In a press release published on Friday, July 31, 2026, the French company Derichebourg announced the completion of the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Scholz Recycling Group, as stipulated in the agreement dated May 5, 2026 and approved last week by the European Commission in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 of July 23, 2026. of the year. With this step, Derichebourg will strengthen its strategic position in the scrap and metal recycling industry.
Founded in 1872, the Scholz Group has taken a significant place in the recycling segment, generating a turnover of 1.6 billion euros and selling more than 3 million tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, paper and plastics in 2025. Scholz currently employs over 3,500 people across Europe, with production facilities located in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Austria, and Romania.
Derichebourg said the acquisition would allow it to expand into areas where it does not yet have a presence, as well as support the decarbonization of the steel industry in Europe. According to the company, this is due to the growing demand from European steel producers, who in the coming years will replace traditional blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces that consume large amounts of high-quality steel scrap.
Abderaman El Auf, CEO of Derichebourg SA, stated: "The completion of this acquisition[with a total transaction value of 480 million euros]marks an important step in our international expansion strategy. We were able to respond quickly to difficult market conditions thanks to a solid balance sheet and our vision for the industry. The Scholz teams have demonstrated exceptional resilience, and now we will join forces to leverage our complementary strengths to become a leading European recycling player that supports the transition to sustainability. I would like to welcome them to the Derichebourg group."
,, Author:, editorial staff of SteelOrbis,
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