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Waste & Scrap Wholesaling in Germany Industry Data and Analysis
The wholesale of used and residual materials has been subject to highly volatile developments over the past five years. In addition to important customer markets such as the recycling industry, steel and iron foundries and steel producers, the price of steel in particular has been very volatile over the past five years and was one of the reasons for the industry's highly volatile sales. Another key reason for the very high sales volatility was the coronavirus crisis. In 2020, demand for industry products collapsed due to the pandemic and only lower prices could be realised for them. Since 2021, however, the industry has benefited from a sharp rise in raw material prices. Due to economic catch-up effects, there was a significant increase in demand for materials such as steel and non-ferrous metals from various sectors, including construction, the automotive industry, mechanical engineering and the consumer goods industry. In 2021, prices for key raw materials for metal production such as iron ore and coking coal also rose sharply. This drove up the prices of metals; the price of steel alone rose by 110% in 2021 compared to the previous year. Prices for steel scrap, an important product area in the industry, also rose due to increased demand and limited supply. This was reflected in strong sales growth.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released June 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany operates under the WZ industry code G46.77DE. This sector is active in the wholesale of metal and non-metal scrap. This also includes the collection, sorting, separation and dismantling of, for example, motor vehicles or old electrical appliances, but only if these activities serve the main business purpose of the wholesale trade. Related terms covered in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany include anti-dumping duty, radio frequency identification (rfid), primary raw materials and secondary raw materials.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany include Iron and steel scrap, Copper, aluminium and nickel scrap and Scrap from precious metals.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany include Nord-Schrott International GmbH, Steil Holding GmbH and B. u. F. Metallhandels GmbH.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany in 2026?
The market size of the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany is €14.9bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany in 2025?
There are 2,224 businesses in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany?
The Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany?
The Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 4.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany?
The biggest companies operating in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany are Nord-Schrott International GmbH, Steil Holding GmbH and B. u. F. Metallhandels GmbH
What does the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany include?
Iron and steel scrap and Copper, aluminium and nickel scrap are part of the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany?
The company holding the most market share in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany is Nord-Schrott International GmbH.
How competitive is the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Waste & Scrap Wholesaling industry in Germany.
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