensive environmental management systems across all facilities
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Published annual sustainability reports tracking environmental performance
7️⃣ 4. Stena Recycling AB
Headquarters: Gothenburg, Sweden
Key Offering: Industrial recycling services, Stainless steel scrap processing
Part of the Stena Metall Group, Stena Recycling is a leading recycling company in Northern Europe. It offers full-service recycling solutions for industrial clients, including the collection, sorting, and processing of stainless steel scrap, supporting a closed-loop system for high-value metals.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Advanced sorting technologies to maximize metal recovery rates
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Active participation in developing European circular economy policies
6️⃣ 5. Sims Metal
Headquarters: New York, USA (Global operations)
Key Offering: Metal and electronics recycling, Global trading
Sims Metal, a division of Sims Limited, is one of the world’s largest metal recyclers. With operations across North America, the UK, and Australasia, it plays a critical role in the global circular economy by processing ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, including significant volumes of stainless steel, for reuse in manufacturing.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
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Investments in advanced material recovery facilities (MRFs)
Download FREE Sample Report: Stainless Steel Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report
5️⃣ 6. Aurubis AG
Headquarters: Hamburg, Germany
Key Offering: Multi-metal recycling, Copper and precious metals, Recycled raw materials for steel alloys
Aurubis is Europe’s largest copper producer and a leading recycler of complex metal-bearing materials. While primarily focused on copper, its sophisticated metallurgical processes efficiently recover valuable alloying elements like nickel and chromium from stainless steel scrap, feeding them back into the production cycle.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Industry-leading metal recovery rates from complex recycling streams
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Comprehensive strategy for responsible sourcing and supply chain transparency
4️⃣ 7. ASM Metal Recycling Ltd.
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Key Offering: Specialist non-ferrous metal recycling, Stainless steel scrap
ASM is a prominent UK-based recycler specializing in non-ferrous metals, including high-grade stainless steel scrap. The company serves a diverse clientele across Europe, providing tailored recycling solutions and ensuring that valuable metal resources are efficiently returned to production streams.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Focus on creating a sustainable and traceable supply chain for secondary metals
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Adherence to stringent environmental and quality standards
3️⃣ 8. Metal One Stainless Raw Materials Corporation
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Key Offering: Stainless steel raw material supply, Scrap sourcing and distribution
A subsidiary of the giant trading conglomerate Mitsubishi Corporation and Sojitz Corporation, Metal One is a key supplier of raw materials to the Asian steel industry. The company specializes in sourcing and supplying stainless steel scrap and other ferroalloys, playing a vital role in the regional circular economy.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Strategic partnerships with global stainless steel producers to secure recycled content
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Leveraging global logistics to optimize the flow of recycled materials
2️⃣ 9. Alnor Industry
Headquarters: Venlo, Netherlands
Key Offering: Nickel alloy and stainless steel scrap recycling
Alnor Industry is a specialized recycler and trader of high-performance alloys, including stainless steel scrap. The company’s expertise lies in processing and supplying precise chemical compositions required by specialty steel mills, ensuring quality and consistency in the recycled material supply.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Expertise in recycling complex and high-value metal scrap
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Contributing to resource conservation by enabling the reuse of critical alloys
1️⃣ 10. Aérométal
Headquarters: Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, France
Key Offering: Aerospace and high-grade alloy scrap recycling
Aérométal specializes in the recycling of metals from the aerospace and high-tech industries, which includes significant quantities of high-grade stainless steel and superalloys. The company’s rigorous sorting and processing techniques ensure that these valuable materials meet the stringent specifications required for reintroduction into manufacturing.
Sustainability Initiatives:
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Specialization in closed-loop recycling for high-integrity applications
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Partnerships with aerospace leaders to manage end-of-life material streams
Get Full Report Here: Stainless Steel Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report
🌍 Outlook: The Future of Stainless Steel Recycling Is Integrated and Intelligent
The stainless steel recycling market is at the forefront of the industrial circular economy. With stainless steel being 100% recyclable without loss of quality, the industry is increasingly adopting advanced technologies to improve collection, sorting, and remelting processes, thereby reducing reliance on virgin raw materials and minimizing environmental impact.
📈 Key Trends Shaping the Market:
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Rapid adoption of AI and sensor-based sorting technologies to enhance scrap purity
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Increasing regulatory pressure and corporate sustainability goals driving recycled content demand
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Growth of integrated scrap-to-production models within large steelmaking corporations
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Expansion of recycling infrastructure in emerging economies to capture growing scrap volumes
Get Full Report Here: Stainless Steel Recycling Market – View in Detailed Research Report
The companies listed above are not only processing millions of tons of metal scrap annually—they are building the foundational infrastructure for a sustainable, resource-efficient industrial future.
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