RS Bruce

What RS Bruce does

R.S. Bruce Ltd (trading as RSBruce, legal entity RSBruce Metals and Machinery Ltd) is a Sheffield, UK-headquartered precious metal recovery and toll-processing company founded in 1974 and owned by the Bruce family. The business specializes in recovering Platinum Group Metals (Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Iridium, Ruthenium) plus Gold, Silver, Molybdenum, Cobalt, Titanium, and Copper from operational and decommissioned nitric acid and chemical plants, spent catalysts, liquid and solid industrial waste streams, electronic waste, crematorium residues, and, since 2021, end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. Core technical capabilities span chemical leaching, filtration, ion exchange, thermal processing (incineration and calcination up to 1500°C), high-pressure water jetting at 15,000 psi, mechanical size reduction to 100 microns, and on-site assay via SPECTRO ARCOS ICP-OES, with batch incineration enabling per-customer segregation to eliminate cross-contamination. The company claims over 700 PGM plant clean downs globally, 40+ tonnes of PGMs recovered cumulatively, £2B+ in customer value returned over its history, and PGM recovery rates improved from 60% to 98% via proprietary process refinement.

The customer base is enterprise B2B, serving chemical manufacturers (Yara, INOVYN/INEOS, Terra), pharmaceutical producers (Lonza and unnamed pharma accounts), aerospace, EV/battery, industrial manufacturers, and crematoria. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales: dedicated sales executives handle inbound enquiries, a structured 5-step process runs from site survey through sampling, terms, processing, and out-toun reporting, and field teams deploy on-site globally while the 24/7-secure Sheffield facility processes off-site material with an open-door customer inspection policy. Pricing is bespoke and project-specific, with free sample processing used to qualify economics before contracting; revenue is generated via processing fees and metal-recovery value share, with metal either returned to the customer or sold on their behalf.

RS Bruce holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, complies with Basel Convention and ITFS regulations for cross-border waste movement, and maintains a 30+ year strategic partnership with Johnson Matthey covering nitric acid plant cleaning techniques and a global network of field agents, offices, and plant buyers. The company remains privately held and bootstrapped with no external funding rounds.

Name

RS Bruce

Legal name

RSBruce Metals and Machinery Ltd

Website

https://rsbruce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RSBruce is a Sheffield, UK-headquartered precious metal recovery and toll-processing firm serving chemical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, EV battery, and crematorium customers with proprietary PGM recovery, nitric acid plant cleaning, and battery recycling services delivered globally since 1974.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precious Metal Recovery Services

NAICS

Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) (331492), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)

SIC

Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341)

akta.pro primary industry

Catalytic Converter Recycling & Precious Metals Recovery (PGM) (EUAIAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Precious & Specialty Metal Recovery (Smelting, Refining, Hydrometallurgy) (EUAIAIAD), Battery Scrap & Recycling Feedstock (Lead-Acid, Li-ion Black Mass Feedstock, NiMH) (IMAKAMAH), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)

Keywords

• Precious metal recovery
• Toll processing services
• PGM plant cleaning
• Lithium battery recycling
• Metal refining services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precious Metal Recovery Services: Recovery of precious and valuable metal resources from solid and liquid wastes, chemical plants and equipment, parts, electronics. Revenue generated through processing fees based on material value assessment, with customers receiving recovered metal or proceeds from metal sale.
2. Toll Processing: Contract processing services including size reduction, metal separation, thermal processing, calcination, incineration, and chemical mixing/blending. Revenue generated through processing fees based on volume and complexity of work.
3. PGM Plant Cleaning Services: Cleaning of operational nitric acid and chemical manufacturing plants to recover lost PGM metals. Both destructive (100% recovery) and non-destructive methods offered. Revenue from cleaning service fees plus metal recovery value share.
4. Decommissioned Plant Purchase: Purchase of decommissioned nitric acid plants, with options for outright purchase, scrap with metals share, or metals share arrangements. Revenue model involves acquiring plant assets and recovering PGM value through processing.
5. Battery Recycling: Lithium-ion battery recycling service recovering cathode powder, copper, aluminium. Revenue from processing fees for battery disposal and material recovery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RS Bruce provides precious metal recovery and toll-processing services to industrial customers, recovering Platinum Group Metals (PGMs such as Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Iridium, Ruthenium), Gold, Silver, Molybdenum, Cobalt, Titanium, and Copper from chemical plants, spent catalysts, e-waste, end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, and decommissioned equipment. Services include on-site PGM plant cleaning (destructive and non-destructive), off-site metal recovery from liquids and solids, lithium-ion battery recycling, chemical mixing/blending, and contract processing such as calcination and size reduction.

Product overview

RS Bruce operates as a portfolio of specialized precious metal recovery and industrial processing services rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include Metal Recovery (divided into From Liquid and From Solid streams), Battery Recycling (UK's first in-house lithium-ion service), PGM Plant Cleaning (available as Destructive and Non-Destructive recovery methods), and Toll Processing (encompassing crushing, thermal processing, and chemical mixing/blending). Supporting services include Plant Purchase for decommissioned nitric acid plant acquisition and Research and Development for process optimization. The company also operates a Crematorium Metal Recycling programme. Services are delivered primarily from the Sheffield facility, with global representation across Europe, Americas, Southeast Asia, and India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metal Recovery - From Liquid Specialist recovery of precious metals dissolved in solutions (acid, alkalis, aqueous or solvent-based) from pharmaceutical and chemical industry waste streams, capable of recovering value from liquids containing as low as 10ppm of precious metals such as Platinum, Palladium or Rhodium. Processing can be done on-site or at their Sheffield facility.
• Metal Recovery - From Solid Recovery of precious metals from diverse solid materials including spent alumina catalysts, filters and cartridges, electronic waste, cathode plates, spent carbon catalysts, PGM powders, plated material, turbine blades, and coated titanium scrap through thermal pre-treatment and proprietary metal oxide/coating removal processes.
• Battery Recycling The UK's first in-house lithium-ion battery recycling service. Processes all types of secondary lithium-ion batteries from EVs to ESS and portable applications. Recovers cathode powder, copper, and aluminium through a 5-step process (extraction, production, end-of-life, pre-treatment/shredding, refining) with recovery rates greater than 80%.
• PGM Plant Cleaning - Destructive Recovery 100% PGM recovery from scrap components or decommissioned plant using aggressive chemical solutions under controlled methods. Involves safe handling and size reduction, followed by chemical processing.
• PGM Plant Cleaning - Non-Destructive Recovery Specialised techniques for recovery of precious Platinum Group Metals from operational nitric acid and chemical manufacturing plants without damaging the plant itself. Methods include chemical mix and fill, high-pressure water jetting (90-99% recovery), Spray-Tech high-volume system, and storage tank cleaning. Achieves up to 95% PGM oxide recovery with zero damage to customer plants across 700+ clean downs.
• Toll Processing Comprehensive toll processing services including size reduction/shredding/crushing/milling/screening, metal separation/extraction/recovery, assay/process development/testing/QA lab, thermal processing/calcination/incineration, and chemical mixing and blending. Operating since mid-1980s from their Sheffield site with 24/7 thermal processing capability up to 1500C.
• Chemical Mixing and Blending Dedicated chemical mixing services, blending and packaging using an all-stainless steel facility in Sheffield. Main mixing vessel is 30m3 with several smaller vessels from 6m3 upwards. Capable of bespoke chemical preparations, cleaning products, sodium-based solutions, acidic dilutions, urea solutions, and dissolutions of liquids and solids.
• Plant Purchase Decommissioned nitric acid plant purchase and brokering service. Works in conjunction with Johnson Matthey (30+ year partnership) with global network of field agents and offices. Multiple purchasing options including outright purchase, scrap with metals share, or metals share arrangements.
• Research and Development On-site research laboratory with extensive portfolio of quality control capabilities including LOD and LOI, pH and ORP, suspended solids, leachable metals, and SPECTRO ARCOS ICP-OES for metal content determination. Investigates recovery techniques including controlled leaching, precipitation, solvent exchange, solid phase extraction, pyro-metallurgical and electrochemistry techniques.
• Crematorium Metal Recycling Metal recycling scheme for crematorium materials. Achieved Platinum Certificate from Greener Globe Funeral Standard and recognition from Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA). All materials recycled within the UK.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% PGM recovery rate achieved through process improvement (increased from 60%)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Johnson MattheycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership spanning over thirty years working in conjunction on nitric acid plant cleaning and PGM recovery. RSBruce and Johnson Matthey developed effective nitric acid plant cleaning techniques in the mid-1980s. Together they have a major network of field agents and offices worldwide, constantly in talks with all major nitric acid producers and holding a global portfolio of potential buyers for plant and equipment. Yara testimonial confirms Johnson Matthey PLC association with R.S.Bruce Ltd on non-destructive cleaning operations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Umicore: Global materials technology group with large precious metals recycling and battery materials operations. Overlaps with RS Bruce on PGM recovery and increasingly on Li-ion battery materials processing.
• Aurubis: European copper and precious metals refiner operating multi-metal recovery at industrial scale; comparable on secondary smelting and refining of complex non-ferrous inputs.
• Glencore: Diversified mining and metals trading major with significant secondary metal recovery and recycling operations; competes for the same industrial scrap and PGM feedstock pool.

Direct peers

• Heraeus Precious Metals: One of the world's largest precious metals refiners, recovering PGM, gold and silver from industrial scrap and spent catalysts — directly comparable to RS Bruce's core recovery business.
• Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo (Tanaka Precious Metals): Japanese precious metals refiner specializing in PGM, gold and silver recovery from industrial waste streams; closely comparable niche specialty metals recycling business.
• Ames Goldsmith Corporation: Specialty PGM refiner and producer of precious metal compounds; closely comparable as a niche precious metals recovery specialist serving chemical and industrial customers.
• Li-Cycle: Pure-play lithium-ion battery recycler with hydrometallurgical 'spoke-and-hub' network; the closest publicly-traded direct competitor to RS Bruce's newly launched UK in-house Li-ion recycling service.
• Johnson Matthey: Global precious metals and PGM refiner with extensive nitric acid catalyst and metal recovery operations; also RS Bruce's 30+ year co-development partner. Closest comparable in PGM recovery and plant cleaning technology.

Emerging players

• Redwood Materials: US-focused battery recycling and cathode materials startup rapidly scaling hydrometallurgical capacity; competes with RS Bruce's UK Li-ion recycling business for OEM contracts and technology positioning.

Regional players

• Fortum: Nordic energy group operating commercial-scale Li-ion battery recycling hydrometallurgical facilities; comparable on battery recycling technology stack but primarily serves European markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rs-bruce
• Facebookfacebook.com/RSBruceMetals

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 RS Bruce