Cobric Chemicals

What Cobric Chemicals does

Cobric Chemicals is a Canadian clean-tech company that develops and deploys proprietary metal recovery and waste recycling technologies for industrial clients, primarily steel producers. Its core technology is the High Temperature Metal Recovery (HTMR) process for recovering zinc from Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD), recognized across North America as the 'Best Available Demonstrated Technology' after 10 years and over $6 million of applied R&D. A first HTMR demonstration system has been installed in Hamilton, Ontario with 10,000 MT/year throughput. The company has additionally developed a proprietary ACT-based process for nickel and cobalt recovery, advanced to pilot demonstration through 3 years of R&D with Sheridan College and federal IRAP support, and is now scaling up production of nickel nano and micro powders.

Cobric generates revenue through three streams: sale of recovered zinc produced at the Hamilton demonstration facility, professional waste management services to steel producers and industrial waste generators using its permitted Midland, Ontario facility (operated through subsidiary 1076330 Ontario Inc.), and global licensing of the HTMR technology to third parties. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales, with direct outreach to senior executives (President/CEO, VP Engineering, Director of Projects & Marketing) at steel mills and industrial clients, combined with a partnership-led entry strategy that pairs Cobric with established waste management companies to reduce market entry risk.

The company is founder-controlled by brothers Peter L. Weinwurm (President & CEO, M.A.Sc. Chemistry) and Paul S. Weinwurm (VP Engineering & R&D, P.Eng.), supported by Thomas F. Stephenson (Director, Projects & Marketing) with 24 years of mining and refinery experience. Cobric has secured $3.8M from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (2021) and previously financed R&D largely from a prior recycling business that generated $12M in annual revenues. The firm is actively soliciting investment to support commercial scale-up and global HTMR licensing.

Name

Cobric Chemicals

Legal name

Cobric Chemicals

Website

https://cobrichem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cobric Chemicals develops proprietary clean-tech recycling technologies, principally the HTMR process for zinc recovery from Electric Arc Furnace Dust and an ACT-based nickel/cobalt recovery process, serving steel producers and industrial waste generators in Ontario, Canada, with global technology licensing ambitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Waste Recycling and Metal Recovery

NAICS

Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)

SIC

Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Metals Recovery & Sorting Facilities (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (EUAIADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF), Solvent Recovery & Hazardous Waste Recycling/Reclamation (Distillation, Reuse) (BPALAFAH)

Keywords

• Metal recovery solutions
• Waste recycling services
• Zinc recovery technology
• Clean-tech chemicals
• Industrial waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

Midland

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Zinc Sale Revenue: Sale of recovered Zinc produced from the HTMR process at the Hamilton demonstration facility with 10,000 MT/year throughput capacity.
2. Waste Management Services: Waste management services provided to steel producers for processing EAFD and other industrial wastes.
3. HTMR Technology Licensing: Licensing of Cobric's HTMR technology worldwide to third parties.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Cobric Chemicals develops and implements clean-tech solutions in recycling service centers, specializing in proprietary metal recovery technologies for industrial waste streams. The company recovers Zinc from Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD) using its High Temperature Metal Recovery (HTMR) process and pilots an ACT-based process for Nickel and Cobalt recovery, alongside full-service hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, recycling, and process optimization services.

Product overview

Cobric Chemicals is a developer and provider of innovative by-product management solutions, operating in the clean-tech recycling sector. The company's portfolio centers on two proprietary metal recovery technologies: its High Temperature Metal Recovery (HTMR) process for Zinc recovery and an ACT-based process for Nickel/Cobalt recovery, complemented by comprehensive Technological Waste Management Solutions and Waste Recycling Services. The core offering enables steel producers and other industrial clients to recover valuable metals from waste streams and implement economically sound clean-tech recycling alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High Temperature Metal Recovery (HTMR) for Zinc Proprietary state-of-the-art High Temperature Metal Recovery (HTMR) process to recover Zinc from Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD) generated by steel producers. Recognized as Best Available Demonstrated Technology in North America. First demonstration system installed in Hamilton, ON with 10,000 MT/year throughput capacity.
• Nickel/Cobalt Recovery (ACT Process) Proprietary ACT-based process for recovering Nickel and Cobalt, developed up to pilot demonstration through 3 years of R&D with federal IRAP funding in partnership with Sheridan College. Currently scaling up to demonstrate production of Ni nano and micro powders.
• Technological Waste Management Solutions Waste management consulting service providing economic and technological assessment of waste practices, proposing waste reduction strategies and technological alternatives. Services include process optimization, mass-balance study, energy use analysis, waste and co-products valorisation, lab protocol adaptation to pilot scale, security review, and validation of pilot scale processes.
• Waste Recycling Services Professional waste management service for safe collection, processing and recycling of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes using a permitted facility operated by subsidiary 1076330 Ontario Inc. Services include Zn/Pb recovery, Ni/Co recovery, caustic recycling, acid recycling, metal recycling, wastewater recycling, water evaporators, rotary furnaces up to 1100 C, dryers, solvent recovery from flammable sludge and solids, and chemical reactors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Canadian steel mills produce 80,000 MT of EAFD per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sheridan CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCobric developed its proprietary ACT-based nickel/cobalt recovery process up to pilot demonstration through 3 years of R&D supported by federal IRAP funding in partnership with Sheridan College. The partnership enabled advanced R&D activities for nickel/cobalt recovery technology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Befesa: Global leader in EAFD (electric arc furnace dust) recycling and zinc recovery. Befesa operates multiple commercial-scale Waelz kilns worldwide and is the closest direct competitor to Cobric's HTMR zinc recovery offering, serving the same steel mill customer base.
• Steel Dynamics (formerly Horsehead Holding): Steel Dynamics acquired Horsehead Holding, which operated EAFD recycling using zinc recovery kilns in the US. It is a direct peer serving steel mills with metallurgical by-product recovery, and is a competitor for Cobric's North American customer pipeline.
• Zochem: North American producer of zinc oxide from secondary zinc sources. Zochem operates downstream of zinc recovery operations and competes in the same secondary-zinc value chain that Cobric's HTMR process targets.
• American Zinc Recycling: US-based recycler of zinc-bearing EAFD into refined zinc and zinc oxide. Directly comparable to Cobric's HTMR process in feedstock, end products, and customer base (steel mills).

Emerging players

• Sherritt International: Canadian nickel and cobalt producer with proprietary hydrometallurgical processing expertise. Comparable to Cobric's ACT-based Ni/Co recovery process in technology category and Canadian operating context, though Sherritt is at far larger commercial scale.
• Key Zinc: Smaller-scale EAFD zinc recycler active in North America. Comparable niche peer to Cobric in technology and customer focus, though smaller than Befesa or AZR.
• Clean TeQ Water: Specialist in hydrometallurgical metals recovery and water treatment, with overlapping technology principles (selective metal recovery from industrial streams). Relevant as an emerging technology peer for both Cobric's ACT Ni/Co process and HTMR chemistry.

Regional players

• GFL Environmental: Canadian-headquartered environmental services and waste management major. A natural partnership candidate per Cobric's stated GTM strategy and a regional player offering adjacent hazardous-waste services in Ontario.

Broad incumbents

• Vale Base Metals: Diversified global nickel and cobalt producer with active investment in nickel refining capacity for battery materials. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the Ni/Co recovery space that Cobric's ACT process targets with nano/micro powder products.
• Glencore Nickel/Cobalt: One of the world's largest diversified miners with significant nickel and cobalt operations and active downstream processing for battery-grade materials. Relevant broad incumbent peer for Cobric's Ni/Co recovery ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cobric-chemicals-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cobric Chemicals