01-02-2024

BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions completes acquisition of Arc Metal AB in Sweden

BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions has completed the acquisition of Arc Metal AB in Hofors, Sweden. The asset purchase adds toll smelting and processing of spent automotive catalyst in Europe, Middle East and Africa and further complements ECMS’s existing global precious metal recycling operations in Cinderford, UK, Seneca and Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Caldwell, Texas, USA.

“We are thrilled to officially welcome our new colleagues with the successful acquisition of Arc Metal,” said Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President, Precious Metal Services and Recycling, ECMS. “Now we can turn our attention to growing our recycling business in EMEA by meeting increased customer demand for spent automotive recycling and utilizing our expanded capabilities to process high carbon containing materials, like silicon carbide found in spent automotive catalyst materials.”

The additional smelting capacity at the Sweden site will also increase utilization of new refinery capacity in Seneca, South Carolina. Recycled catalysts go through a smelting process and are then refined to produce the high purity precious metal needed to make new catalysts and other end use products, supporting a circular economy.

In addition, the acquisition bolsters ECMS’s ability to deliver its 100 percent recycled metal offering VerdiumTM, which is based on mass balance. Recycled platinum group metals can lower carbon emissions by up to 97 percent, in comparison to refining mined or primary materials1. One kilogram of Verdium saves over thirty metric tons of carbon, enabling customers to verify their carbon reduction, track progress to their sustainability goals and help lower their Scope 3 emissions. UL Solutions has provided independent, third-party validation of the physical chain of custody and mass balance accounting of Verdium.