Ferrous Metal Recycling Global Market Report 2026

Ferrous metal recycling involves the collection, processing, and reuse of iron-containing metals from discarded items or industrial scrap. This process helps conserve natural resources, reduce energy usage, and minimize environmental pollution by keeping scrap metal out of landfills and decreasing the demand for mining raw iron ore.

The primary types of ferrous metals in the ferrous metal recycling market include steel, cast iron, and alloys. Steel, an alloy mainly composed of iron and carbon, is recognized for its strength, durability, and versatility, making it widely applicable in construction, manufacturing, and engineering. Sources of scrap metal come from industrial scrap, post-consumer scrap, and scrap from construction and demolition activities. Recycling methods used include physical processing, chemical processing, and pyrometallurgical processing. These recycled metals are utilized across several end-use industries such as automotive, construction, manufacturing, and shipbuilding.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs on ferrous metals have disrupted global supply chains and increased costs for steel, cast iron, and alloy recycling, particularly impacting automotive, construction, and manufacturing industries in asia-pacific, europe, and north america. While some adoption has slowed due to higher costs, tariffs have encouraged local recycling initiatives, improved process efficiency, and promoted environmentally compliant recycling solutions.

The ferrous metal recycling market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides ferrous metal recycling market statistics, including ferrous metal recycling industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a ferrous metal recycling market share, detailed ferrous metal recycling market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the ferrous metal recycling industry. This ferrous metal recycling market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The ferrous metal recycling market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $245.04 billion in 2025 to $260.81 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising demand for recycled steel in construction, growth of automotive manufacturing using recycled metals, increasing industrial scrap availability, early adoption of pyrometallurgical and physical processing methods, development of stainless steel and alloy recycling processes.

The ferrous metal recycling market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $331.1 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of green building and sustainable construction projects, rising use of recycled ferrous metals in automotive and shipbuilding, advancements in chemical processing technologies, increasing focus on energy-efficient recycling, growth in ferroalloys and specialty ferrous alloy demand. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of advanced sorting technologies, growing use of automated scrap handling systems, expansion of energy-efficient recycling processes, rising implementation of waste-to-resource initiatives, enhancement of environmental compliance standards.

The growing adoption of electric vehicles is anticipated to drive the expansion of the ferrous metal recycling market. Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered wholly or partially by electricity stored in rechargeable batteries, as opposed to internal combustion engines that rely on fossil fuels. Their increasing adoption is largely driven by environmental concerns, as EVs emit no tailpipe emissions and contribute to reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Ferrous metal recycling supports the production and sustainability of electric vehicles by providing essential materials and minimizing environmental impact. Recycled metals offer sustainable and cost-effective raw materials that support circular economy practices in battery and vehicle manufacturing. For example, in April 2024, the International Energy Agency reported that global electric car sales in 2023 approached 14 million, representing 18% of total car sales, up from 14% in 2022. As a result, the growing popularity of electric vehicles is boosting the ferrous metal recycling market.

Major companies operating in the ferrous metal recycling market are concentrating on developing innovative solutions, such as AI-powered platforms, to improve operational efficiency, enhance scrap identification and processing accuracy, streamline supply chain management, and ensure compliance with evolving sustainability standards. An AI-powered platform refers to a digital system, application, or software solution that leverages artificial intelligence technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and automation, to perform tasks, make decisions, analyze data, or deliver services with minimal human involvement. For example, in January 2025, Attero Recycling Private Limited, an India-based cleantech and recycling company, introduced MetalMandi, an AI-powered digital platform aimed at transforming the metal scrap market by offering real-time scrap price updates, secure payment mechanisms, and integrated logistics support for dealers and businesses. Key features of MetalMandi include a dynamic AI-driven pricing engine that evaluates market trends and material composition data multiple times daily to provide competitive quotes, image-based AI scrap identification to simplify the listing process, round-the-clock support, and zero transaction fees, enabling smooth and transparent transactions across various scrap categories, including ferrous metals, thereby helping to formalize a traditionally unorganized industry and advance circular economy goals. The platform supports efficient scrap collection and trading across India, serving both small-scale dealers and large enterprises, and is designed to manage substantial daily volumes with a projected high annual turnover.

In August 2023, Sims Limited, an Australia-based provider of metal recycling services encompassing the purchasing, processing, and sale of recycled ferrous and non-ferrous metals worldwide, acquired Baltimore Scrap Corp for US $177 million, along with working capital and other adjustments. Through this acquisition, Sims Metal sought to strengthen its footprint in the North American metal recycling market by adding strategically positioned facilities and logistics infrastructure to meet rising domestic demand and expand its sales channels. Baltimore Scrap Corp is a US-based metal recycling operator with 17 facilities across five states, offering shredding services and extensive rail, barge, and port infrastructure for the processing and distribution of scrap metal.

Major companies operating in the ferrous metal recycling market report are ArcelorMittal S.A., Nucor Corporation, Gerdau S.A., Commercial Metals Company, Sims Metal Management Limited, Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., Alter Trading Corporation's, Real Alloy Holding LLC, PSC Metals LLC, American Iron And Metal Co (AIM), SA Recycling LLC, Metalico Inc., OmniSource LLC, David J. Joseph Co. (DJJ), Kuusakoski Oy, Upstate Shredding LLC, Sadoff Iron & Metal Company, Ferrous Processing And Trading Co. (FPT), AMG Resources Corporation, TSR Recycling GmbH And Co. KG

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the ferrous metal recycling market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the ferrous metal recycling market are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

The countries covered in the ferrous metal recycling market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The ferrous metal recycling market includes revenues earned by entities through collection and sorting services, processing and shredding, smelting and refining, scrap metal trading and brokerage, and logistics and transportation. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

Ferrous Metal Recycling Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.

This report focuses ferrous metal recycling market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.

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Where is the largest and fastest growing market for ferrous metal recycling ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The ferrous metal recycling market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.

The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.

• The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. This section also examines key products and services offered in the market, evaluates brand-level differentiation, compares product features, and highlights major innovation and product development trends.
• The supply chain analysis section provides an overview of the entire value chain, including key raw materials, resources, and supplier analysis. It also provides a list competitor at each level of the supply chain.
• The updated trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it evolves and highlights emerging technology trends such as digital transformation, automation, sustainability initiatives, and AI-driven innovation. It suggests how companies can leverage these advancements to strengthen their market position and achieve competitive differentiation.
• The regulatory and investment landscape section provides an overview of the key regulatory frameworks, regularity bodies, associations, and government policies influencing the market. It also examines major investment flows, incentives, and funding trends shaping industry growth and innovation.
• The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, and forecasting its development.
• The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.
• The total addressable market (TAM) analysis section defines and estimates the market potential compares it with the current market size, and provides strategic insights and growth opportunities based on this evaluation.
• The market attractiveness scoring section evaluates the market based on a quantitative scoring framework that considers growth potential, competitive dynamics, strategic fit, and risk profile. It also provides interpretive insights and strategic implications for decision-makers.
• Market segmentations break down the market into sub markets.
• The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth.
• Expanded geographical coverage includes Taiwan and Southeast Asia, reflecting recent supply chain realignments and manufacturing shifts in the region. This section analyzes how these markets are becoming increasingly important hubs in the global value chain.
• The competitive landscape chapter gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
• The company scoring matrix section evaluates and ranks leading companies based on a multi-parameter framework that includes market share or revenues, product innovation, and brand recognition.

Scope

• Markets Covered:1) By Type Of Ferrous Metals: Steel; Cast Iron; Alloys
• 2) By Source Of Scrap: Industrial Scrap; Post-Consumer Scrap; Construction And Demolition Scrap
• 3) By Recycling Method: Physical Processing; Chemical Processing; Pyrometallurgical Processing
• 4) By End-Use Industry: Automotive Industry; Construction Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Shipbuilding
• Subsegments:
• 1) By Steel: Carbon Steel; Stainless Steel; Alloy Steel
• 2) By Cast Iron: Grey Cast Iron; Ductile Cast Iron; White Cast Iron
• 3) By Alloys: Ferroalloys; Specialty Ferrous Alloys
• Companies Mentioned: ArcelorMittal S.A.; Nucor Corporation; Gerdau S.A.; Commercial Metals Company; Sims Metal Management Limited; Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc.; Alter Trading Corporation's; Real Alloy Holding LLC; PSC Metals LLC; American Iron And Metal Co (AIM); SA Recycling LLC; Metalico Inc.; OmniSource LLC; David J. Joseph Co. (DJJ); Kuusakoski Oy; Upstate Shredding LLC; Sadoff Iron & Metal Company; Ferrous Processing And Trading Co. (FPT); AMG Resources Corporation; TSR Recycling GmbH And Co. KG
• Countries: Australia; Brazil; China; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Japan; Taiwan; Russia; South Korea; UK; USA; Canada; Italy; Spain.
• Regions: Asia-Pacific; South East Asia; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
• Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
• Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita,
• Data Segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.
• Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.
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