Ecometal AS
AS Ecometal is an Estonian circular-economy company that recycles used lead-acid batteries at a single Sillamäe plant, producing refined lead (up to 99.985% purity), custom lead alloys, and polypropylene granules for EU and Middle East battery manufacturers and plastics buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSillamäe, Estonia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ecometal AS does
Ecometal AS is an Estonian circular-economy company that operates a single-site lead-acid battery recycling and refining facility in Sillamäe. Founded in 1999 to build a plant compliant with the EU Batteries Directive, the facility commenced operations in autumn 2003 and has a nameplate processing capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes of used batteries per year. The company sources used lead-acid batteries — from automotive, truck, agricultural, forklift, electronics, and telecommunications applications — primarily from Baltic and Nordic countries, and operates as the regional anchor recycler for that scrap stream.
The core process involves crushing batteries, separating and treating all components individually, neutralizing sulfuric acid, washing and regranulating plastic casings, and smelting and refining lead. Outputs are refined lead at purities up to 99.985%, custom-formulated lead alloys (PbSb, PbCu, PbSn) produced to customer specifications, regranulated polypropylene granules for the plastics industry, and (post-modernization) sodium sulfate. Ecometal sells to lead-acid battery manufacturers in the European Union and the Middle East and to plastics industry buyers, with pricing negotiated per transaction on a quote-based, volume- and lead-content-dependent basis. The facility is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certified, and the company is an Estonian member of the International Chamber of Commerce. Its 2023–2026 EAS Project, co-funded by the EU European Regional Development Fund's Just Transition Fund, is modernizing the sodium sulfate crystallization unit and is intended to raise the recycling rate toward 75–80%.
Ecometal AS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ecometal AS
- Legal name
- AS Ecometal
- Website
- https://ecometal.ee
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- AS Ecometal is an Estonian circular-economy company that recycles used lead-acid batteries at a single Sillamäe plant, producing refined lead (up to 99.985% purity), custom lead alloys, and polypropylene granules for EU and Middle East battery manufacturers and plastics buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ecometal AS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lead-Acid Battery Recycling
- NAICS
- Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562211), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lead-Acid Battery Recycling (Breaking, Smelting, Refining) (EUAIAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Battery Recycling & Materials Recovery (Li-ion, LFP, Flow, Lead-Acid) (EUAMALAE), Battery Materials Refining & Re-Manufacturing Feedstocks (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Graphite Salts) (EUAIAIAJ), Battery Recycling & Management (Lithium-ion, Lead-acid) (BPALAIAF), Battery Scrap & Recycling Feedstock (Lead-Acid, Li-ion Black Mass Feedstock, NiMH) (IMAKAMAH)
Keywords
Where Ecometal AS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sillamäe
- HQ country
- Estonia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ecometal AS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Refined Lead Sales: Sale of refined lead with purity up to 99.985%, the main product of the plant. Sold primarily to lead-acid battery manufacturers in the EU and Middle East.
- Lead Alloy Sales: Production and sale of various lead alloys including PbSb alloys, PbCu alloys, and PbSn alloys, custom-made according to customer specifications. Revenue generated through per-transaction pricing based on alloy type and volume.
- Polypropylene Granules Sales: Sale of regranulated polypropylene from recycled battery plastic casings to plastics industry. Plastic parts are crushed, washed, regranulated and supplied to plastics industry manufacturers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Used lead-acid batteries |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Refined lead and lead alloys |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Ecometal AS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ecometal AS operates a lead-acid battery recycling facility in Sillamäe, Estonia, with a processing capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes of used batteries per year. The company buys used lead-acid batteries from suppliers, recycles them into refined lead (up to 99.985% purity), custom lead alloys (PbSb, PbCu, PbSn), and regranulated polypropylene, and sells these outputs to industrial buyers.
Product overview
Ecometal AS operates a single-site lead-acid battery recycling facility that produces three main outputs: refined lead (purity up to 99.985%) as the primary product, custom lead alloys (PbSb, PbCu, PbSn) manufactured to customer order, and polypropylene granules recovered from battery casings. These products are sold to battery manufacturers and plastics industry companies across the EU and Middle East. There is no modular software platform; the offering is entirely physical goods derived from the recycling process.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Refined Lead (up to 99.985% purity) The primary output of the recycling plant: refined lead with purity up to 99.985%, produced by smelting and refining lead recovered from end-of-life lead-acid batteries. Sold to lead-acid battery manufacturers in the EU and the Middle East.
- Lead Alloys (PbSb, PbCu, PbSn) Custom lead alloys manufactured to customer specifications, including lead-antimony (PbSb), lead-copper (PbCu), and lead-tin (PbSn) alloys with copper, tin, antimony, and other metals as ordered by the customer.
- Polypropylene Granules Regranulated polypropylene recovered from crushed and washed battery casing plastics, supplied to plastics industry manufacturers as a recycled polymer feedstock.
Quantifiable outcome
- Recycling capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes per year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ecometal AS
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ecometal AS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ecometal AS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- International Chamber of CommerceminorAS Ecometal is an Estonian member of the International Chamber of Commerce, providing networking and business development opportunities in international trade.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ecometal AS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Umicore SA: Belgian materials technology group active in battery materials and recycling (including Li-ion); provides a strategic benchmark for an established EU recycler diversifying into next-generation battery chemistries.
- Aqua Metals: US-based lead-acid battery recycler using a hydrometallurgical AquaRefining process; competes in the secondary-lead end market with a differentiated low-emissions technology approach relevant to EU ESG-focused battery makers.
Broad incumbents
- Boliden AB: Swedish metals and mining group operating lead-producing smelters (notably Bergsöe) that recycle lead-acid batteries; competes for the same Nordic/Baltic feedstock and serves similar EU battery customers, but as part of a much larger multi-metal portfolio.
- EnerSys: Global industrial lead-acid and lithium-ion battery manufacturer; a downstream customer for refined lead and alloys, and a participant in battery recycling and circular-economy programs in EU markets.
- Nyrstar: European multi-metals smelter producing lead and zinc; operates smelting assets in continental Europe that compete for lead-bearing feedstock and supply similar industrial customers.
- Aurubis AG: European multi-metal smelter that recovers lead as a byproduct of copper recycling and supplies refined metals to industrial customers; overlaps with Ecometal's downstream refined-metal customer base while operating at vastly larger scale.
- Clarios: World's largest automotive lead-acid battery manufacturer (formerly Johnson Controls Power Solutions) with internal battery recycling and secondary lead sourcing needs; a major potential offtaker of Ecometal's refined lead and lead alloys.
- Exide Technologies: Global lead-acid battery manufacturer with own recycling operations in Europe; a direct competitor for EU battery customers and a large participant in secondary lead supply chains.
Direct peers
- Recylex SA: European lead-acid battery recycling and lead smelting company operating in France, Germany, and Belgium; closest like-for-like peer to Ecometal given the same end-to-end lead-acid battery recycling model and EU customer base.
- Campine NV: Belgian non-ferrous metals recycler producing refined lead and antimony/lead alloys from lead-acid batteries; comparable size, EU-based, and serves overlapping battery manufacturing customers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ecometal AS social profiles
Digital presenceEcometal AS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Ecometal AS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ecometal AS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Ecometal AS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ecometal AS 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 Ecometal AS
What does Ecometal AS do?
Ecometal AS operates a lead-acid battery recycling facility in Sillamäe, Estonia, with a processing capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes of used batteries per year. The company buys used lead-acid batteries from suppliers, recycles them into refined lead (up to 99.985% purity), custom lead alloys (PbSb, PbCu, PbSn), and regranulated polypropylene, and sells these outputs to industrial buyers.
Is Ecometal AS a public or private company?
Ecometal AS is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Ecometal AS founded?
Ecometal AS was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ecometal AS based?
Ecometal AS is headquartered in Sillamäe, Estonia, in the Europe region.
How does Ecometal AS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Refined Lead Sales are the primary driver. The others are lead Alloy Sales and polypropylene Granules Sales.
Who are Ecometal AS's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Umicore SA and Aqua Metals. Broad incumbents are Boliden AB, EnerSys, Nyrstar, Aurubis AG, Clarios and Exide Technologies. Direct peers are Recylex SA and Campine NV.
Does Ecometal AS have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ecometal AS.
What industry is Ecometal AS in?
Ecometal AS's product category is Lead-Acid Battery Recycling. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAIAG, Lead-Acid Battery Recycling (Breaking, Smelting, Refining), with a secondary code of EUAMALAE, Battery Recycling & Materials Recovery (Li-ion, LFP, Flow, Lead-Acid). Its NAICS code is 562211 and its SIC code is 4953.