Thommen
Thommen is a Swiss recycling and waste management company operating ten sites across Switzerland, collecting, sorting, and processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, and hazardous materials for industry, municipalities, trade, and private individuals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1936
- HeadquartersKaiseraugst, Switzerland
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Thommen does
Thommen is a Swiss recycling and waste management company founded in 1936 by Gustav Thommen in Basel, now operating as the core brand of the family-owned Thommen Group AG. Across 10 Swiss sites — including Kaiseraugst (headquarters), Aarwangen, Amriswil & Staad, Bern, Biel/Bienne, Köniz & Givisiez, Regensdorf, Bex, and Grand-Lancy — Thommen provides collection, sorting, processing, and trading of ferrous scrap, non-ferrous metals, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, batteries, construction debris, paper, cardboard, wood, and special/hazardous wastes. The company also offers complete disposal solutions, container and logistics services, asbestos remediation, and hazardous material handling for industry, trade, municipalities, and private individuals.
Thommen's processing infrastructure centers on five scrap shears and two large shredders for ferrous scrap, a dedicated auto-recycling pre-treatment station that handles depollution of fluids, batteries, catalytic converters, and since February 2019 hybrid and electric vehicle batteries, plus a dedicated air-conditioning and refrigeration processing plant (Regensdorf, 2020) that extracts refrigerants and oils in a closed system for thermal destruction. The Group's multi-modal logistics rely on own rail connections and a warehouse at Rheinhafen Basel. Sister brands within the Thommen Group include Immark AG (e-waste and cooling-appliance recycling, augmented by the 2020 RUAG Environment AG acquisition) and METALLUM Metal Trading AG / METALLUM Metal Brokers AG (international non-ferrous metals trading and price-risk hedging with operations in Belgium, Germany, and Italy). Certifications include ISO (IQNet), TÜV Nord ISO (Grand-Lancy, 2023-2026), and consecutive EcoVadis sustainability ratings (2024, 2025).
The business combines three revenue streams: (i) material sales of ferrous and non-ferrous secondary raw materials to foundries and industrial buyers, with prices linked to commodity exchanges such as the London Metal Exchange; (ii) professional services for disposal and recycling processing, billed per transaction plus logistics, customs, and container fees; and (iii) hardware/container rentals (waste containers, skip bins, metal boxes, plastic boxes). Go-to-market is sales-led with dedicated account managers and site directors serving enterprise and municipal customers, while private individuals use direct drop-off at the 10 locations. The Group has been active in consolidating the Swiss market via acquisitions, including RUAG Environment AG (2020) and the Wiederkehr Group (announced December 2024, operational transfer April 2025), and is governed by a newly professionalized executive team led by CEO Pouyan Dardashti (since May 2023) and CFO Andres Venzin (since May 2025).
Thommen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thommen
- Legal name
- Thommen AG
- Website
- https://thommen.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1936
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Thommen is a Swiss recycling and waste management company operating ten sites across Switzerland, collecting, sorting, and processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, and hazardous materials for industry, municipalities, trade, and private individuals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thommen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recycling and Waste Management Services
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510), Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers (42393)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050), Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Steel/Iron) (EUAIAJAA), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc) (EUAIAJAB), Secondary Materials Brokerage & Trading (Recovered Commodities) (BPALADAJ), Scrap Metal & White Goods Aggregation Yards (EUAIABAH), Specialty Materials Recovery (Carpet, Mattresses, Bulky Items) (EUAIADAL)
Keywords
Where Thommen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kaiseraugst
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
Thommen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Material Sales (Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals): Thommen purchases ferrous scrap, non-ferrous metals, and other recyclable materials from customers, processes them, and sells the resulting secondary raw materials (e.g., sorted metal fractions, shredder output) to foundries and industrial buyers domestically and internationally. Material prices are linked to commodity exchanges such as the London Metal Exchange (LME).
- Professional Services (Disposal and Recycling): Thommen charges for container and logistics services, specialized disposal (asbestos remediation, hazardous material removal), and recycling processing services for customers including industry, trade, municipalities, and private individuals. Transport, customs, and container rental fees are billed separately.
- Container and Logistics Services: Thommen provides waste containers, roll-off containers, metal boxes, and plastic boxes for disposal. These are delivered and collected as part of the service offering, generating fees for logistics and container rental.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | One-time/Per incident | Processing fee for non-compliant gas cylinder deliveries |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Thommen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thommen operates a Swiss network of ten recycling yards that collect, sort, process, and trade ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, batteries, construction debris, paper, cardboard, wood, and special/hazardous wastes. The company buys scrap from customers, processes it through shredders, shears, and specialized pre-treatment facilities, then sells the resulting secondary raw materials to foundries and industrial buyers while charging for container, transport, and disposal services. Sister brands Immark (electronic waste and refrigeration recycling) and METALLUM (international non-ferrous metals trading) extend the offering across the circular economy.
Product overview
Thommen is a Swiss recycling services company with over 80 years of experience, operating as the core brand within the Thommen Group alongside Immark (electronic waste recycling) and Metallum (international non-ferrous metals trading). The company operates ten Swiss locations providing comprehensive recycling and disposal services for ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, batteries, construction debris, paper, cardboard, wood, and special wastes. Services include total disposal solutions, logistics and container services, asbestos remediation, hazardous material handling, and recycling yard operations. Thommen uses advanced processing equipment including shredders and scrap shears, with AI-based data management for material flow optimization and CO₂ tracking. METALLUM Metal Trading AG handles international marketing while METALLUM Metal Brokers AG provides price risk hedging.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Immark: Pioneer in electronic waste recycling and cooling device recycling in Switzerland. Part of Thommen Group since 2010.
- Metallum
Products and services
- Core Recycling Services (Thommen Brand) Comprehensive collection, sorting, processing, and trading of ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, scrap cars, electronic waste, construction debris, paper, cardboard, wood, and special wastes across ten Swiss locations for industry, trade, municipalities, and private individuals.
- Immark (Electronic Waste and Cooling Appliance Recycling) Pioneer and Swiss market leader in electronic waste and cooling appliance recycling, including processing of end-of-life electrical equipment and refrigerators at specialized facilities in Regensdorf, Schattdorf, and Rothrist.
- METALLUM (International Non-Ferrous Metals Trading) International trading and marketing of non-ferrous metals and alloys with sites in Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Sister company METALLUM Metal Brokers AG provides metal price risk hedging services to business partners.
- Autorecycling (End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling)
Quantifiable outcome
- In 2019, Thommen saved approximately 801,600 tonnes of CO2 through ferrous scrap processing and recycling.
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Thommen
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Thommen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Thommen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ABBcoreIn a joint sustainability project with ABB and Novelis, Thommen handled the professional ecological recycling of obsolete DC motors and transformers removed during a drive modernization at Novelis' Swiss plant. Thommen achieved a 99.4% material recovery rate (copper, aluminum, steel), with the remaining 0.6% thermally recovered. ABB managed the drive technology modernization and automation solutions.
- NoveliscoreNovelis partnered with ABB and Thommen for a complete modernization project at its Swiss plant. Novelis is the world's largest provider of sustainable aluminum solutions and operates the world's largest closed-loop aluminum recycling system. Thommen recycled the old motors and transformers from the modernization project, recovering 99.4% of materials.
- ABBcoreABB partnered with Novelis and Thommen for a complete modernization of drive technology at Novelis' Swiss plant. ABB supplied high-quality drives and automation systems and managed the full project from installation to commissioning and integration. ABB also coordinated the take-back and professional recycling of the replaced equipment through Thommen.
- Recycling Suisse (formerly VSMR)coreRecycling Suisse is the Swiss recycling industry association. Thommen Group's CEO Pouyan Dardashti serves as Vice President of Recycling Suisse. The association promotes the importance of secondary materials for Switzerland's circular economy, with Thommen actively contributing to industry advocacy and policy shaping.
- Immark AGcoreImmark AG is a sister company within the Thommen Group and Switzerland's market leader in e-waste and refrigeration equipment recycling. COO Sabine Krattiger represents Immark in joint strategic discussions with Thommen Group. Immark operates specialized facilities in Regensdorf, Schattdorf, and Rothrist for processing electronic waste and cooling appliances.
- METALLUM Metal Trading AGcoreMETALLUM Metal Trading AG is a sister company within the Thommen Group, handling international trading and marketing of non-ferrous metals. Located at the Regensdorf site alongside METALLUM Metal Brokers AG, which offers metal price risk hedging services to business partners. METALLUM has international sites in Belgium, Germany, and Italy.
- Recycling SuisseminorThommen is an active member of Recycling Suisse (formerly Verband Schweizerischer Metallhändler und Recycler, VSMR), participating in industry advocacy, sustainability initiatives, and the association's efforts to promote secondary materials in Switzerland.
- Kühltag AGminorKühltag AG in Rothrist/AG is an authorized processing partner for refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, receiving units from Thommen locations for specialized processing of devices with insulation foams.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Thommen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Indaver: European hazardous waste and industrial materials management specialist operating across Belgium, Germany, and beyond. Comparable to Thommen's hazardous waste, asbestos remediation, and special waste disposal offerings.
- Wieland Group: German-headquartered global copper and copper alloy producer with significant copper recycling operations. Comparable as a downstream buyer and indirect competitor in non-ferrous scrap processing and trading.
Broad incumbents
- Aurubis AG: European leader in copper and non-ferrous metal recycling and refining, with smelters across Europe. Comparable to Thommen's non-ferrous trading/processing arm (METALLUM) and as a downstream buyer of sorted non-ferrous scrap.
- ALBA Group: One of Germany's leading recycling and environmental services groups with multi-material collection, sorting, and processing operations. Comparable to Thommen's collection-to-processing value chain in metals and other recyclables.
- Remondis: One of Europe's largest private recycling and waste management groups, with deep operations in metals (via TSR Group), e-waste, and hazardous materials. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose TSR subsidiary directly overlaps Thommen's ferrous/non-ferrous scrap metal operations.
- Veolia Environmental Services (Switzerland): Swiss arm of global environmental services major, competing in municipal and industrial waste management, including recycling and hazardous waste. Comparable as a competitor in Thommen's municipal and industrial disposal contracts.
Direct peers
- Stena Recycling AB: Major Nordic metals and hazardous waste recycler with full-service offerings across ferrous, non-ferrous, electronics, and complex industrial waste streams. Comparable as a multi-site, multi-material recycling group with similar vertical scope to Thommen.
- Kuusakoski Oy: Finnish family-owned metals recycler with multi-site ferrous and non-ferrous processing, end-of-life vehicle recycling, and international trading operations. Closely comparable in business model, multi-site footprint, and family-controlled ownership structure.
- TSR Group: Subsidiary of Remondis and one of Europe's largest metal recyclers, specializing in ferrous and non-ferrous scrap collection, processing, and trading. Thommen's current CEO Pouyan Dardashti previously held management positions at TSR, highlighting direct functional and strategic comparability.
Regional players
- Sens eRecycling (Immark direct peer concept): Swiss e-waste and refrigeration equipment recycling specialists operating within Switzerland. Comparable to Thommen's Immark sub-brand in the electronic waste and cooling appliance recycling domain.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Thommen social profiles
Digital presenceThommen compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Thommen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thommen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Thommen subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Thommen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thommen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thommen
What does Thommen do?
Thommen operates a Swiss network of ten recycling yards that collect, sort, process, and trade ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, end-of-life vehicles, electronic waste, batteries, construction debris, paper, cardboard, wood, and special/hazardous wastes. The company buys scrap from customers, processes it through shredders, shears, and specialized pre-treatment facilities, then sells the resulting secondary raw materials to foundries and industrial buyers while charging for container, transport, and disposal services. Sister brands Immark (electronic waste and refrigeration recycling) and METALLUM (international non-ferrous metals trading) extend the offering across the circular economy.
Is Thommen a public or private company?
Thommen is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Thommen founded?
Thommen was founded in 1936. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Thommen based?
Thommen is headquartered in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Thommen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Material Sales (Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals) is the primary driver. The others are professional Services (Disposal and Recycling) and container and Logistics Services.
Who are Thommen's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Indaver and Wieland Group. Broad incumbents are Aurubis AG, ALBA Group, Remondis and Veolia Environmental Services (Switzerland). Direct peers are Stena Recycling AB, Kuusakoski Oy and TSR Group. Sens eRecycling (Immark direct peer concept) is listed as a regional player.
Does Thommen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thommen.
What industry is Thommen in?
Thommen's product category is Recycling and Waste Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPALADAF, Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous), with a secondary code of EUAIAJAA, Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Steel/Iron). Its NAICS code is 56292 and its SIC code is 5050.