CRONIMET
CRONIMET Holding GmbH is a family-controlled German metal recycling group, founded 1980 in Karlsruhe, supplying stainless steel, specialty alloys, and ferroalloys from 70+ wholly-owned locations across six continents to industrial melt-shop customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersKarlsruhe, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CRONIMET does
CRONIMET Holding GmbH is a privately held, family-controlled German metal recycling group headquartered in Karlsruhe and founded in 1980. The company operates as an all-round B2B supplier of stainless steel, specialty alloys, and ferroalloy raw materials, trading both secondary (recycled) and primary inputs to industrial melt-shop customers worldwide. Its commercial backbone is a network of more than 70 wholly-owned locations spanning Europe, the Americas, and Asia, executed through 20+ subsidiaries (e.g., CRONIMET Dortmund GmbH, ERG Edelstahl Recycling GmbH, CRONIMET Envirotec GmbH, CRONIMET Hispania S.A., CRONIMET Brasil LTDA, CRONIMET Turkey Metal A.S.).
Core technical capabilities center on physical scrap processing — baling, crushing, and briquetting — to prepare various metal forms for downstream melting, alongside dedicated sub-brands that address complex waste streams: CRONIMET ENVIROTEC handles metal soft scrap, contaminated spent catalysts, and drilling muds; CRONIFOND supplies purified recycled materials as a substitute for primary raw materials; and Aviation Recycling provides mobile end-of-life processing for aircraft, engines, and parts. Customer-facing tooling includes the CRONnect-App for contract and delivery tracking.
The business model is sales-led B2B with quote-based pricing on commodity scrap and ferroalloy transactions plus value-added processing fees. Customer segments span stainless steel producers, specialty metals manufacturers (HSS, tool steel, tungsten, superalloys), and ferrous/non-ferrous scrap generators. Revenue, headcount, and detailed financials are not publicly disclosed; growth and strategic direction are inferred from the addition of regional market entities (Turkey, Brazil, US, Estonia) and new sub-brand launches.
CRONIMET firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CRONIMET
- Legal name
- CRONIMET Holding GmbH
- Website
- https://cronimet.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- CRONIMET Holding GmbH is a family-controlled German metal recycling group, founded 1980 in Karlsruhe, supplying stainless steel, specialty alloys, and ferroalloys from 70+ wholly-owned locations across six continents to industrial melt-shop customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CRONIMET industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Recycling and Raw Materials Trading
- NAICS
- Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers (423930), Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141)
- SIC
- Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Stainless Steel & High-Temperature Alloy Scrap (Stainless, Inconel, Titanium, Specialty Alloys) (IMAKAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Catalyst & Precious Metal Scrap Recycling (Auto Catalysts, Refinery/Petrochemical Catalysts) (IMAKAMAI), Construction & Demolition (C&D) Metal Recycling (Structural Steel, Rebar, Roofing, Wire) (IMAKAMAF), Metal Melting & Secondary Smelting/Refining (Recycled Feedstock Producers) (EUAIAJAJ)
Keywords
Where CRONIMET is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Karlsruhe
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices13 records
Markets served
CRONIMET business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Metal Recycling and Trading: CRONIMET recycles various types and forms of stainless steel and special alloys, returning materials to the economic cycle through their worldwide network. The company trades both secondary (recycled) raw materials and primary raw materials.
- Processing Services: Value-added processing services including baling, crushing, and briquetting materials for the melting process
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
CRONIMET product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CRONIMET is a global all-round supplier that recycles stainless steel and special alloys and supplies industrial customers with both secondary (recycled) and primary raw materials. The company processes materials via baling, crushing, and briquetting to prepare them for melting, and operates a worldwide network of 70+ locations covering the global market for stainless steel and special alloy recycling.
Product overview
CRONIMET operates as a comprehensive metal recycling platform with a portfolio of specialized recycling and trading services. The core offering centers on metal recycling (stainless steel, specialty metals, ferroalloys) with processing capabilities including baling, crushing, and briquetting. The company differentiates through specialized sub-brands like CRONIMET ENVIROTEC for complex materials (drilling sludges, spent catalysts) and Aviation Recycling for end-of-life aircraft components. The CRONIFOND portfolio provides pure, clearly defined materials as primary raw material substitutes. CRONIMET also offers the CRONnect-App as a business partner portal for contract management, delivery tracking, and weighing processes. The company functions as an all-round supplier providing both secondary (recycled) and primary raw materials through its global trade and distribution network spanning more than 60 locations on four continents.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CRONIFOND: Pure and clearly defined materials as a substitute for primary raw materials portfolio.
- CRONnect
- CRONIMET ENVIROTEC
- Aviation Recycling
Products and services
- Stainless Steel Recycling
Companies that use CRONIMET
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CRONIMET technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CRONIMET partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CRONIMET competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EMR (European Metal Recycling): UK-headquartered global metal recycler with operations across Europe and North America. Comparable in scale, geographic reach, and the breadth of ferrous and nonferrous scrap processing capabilities.
- Kuusakoski: Finnish family-owned metal recycler operating across Europe with a comparable mix of stainless and specialty alloy processing plus environmental services. Closest like-for-like peer in ownership structure and continental footprint.
- ELG Haniel: Global stainless steel and high-performance alloy scrap recycler headquartered in Duisburg. Direct competitor in stainless steel scrap collection, processing, and mill supply; most comparable in business model and customer base to CRONIMET.
- Sims Metal Management: Australia-listed global metal recycler with significant US and UK operations. Comparable as a multi-continent scrap collector and processor serving steel mills and foundry customers.
- Schnitzer Steel Industries (Radius Recycling): US-based ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal recycler and processor. Competes with CRONIMET in stainless and specialty alloy scrap trading, with overlapping mill customer relationships across global markets.
Broad incumbents
- Outokumpu: World's largest stainless steel producer, and CRONIMET's likely customer. Comparable in stainless value chain, though positioned downstream as a mill rather than upstream recycler.
- Aurubis: European integrated nonferrous metals processor and recycler (copper-focused). Overlaps with CRONIMET in nonferrous scrap intake and recycling-for-mills, though broader in primary smelting and product finishing.
- Glencore: Diversified global commodity trader with significant metals and recycling operations. Competes with CRONIMET in stainless and alloy scrap trading but with vastly broader scope and resources.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CRONIMET social profiles
Digital presenceCRONIMET financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CRONIMET leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
CRONIMET subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries21 records
CRONIMET funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CRONIMET M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CRONIMET
What does CRONIMET do?
CRONIMET is a global all-round supplier that recycles stainless steel and special alloys and supplies industrial customers with both secondary (recycled) and primary raw materials. The company processes materials via baling, crushing, and briquetting to prepare them for melting, and operates a worldwide network of 70+ locations covering the global market for stainless steel and special alloy recycling.
Is CRONIMET a public or private company?
CRONIMET is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CRONIMET founded?
CRONIMET was founded in 1980. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is CRONIMET based?
CRONIMET is headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does CRONIMET make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Metal Recycling and Trading is the primary driver. The others are processing Services.
Who are CRONIMET's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EMR (European Metal Recycling), Kuusakoski, ELG Haniel, Sims Metal Management and Schnitzer Steel Industries (Radius Recycling). Broad incumbents are Outokumpu, Aurubis and Glencore.
Does CRONIMET have an API?
No public API is recorded for CRONIMET.
What industry is CRONIMET in?
CRONIMET's product category is Metal Recycling and Raw Materials Trading. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKAMAC, Stainless Steel & High-Temperature Alloy Scrap (Stainless, Inconel, Titanium, Specialty Alloys), with a secondary code of IMAKAMAI, Catalyst & Precious Metal Scrap Recycling (Auto Catalysts, Refinery/Petrochemical Catalysts). Its NAICS code is 423930 and its SIC code is 3341.