BMRA member, Recycling Lives, has made its first shipment of recovered metals to Spain, in the latest move to build supply links to manufacturing industries in Europe.

Recycling Lives exports almost 500,000 tonnes of ferrous and non-ferrous metals which are then used for manufacturing metal products across the globe.

The company has strong and long-standing relationships supplying metal recycled from cars  and other waste streams to markets in China, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Russia.

With the business expanding and a strategic shift to increasingly focus on the circular economy, Recycling Lives is seeking to build more links within Europe. 

Managing Director of the Cars Division & Head of Group Trading, Tazamul Sarodia, was on hand to watch the first 4.000 tonne shipment to Spain leave the Port of Liverpool.  He explains: “Recycled metal is a global commodity market, and there is a healthy demand for metals we extract from around 130,000 cars each year, and thousands of tonnes of other metal products.

“The recovered metal we export goes back into the furnaces and foundries to emerge as ingots, plate and bars to be used again in manufacturing – a good example of the circular economy in action.

“We are constantly exploring new markets as our company grows, and it is good business sense and good for the environment to also look at customers closer to home.”

Ferrous metals include engineering steel, carbon steel, cast iron and wrought iron. Non-ferrous metals include aluminium, copper, lead, zinc and tin, as well as precious metals like gold and silver.