BASF boosts precious metals recycling capabilities

BASF, headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany, has completed the installation and startup of high-performance milling and decanning equipment at its Cinderford, U.K., precious metals recycling operation. The company says the expansion will more than double the plant’s production capacity.

The Cinderford operation serves as BASF’s European production hub for processing end-of-life auto catalysts, which allows for the recovery and recycling of platinum group metals (PGMs) such as platinum, palladium and rhodium.

“By enhancing our operating infrastructure, we have significantly increased production throughput at the Cinderford site and improved our ability to provide customers with faster turnaround times on their metal returns, enabling improved cash flows,” says David Freidinger, vice president, Precious Metals Recycling and Refining. “In addition, our investment in next-generation milling and shearing equipment will allow us to keep pace with the increased volume of scrap auto catalysts that will come to market in the years ahead.”