Trading, processing and recycling of steel and metal scrap as well as secondary raw materials in all qualities and grades.
Scholz Recycling GmbH
Essingen (Headquarters) · Beijing (Representative Office)New on Amplifa
About Scholz Recycling
Scholz Recycling GmbH, headquartered in Essingen, is a major trading, processing and recycling company for steel and metal scrap in all qualities and grades. As the German parent company of the Scholz Group, which comprises more than 3,500 employees and over 180 locations worldwide, the company offers the entire value chain for the processing of metals and old iron from a single source. Its range of services extends from scrap trading and in-house scrap logistics for industrial customers, through on-site processing of secondary raw materials, to industrial demolitions, gutting, dismantling and raw material analyses for ferrous scrap and non-ferrous metals. Its customers include hundreds of steelworks, foundries and smelting and remelting plants worldwide, as well as OEMs and suppliers in the automotive industry. With shredder and post-shredder systems, pick robots and sensor-based, AI-powered sorting technology, Scholz closes the raw material loop. In 2025 the group achieved revenue of 2.64 billion euros; since July 2026 it has been wholly owned by Derichebourg Environnement SAS.
- Site
- Essingen
- Processes
- Dismantling (demolitions, gutting, dismantling), Raw material analyses for ferrous scrap and non-ferrous metals, End-of-life vehicle recycling and dismantling, Shredder and post-shredder processing of end-of-life vehicles, Electronic scrap disposal and initial treatment under the ElektroG, Disposal and recycling of passenger rail cars, freight cars, locomotives, special machinery and, Industrial demolitions, gutting and complete disposal of industrial areas, Scrap logistics by truck, ship or rail as well as in-house scrap logistics (in-house solutions)
- Materials
- Steel scrap, Non-ferrous metals, Alloyed steel scrap, Downgraded steel products, Special alloys, Aluminium, Copper, Plastic
- Certificates
- ISO 50001 Energy Management, ISO 9001 Quality Management, Certified waste management company (Entsorgungsfachbetrieb), End-of-Life Vehicle Ordinance certificate, Initial treatment facility under the ElektroG, EU Regulation 333 - End of waste, ISO 9001, ISO 50001
- Founded
- 1872
- Industries
- Steelworks, Foundries, Smelting and remelting plants, Automotive industry (OEMs and suppliers), Rail and vehicle scrapping, Electronics and electrical industry
- 01
Purchase and collection of scrap (self-deliverers, trade, industry)
- 02
Classification and raw material analysis
- 03
Processing and sorting (shredders, post-shredders, sorting technology)
- 04
Logistics by truck, ship or rail
- 05
Materials and Recyclables
Steel scrap
Core business: processing and recycling of steel scrap in all qualities and grades as a secondary raw material for steelworks.
Alloyed steel scrap
Certified processing of and trading in alloyed steel scrap for the steel industry.
Downgraded steel products
Recycling of downgraded steel products into secondary raw materials.
Special alloys
Processing of and trading in special alloys for smelting and remelting plants.
Non-ferrous metals
Trading and recycling of non-ferrous metals for foundries and remelting plants.
Aluminium
Recovery and processing of aluminium, including from end-of-life vehicles in the Car2Car research project.
Copper
Sorting and recovery of copper, including Cu-Fe armatures from shredder fractions.
Plastic
Recovery of plastics, including dark plastics using sensor-based MIR technology.
Electronic scrap
Disposal and initial treatment of electronic scrap as a certified initial treatment facility under the ElektroG (Electrical Equipment Act).
Waste paper, waste wood, glass
Recycling of further recyclables to close the raw material loop.
Locations
Essingen
DEHeadquarters, processing and recycling
- Materials
- Steel scrap, non-ferrous metals, recyclables
- Recycling systems
- Storage yards
Espenhain
DEProcessing site (shredder and post-shredder campaigns, Car2Car research project)
- Materials
- Steel, aluminium, copper, plastic, glass
- Shredder and post-shredder systems
- Pick robots
- Sensor-based and AI-powered sorting technology (MIR technology)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycling/Processing | – | – | – | – | Steel scrap, Non-ferrous metals, Alloyed steel scrap, Downgraded steel products, Special alloys |
| Dismantling (demolitions, gutting, dismantling)Recycling/Dismantling | – | – | – | – | Steel, Metals |
| Raw material analyses for ferrous scrap and non-ferrous metalsTesting | – | – | – | – | Ferrous scrap, Non-ferrous metals |
| End-of-life vehicle recycling and dismantlingRecycling/Dismantling | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium, Copper, Plastic, Glass |
| Shredder and post-shredder processing of end-of-life vehiclesRecycling/Processing | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium, Copper, Plastic, Glass |
| Electronic scrap disposal and initial treatment under the ElektroGRecycling/Processing | – | – | – | – | Electronic scrap |
| Disposal and recycling of passenger rail cars, freight cars, locomotives, special machinery andRecycling/Dismantling | – | – | – | – | Steel, Metals |
| Industrial demolitions, gutting and complete disposal of industrial areasRecycling/Dismantling | – | – | – | – | – |
| Scrap logistics by truck, ship or rail as well as in-house scrap logistics (in-house solutions)Logistics | – | – | – | – | Steel scrap, Non-ferrous metals |
| Recycling of recyclables (electronic scrap, waste paper, waste wood, plastics)Recycling/Processing | – | – | – | – | Electronic scrap, Waste paper, Waste wood, Plastic |
| Recycling/Processing | – | – | – | – | Plastic, Copper-steel composite (Cu-Fe armatures) |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredder and post-shredder systems | – | – | – | – | Espenhain (campaigns); processing systems at multiple locations |
| Pick robots (sorting robots) | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sensor-based and AI-powered sorting technology (MIR technology) | STEINERT UniSort GmbH (project partner) | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Certificates
The sites hold, depending on location, ISO 9001, ISO 50001, certified waste management company (Entsorgungsfachbetrieb) certifications as well as certifications under the End-of-Life Vehicle Ordinance, the ElektroG and EU Regulation 333 (End of waste). Scholz is an environmental partner in A|U|F e.V. and a member of industry associations such as BIR, BDSV and VDM.
| Evidence | Essingen | Espenhain |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | ||
| ISO 50001 | ||
| Certified waste management company (Entsorgungsfachbetrieb) |
History
- 1872
Paul Scholz opens a small sorting operation in Lower Silesia.
- 1949
Relocation of the company's registered office to Aalen.
- 1970er
Establishment of European trading relationships.
- 2017
New brand "Recycling. Resources. Responsibility."; affiliation with Chiho Environmental Group (CEG).
- 2025
Transition phase due to the financial situation of owner CEG; receiver (FTI Consulting) appointed.
- 2026
Sale of the Scholz Group to Derichebourg (agreement in May, closing in July); group fully owned by Derichebourg Environnement SAS.