Overview of Turkish Scrap Market in 2024
Navigate Commodities, a global supply chain intelligence firm, has revealed a detailed report on the Turkish steel scrap market for 2024. The analysis shows that Turkey‘s steel mills sourced significant volumes of recycled steel from various countries around the world, indicating a highly fragmented yet competitive scrap market. In particular, the United States was the largest supplier, providing 22.2% of Turkey’s total imported ferrous scrap.
However, the real dominance came from European suppliers, with the combined shipments from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and continental Europe comprising a substantial 72.4% of Turkey’s total scrap imports. This highlights the importance of the European scrap industry in feeding Turkey’s demand, particularly for its numerous electric arc furnaces (EAFs).
Key European Suppliers to Turkey’s Scrap Market
Europe was central to Turkey’s scrap supply, with several countries contributing large portions of material. The Netherlands, acting as a key hub for the European scrap trade, shipped 16.6% of the total imports. Rotterdam, in particular, plays a crucial role, aggregating scrap from not just the Netherlands but also neighboring nations. The United Kingdom followed closely with 12.6%, making it the third-largest contributor to Turkey’s imports.
Other significant contributors included Belgium (6.6%), Lithuania (5.9%), Denmark (5.8%), Germany (3.6%), and Romania (3.5%). These countries represent a mix of traditional scrap-exporting nations that continue to dominate the European market, supporting Turkey’s steel production needs.
Top Scrap Exporters: EMR Ltd. and Sims Ltd. Lead the Market
According to data on company shipments, EMR Ltd. and Sims Ltd. were the leading exporters to Turkey’s scrap market in 2024. EMR Ltd. shipped 14.6% of the material, while Sims Ltd. contributed 12.1%. However, in October 2024, Sims Ltd. sold its U.K. assets to Unimetals Ltd., a shift that could impact future export volumes. Other notable contributors included Radius Recycling, Mazza Iron & Steel, Smith Industries from the U.S., and American Iron & Metal from Canada.
Additionally, a significant portion of scrap (11.8%) came from a “Common User” category, where scrap shipments are processed at shared terminals. This highlights the complex nature of scrap logistics, where multiple recyclers utilize the same infrastructure for global shipments, further adding to the fragmentation of the market.
Satellite Technology Enhances Scrap Tracking Accuracy
Navigate Commodities employs advanced satellite-based technologies to track the movement of scrap metal, from river barges to large ocean-going vessels. This innovative approach allows the company to provide highly accurate data on scrap shipments globally. However, when it comes to identifying specific suppliers, especially at shared terminals, the process becomes more challenging.
Atilla Widnell, managing director of Navigate Commodities, shared that the firm’s technology offers unique insights into the flow of scrap across borders, providing the industry with real-time data on global supply chain activity. The company aims to improve transparency in scrap markets and help stakeholders make better-informed decisions.
The Future of Scrap Analytics
Navigate Commodities has brought a fresh perspective to the scrap industry by combining real-time data with compelling visuals to offer a clear picture of global scrap flows. Widnell emphasized that these infographics are designed to expand how the industry thinks about data and market trends. The full infographic, featuring detailed charts of the 2024 Turkish scrap market, will be available on LinkedIn starting January 6, 2025, providing the global recycling community with valuable insights.
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