Ferrous scrap is worth a fraction of what non-ferrous metal fetches per tonne, but it arrives in quantities that make it worth handling properly. For most industrial sellers steel is the bulk of the load by weight even when copper is the bulk of the value.
The grades we buy
Heavy melting steel 1 (HMS 1)
Clean, thick section steel at least 6 mm, cut to fit a furnace charge — typically no more than 1.5 metres. Beams, plate, heavy pipe, structural offcuts. The best paying ferrous grade because a mill can charge it directly.
Heavy melting steel 2 (HMS 2)
Thinner and more mixed material, including galvanised and blackened steel. Sheet, light section and pipe under 6 mm.
Fragmentiser feed
Light, mixed ferrous destined for shredding: white goods, thin sheet, light assemblies, mixed site clearance metal.
Cast iron
Machine bases, engine blocks, pipe, brake discs, radiators, manhole covers and counterweights. Handled separately from steel because it melts differently.
Rebar and reinforcement
Offcuts from construction. Concrete still attached is deducted, so it is worth shaking or knocking loose where practical.
Size matters more than sellers expect
A mill charges by furnace, and material that does not fit has to be cut. Steel already cut to length is worth more than the same tonnage in six metre sections, and it also loads more densely, which reduces the number of journeys. We shear and bale on site, but if you generate steel regularly and can cut it as you go, it pays.
What reduces the price
Concrete, brick, soil and timber are all deducted. Oil and hydraulic fluid inside plant needs draining before collection. Sealed vessels, gas cylinders, pressure tanks and anything containing residue cannot be accepted at all without prior agreement, for straightforward safety reasons.
Preparing steel for collection
- Cut heavy section to 1.5 metres where you can.
- Keep cast iron separate from steel.
- Drain oil, fuel and hydraulic fluid from any plant or machinery.
- Remove concrete and rubble from rebar and fixings.
- Tell us in advance about anything sealed, pressurised or previously containing chemicals.