Why buyers source non-ferrous scrap globally from Europe
European non-ferrous scrap is the preferred feedstock for Asian and Middle-Eastern secondary smelters because EU collection streams are traceable, sorted and shipped with verifiable documentation. Material originates from licensed end-of-life vehicle recyclers, cable strippers, extrusion plants, beverage-can recyclers and industrial fabricators across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France. Compared with origin-uncertain spot lots from informal markets, European cargo carries lower contamination, predictable density per container, and a paper trail that satisfies BIS (India), CCIC (China), TSE (Turkey) and EU Annex VII waste-shipment requirements.
The non-ferrous grades we export every month
Our rolling export programme covers three product families. Copper: Millberry No.1 bare bright wire, Berry/Candy clean copper, Birch/Cliff #1 and #2 heavy copper, insulated copper cable and copper-bearing motors. Aluminum: UBC bales, Taint/Tabor mixed, 6063 extrusion, 6061 structural, Troma wheels, Zorba shred and A7/A8 ingots. Brass: Honey clean brass, mixed brass solids, brass turnings and radiator scrap. Every grade is offered to written ISRI Circular or EN 13920 specification.
ISRI specifications and quality control
Each container ships under a clearly named ISRI grade. Millberry honours ISRI 'Barley' (99.95% Cu, 1/16 inch and over). Berry follows ISRI 'Berry' (clean unalloyed copper under 1/16 inch). UBC honours ISRI 'Talc' baled or 'Taldon' loose. 6063 ships as 'Tata' / 'Tutu' clean extrusion. Honey brass aligns to ISRI 'Honey'. Inbound material is weighed on a calibrated 60-tonne weighbridge, photographed lot-by-lot, then visually graded against ISRI master samples before being released to the loading bay.
The recycling and preparation process
Once accepted, material is sorted by alloy family, cleaned of attachments, dried where moisture is a concern, and densified into the form requested by the buyer: loose, baled, briquetted or sheared. Copper wire is stripped, classified and bundled. Aluminum extrusions are size-reduced for container fill. UBC is densified into bales of 250–500 kg. Brass turnings are de-oiled and packed in 1-ton big-bags. Throughout the process we maintain segregation discipline so a Millberry container ships as Millberry — never blended with a lower grade.
Export procedures and documentation
Every shipment includes commercial invoice, packing list, weighbridge tickets, photographs of each container interior, bill of lading, EUR.1 (where applicable), and EU Annex VII waste-shipment movement document for non-OECD destinations. We comply with Regulation (EC) 1013/2006 and the Basel Convention. Pre-shipment inspection from SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or CCIC is arranged on the buyer's request — the inspector observes stuffing, draws representative samples and issues the inspection certificate prior to bill-of-lading release.
Packaging methods designed for ocean transit
Container packaging is chosen to maximise loaded weight, protect the cargo and satisfy destination customs. Bare bright copper wire loads loose at 22–24 MT per 20GP or pressed bales of 250–500 kg. Birch/Cliff heavy copper loads loose at 23–25 MT. UBC bales load at 18–20 MT per 20GP. 6063 and 6061 extrusion offcuts load at 24–26 MT. Brass solids load at 22–24 MT. All containers are floor-lined, weight-verified and sealed with high-security bolt seals; seal numbers print on the packing list and bill of lading.
Inspection methods and third-party verification
We support a four-stage inspection workflow. Stage one: gate inspection on inbound trucks — visual grade, weight, moisture. Stage two: yard re-sort and photo dossier per lot. Stage three: container stuffing photographed in sequence and documented with timestamped images. Stage four: optional third-party SGS, BV, Intertek or CCIC inspection at the loading point, with samples drawn for laboratory analysis (XRF) and a written inspection certificate. Buyers in regulated markets such as India (BIS), China (CCIC) and Turkey (TSE) receive the destination-country mandated certificate before vessel departure.
LME-linked pricing for non-ferrous scrap
All copper offers reference the LME 3-month Copper Grade A settlement. Aluminum offers reference LME Aluminium High Grade (P1020A) cash. Brass blends LME copper and LME zinc. The discount on each grade reflects metal recovery, packaging cost, freight and our margin. Millberry trades at the tightest copper discount; Berry, Birch and Cliff widen progressively. 6063 trades at the tightest aluminum discount; UBC, Taint/Tabor and Troma widen by density and contamination. Every quotation shows the exact LME date used, the discount applied, and the resulting USD per metric tonne.
Rotterdam logistics and global sailing schedule
Loading takes place at our Rotterdam-area yard with direct gate access to ECT, APMT and RWG terminals. Weekly direct sailings cover Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Chittagong, Port Klang, Ho Chi Minh, Haiphong, Busan, Shanghai, Tianjin, Mersin, Jebel Ali, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa and Houston. Typical transit times: 14–18 days to Turkey, 18–22 days to West India, 26–32 days to East Asia, 28–35 days to East Africa, 18–22 days to the US Gulf. Booking lead time from contract signature to loaded vessel is 7–14 days subject to grade availability.
Order workflow for first-time importers
Buyers send an RFQ specifying grade, tonnage, destination port and payment terms. We respond within 24 hours with a written CIF or FOB quotation valid for 48 hours subject to LME. On confirmation, a sales contract is issued and signed. The buyer remits 30% TT advance; loading is scheduled within 7–14 days; third-party inspection is performed; bill of lading is released against the remaining 70% TT or LC at sight. New buyers receive sample photos, a yard video, and references from existing accounts in their region before the first container ships.
Buyer eligibility and KYC
We sell exclusively to verified industrial buyers: secondary copper and aluminum refiners, brass mill bar/rod producers, copper rod and wire drawing plants, ingot makers, foundries, and licensed scrap importers holding BIS, CCIC, MOEF, TSE or equivalent destination-country permits. We do not retail to consumers and we do not contract with unverified intermediaries. Company registration, import licence and a recent utility bill are required before the first contract is issued. KYC takes 24–48 hours.