Belgian materials group Umicore has released an analysis positioning its nickel recycling capabilities as central to European raw material autonomy. The company operates a pilot battery recycling plant in Hoboken, Belgium, that recovers more than 95% of nickel from end-of-life batteries, and says its R&D is focused on more efficient refining and recycling to support a secure European supply chain. Umicore's chief metallurgist for nickel and cobalt noted that supply is becoming increasingly complex due to geopolitical and environmental pressures. The release aligns Umicore's commercial positioning with EU 2030 targets for domestic nickel extraction, processing, and recycling, as Europe seeks to reduce dependence on Asian-controlled primary supply.

【Domestic Dynamics: Sunwoda 50,000-Ton Battery Recycling Phase I Begins Production】 Tengzhou Sunwoda's Phase I lithium-ion battery recycling project has commenced full production in 2026. Spanning 200 acres, the facility fills a critical downstream gap in the regional new energy supply chain. ​Operating on a closed-loop model, its 1.1-km automated line can process 50,000 tons of waste batteries annually—equivalent to recycling 60,000 EVs. ​The highly automated line integrates dismantling, pyrolysis, crushing, and restoration, achieving a 98.5% core element recovery rate to produce high-value black mass. ​By converting waste into lithium, nickel, and cobalt, the project resolves local material shortages and enhances regional supply chain security.

On May 12, the 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum , organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), drew to a successful close at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel in Tokyo, Japan! Following the event, SMM arranged an overseas field trip for delegates. The delegation paid visits to renowned local recycling enterprises in Japan to learn about operational practices and technological advancements in Japan's recycled non-ferrous metal sector. On the afternoon of May 15, the delegation visited KINKI SANGYO CO.,LTD. and received a warm welcome from the firm’s management. Company Profile KINKI SANGYO CO.,LTD. has grown steadily since its founding with the support of numerous partners, always adhering to the core objectives of responding to the needs of the times and driving industrial development. As its business scale has expanded, the company has gradually established a solid industrial foundation in the field of metal resource recycling and built a stable supply system covering both China and ex-China markets. Headquartered in Izumi-Otsu City, Osaka Prefecture, with a sales office in Izumi City, the company maintains high-standard professional operations throughout the entire process—from the procurement and processing of metal scrap to sales and export—and is committed to contributing to industrial development in Japan and the broader Asian region. The company is well aware that sustained corporate growth depends on trustworthy quality and efficient management. To this end, the company has fully implemented and obtained ISO 9001 certification, the quality management system established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Through this system, the company has established rigorous operational procedures and quality control mechanisms, ensuring that product quality remains consistently stable and reliable, and guaranteeing the continuous supply of high-grade metal raw materials that meet the requirements of steelmaking enterprises and other partners. The spirit of continuous improvement advocated by ISO 9001 has also become part of the company culture, with all employees constantly pursuing greater efficiency and superior quality in their daily work, with enhancing client satisfaction as their shared goal. In terms of business philosophy, the company adheres to a "people-oriented" approach, believing that talent is the most fundamental resource of an enterprise. The company encourages employees to continuously enhance their capabilities, closely integrating personal growth, corporate interests, and social value, earning the trust of partners through honest management and steady development. The company actively promotes open cooperation, establishing long-term and stable business relationships with various industries in and outside China, while continuously exploring new market opportunities to build a broader and more solid international network for the future. Looking ahead, KINKI SANGYO CO.,LTD. will continue to leverage its professional expertise, international vision, and rigorous quality management system to continuously strengthen its comprehensive competitiveness, contributing to socioeconomic development, resource recycling, and broader international cooperation. This visit was an important practice of SMM in building an international recycled metals industry exchange platform, creating a bridge for direct dialogue and experience sharing between Chinese and Japanese enterprises. Through on-site observation and face-to-face exchanges, attendees gained in-depth understanding of KINKI SANGYO CO.,LTD.'s technological advantages, operational management experience, and market positioning strategies in the recycled metals sector. They gained particularly valuable insights in areas such as refined processing of scrap metals and collaborative operations across the entire industry chain, providing valuable references for Chinese enterprises to optimize production models and enhance technological capabilities.

On May 12, the 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum , organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), drew to a successful close at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel in Tokyo, Japan! Following the event, SMM arranged an overseas field trip for delegates. The delegation paid visits to renowned local recycling enterprises in Japan to learn about operational practices and technological advancements in Japan's recycled non-ferrous metal sector. On the morning of May 15, the delegation visited Toyo Trading Co., Ltd. and received a warm welcome from the firm’s management. Company Profile Toyo Trading , officially established in 2009, has consistently upheld "resource recycling to promote sustainable development" as its core mission. Steadily cultivating its presence in Japan's metal recycling and trading sector over sixteen years, the Group has built a large-scale operation covering the entire industry chain. Today, it has developed an integrated full-chain service capability encompassing "collection — processing — sales — export," with its business footprint spanning all of Japan. The Group now owns over 20 specialized subsidiaries, each focusing on specific segments such as copper scrap and aluminum scrap recycling, refining, processing, and international trade. Meanwhile, the Group has assembled 300 professionals with extensive industry experience, ensuring efficient operations and consistent service quality across all aspects from supply chain management to international trade negotiations. Annual output includes copper (25,000 mt), aluminum (25,000 mt), iron (100,000 mt), and others (250,000 mt). Annual sales revenue reached 70 billion yen, making it one of the largest and most reputable enterprise groups in Japan's metal recycling industry. Toyo Trading has established a quality management system in strict accordance with international standards and has successfully obtained ISO9001 international quality management system certification. This signifies that the Group has reached internationally advanced levels in quality management, process control, and client service, providing clients with solid quality assurance. Looking ahead, Toyo Trading will continue to build on its core business of metal recycling and trading, further deepening its industry chain layout: on one hand, continuously optimizing its service network and processing technologies to enhance resource recovery efficiency and raw material quality; on the other hand, actively exploring green and low-carbon development pathways to drive the industry's transformation toward a greener, more efficient, and sustainable direction, enabling the infinite circulation of finite resources. Toyo Group will continue to uphold the philosophy of integrity-based management, deepen collaboration with clients and partners, and sincerely welcome business partners from around the world to discuss cooperation, pursue mutual development, achieve win-win collaboration, protect the planet, and co-create a sustainable future. This visit was an important practice of SMM's efforts to build an international recycled metals industry exchange platform, serving as a bridge for direct dialogue and experience sharing between Chinese and Japanese enterprises. Through on-site observation and face-to-face exchanges, attendees gained in-depth understanding of Toyo Trading's technological advantages, operational management experience, and market layout strategies in the recycled metals sector. They particularly benefited from insights into refined processing of scrap metals and collaborative operations across the entire industry chain, providing valuable references for Chinese enterprises to optimize production models and enhance technological capabilities.

On May 12, the 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum , organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), drew to a successful close at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel in Tokyo, Japan! Following the event, SMM arranged an overseas field trip for delegates. The delegation paid visits to renowned local recycling enterprises in Japan to learn about operational practices and technological advancements in Japan's recycled non-ferrous metal sector. On the afternoon of May 14, the delegation visited Uchida Corporation and received a warm welcome from the firm’s management. Company Profile Uchida Corporation was established in 2013 and is headquartered in Itami City. The company specializes in the recycling and processing of non-ferrous metals and special metals such as copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. It owns two recycling plants and one copper wire nodules processing plant, with a monthly processing capacity exceeding 1 kt. The company upholds the development philosophy of efficiency and environmental protection, deeply cultivating the field of secondary resource recycling and utilization, and is committed to creating long-term sustainable value for its clients. The enterprise adheres to the principle of "an honest work attitude and a spirit of continuous challenge," linking resources to industry and connecting the future with expertise. It continues to set new benchmarks for industry development, aspiring to build a high-quality enterprise that dares to take on challenges, grows steadily, and develops for the long term. This visit was an important practice of SMM's efforts to build an international exchange platform for the secondary metals industry, creating a bridge for direct dialogue and experience sharing between Chinese and Japanese enterprises. Through on-site observation and face-to-face exchanges, the attendees gained in-depth understanding of Uchida Corporation's technological advantages, operational management experience, and market positioning strategies in the secondary metals sector. They gained particularly valuable insights in areas such as refined processing of scrap metals and collaborative operations across the entire industry chain, providing valuable references for enterprises in China to optimize production models and enhance technological capabilities.

On May 12, the 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum , organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), drew to a successful close at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel in Tokyo, Japan! Following the event, SMM arranged an overseas field trip for delegates. The delegation paid visits to renowned local recycling enterprises in Japan to learn about operational practices and technological advancements in Japan's recycled non-ferrous metal sector. On the morning of May 14, the delegation visited Kankyu Boeki Co., Ltd. and received a warm welcome from the firm’s management. Company Profile Kankyu Boeki Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive resource recycling group whose core business encompasses the dismantling, shredding, and smelting/refining of secondary non-ferrous metal resources, with integrated services in trading, customs clearance, and logistics. The group has long been deeply engaged in the field of industrial and electronic metals recycling, establishing an integrated industry chain system spanning collection, dismantling and processing, smelting, and product output, providing clients with stable, efficient, and compliant secondary metals solutions. The group's main businesses include dismantling and fine processing of secondary non-ferrous metal resources, copper smelting and blister copper ingot production, shredding, dismantling, and smelting of electronic metal materials, and large-scale processing of industrial miscellaneous items, motors, wires, and mechanical metals. The group has annual processing capacities of industrial miscellaneous items (150,000 mt), motors (50,000 mt), air conditioning radiators (30,000 mt), wires (30,000 mt), aluminum and mixed aluminum (50,000 mt), shredded copper and copper wire nodules (50,000 mt), blister copper ingots (100,000 mt), shredded iron (30,000 mt), and H2 iron (80,000 mt). This visit was an important initiative by SMM to build an international exchange platform for the recycled metals industry, serving as a bridge for direct dialogue and experience sharing between Chinese and Japanese enterprises. Through on-site observation and face-to-face communication, the attendees gained in-depth insights into Kankyu Boeki Co., Ltd.'s technological advantages, operational management experience, and market positioning strategies in the recycled metals sector. The visit was particularly fruitful in areas such as refined processing of scrap metals and collaborative operations across the entire industry chain, providing valuable references for enterprises in China to optimize production models and enhance technological capabilities.