• Acquisition adds smelting capability to serve spent automotive catalyst customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa
  • Complements ECMS’s global recycling operations and precious metal services
  • Broadens range of materials that can be processed by ECMS

ISELIN, N.J., Feb. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) 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 (EMEA) 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 Verdium™, 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.

To learn more about BASF’s recycling business, visit www.basf.com/ecms.

1 Source: Sphera Solutions GmbH (2022): GaBi Database Edition 2022, SP37

About BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions
Leveraging its deep expertise as a global leader in catalysis and precious metals, BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) serves customers in many industries including automotive, aerospace, indoor air quality, semiconductors, and hydrogen economy, and provides full loop services with its precious metals trading and recycling offering. With a focus on circular solutions and sustainability, ECMS is committed to helping our customers create a cleaner, more sustainable world. Protecting the elements of life is our purpose and this inspires us to ever-new solutions. ECMS operates globally in 15 countries with over 4,500 employees and 20 production sites.

Media Relations contact:
Betsy Arnone
Phone: +1 973-519-9808
betsy.arnone@basf-catalystsmetals.com