Eramet Acquiring French Metal Recycler

The French mining and metallurgical group Eramet announced an agreement to acquire the French metals recycling group Valdi from the AFE group.

Valdi, which has two facilities in France, specializes in oil and chemical catalyst recycling, battery recycling, and other scrap metal processing. The company employs about 90 people and had revenue of EUR25 million in 2008, Eramet said.

Valdi specializes in battery recycling, as well as oil and chemical catalyst recycling and other metal waste processing. It operates two sites in France, and reported sales of 25 million euros last year.

At Valdi’s Palais sur Vienne site, the company is involved in calcining catalysts containing nickel, molybdenum and vanadium; and manufacturing ferroalloys in a submerged electrode furnace, in which catalysts and waste from special steel production are processed.

At Valdi’s Feurs site near Saint Etienne, the company manufactures ferroalloys from pre-sorted saline and alkaline batteries; and refines alloys to specific customer requirements.

In making the acquisition, Eramet noted that the deal will enable it to strengthen its positions in recycling in Europe, and is a good fit with the company’s existing activities in oil catalysts.

The company also noted that it may develop metal waste recycling and the custom production of remelted alloys for the requirements of the Alloys Division as well for external customers.

Finally, the Group is gaining a foothold in battery recycling, a new, growing market driven by changes in European legislation and the development of electric vehicles, which is increasing the value of metals such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and zinc.

“Recycling is a major growth avenue for the Group and enables us to strengthen our sustainable development-related activities. ERAMET has a full set of technological skills for optimum recovery of the metals contained in various types of products to be recycled, whether by hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical processes. The acquisition of VALDI is a very positive development for the Group in the recycling field in Europe and an excellent fit with our activities in North America and Sweden,” said Patrick Buffet, ERAMET’s chairman and CEO.