SICON
SICON GmbH is a German industrial equipment manufacturer that designs, sells, and services shredders, sorters, separators, and complete turnkey recycling plants for enterprise scrap processors, non-ferrous metal recyclers, and steel producers globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersHilchenbach, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SICON does
SICON GmbH is a privately held German industrial equipment manufacturer specializing in scrap processing, non-ferrous metal separation, and shredder residue treatment systems. Founded approximately in 1998 and headquartered in Hilchenbach, Germany, the company has accumulated over 27 years of focused expertise in recycling technology. It serves enterprise customers including major scrap recycling operators and steel producers — among them TSR Recycling, Hydro Aluminum Deutschland, PreZero/BMW, BB Recycling, ESF, OSR, SHS, and TDE — and operates a North American regional office in Atlanta, Georgia, with worldwide technical service reach.
SICON's product portfolio is organized into Systems (EcoShred® shredders, ScrapTuning® Fe-downstream processing, FinesTuning®, WEEETuning for e-scrap, and tiered ASR/SLF Basic/Advanced/Premium solutions for auto shredder residue) and individual Machines (EcoRip® pre-shredders, EcoSort® laser/AI/hyperspectral sorters, EcoScan® Online real-time analytics, EddyPro eddy current separators, MagSpin permanent magnets, AirSort/AirKnife/WetFloat air and wet separation units, and VariSort sensors). Proprietary technologies include the EcoSort® Classic CAI AI-camera sorting system, EcoSort® Classic MIR-HSI hyperspectral plastic sorting, EcoScan® Online real-time material monitoring, and the SyKuRA solution for systemic plastics recycling from end-of-life vehicles.
SICON generates revenue primarily through direct hardware sales of custom-configured recycling equipment (multi-year contracts on a quote basis, no public price list) supplemented by recurring professional services including installation, commissioning, training, maintenance, spare parts supply, and modernization/retrofit work across the full plant lifecycle. The go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field sales with direct presence in Germany and North America, supported by a strategic cooperation with Primetals Technologies (since November 2021) for metallurgical plant integration and a North American channel partnership with ARPE GmbH (2025). The company has been committed to the UN Global Compact since 2024 and was recognized in 2024 as the "Best Scrap & Metal Processing Equipment Manufacturer."
SICON firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SICON
- Legal name
- SICON GmbH
- Website
- https://sicontechnology.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SICON GmbH is a German industrial equipment manufacturer that designs, sells, and services shredders, sorters, separators, and complete turnkey recycling plants for enterprise scrap processors, non-ferrous metal recyclers, and steel producers globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SICON industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Recycling Equipment
- SIC
- Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auto Shredding & Metal Fragmentation (Shredder Operations) (EUAIAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Post-Shredder Separation & Recovery (Eddy Current, Heavy Media, Sensor Sorting) (EUAIAJAE), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Aluminum, Copper, Brass/Bronze, Lead, Zinc, Nickel) (IMAKAMAB), Metals Recovery & Scrap Processing (from C&D) (BPALAJAF)
Keywords
Where SICON is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hilchenbach
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
SICON business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Industrial Equipment Sales: Sale of recycling machinery and equipment including shredders, separators, sorters, and processing systems. Equipment ranges from single machines to complete turnkey processing lines.
- Technical Service and Support: Comprehensive after-sales service including maintenance, inspection, repair, spare parts supply, modernization, and retrofitting of existing equipment throughout the plant lifecycle.
- Installation and Commissioning: On-site installation, commissioning, and training services for operating and maintenance personnel.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom equipment and system solutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
SICON product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SICON GmbH manufactures and sells industrial recycling machinery and complete processing systems for scrap processing, non-ferrous metal separation, and shredder residue treatment, organized under branded product lines including EcoShred® shredders, EcoRip® pre-shredders, EcoSort® sorting systems (laser, AI-camera, and hyperspectral), ScrapTuning®, FinesTuning®, PolyFloat®, ASR/SLF Basic/Advanced/Premium tiers, and WEEETuning. The company also delivers after-sales technical service covering installation, commissioning, maintenance, spare parts, modernization, and retrofitting across the entire plant lifecycle.
Product overview
SICON is a recycling technology company offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial machinery and systems for scrap processing, non-ferrous metal recovery, and recycling operations. The product portfolio consists of multiple branded product lines organized into Systems (complete processing solutions) and Equipment (individual machines). The EcoShred® series encompasses various shredding technologies including hammer mills, cutting mills, vertical shredders, and single/twin-shaft shredders. The EcoSort® series provides sorting and separation solutions using laser, camera-based AI, and hyperspectral technologies. The EcoRip® series offers pre-shredding solutions. Supporting systems include ScrapTuning® for iron downstream processing, PolyFloat® for plastics separation, FinesTuning® for fine metal recovery, and ASR/SLF processing tiers for auto shredder residue. The company also provides technical service, spare parts, and modernization support across the entire plant lifecycle.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EcoShred®: Shredder product line including Imtec, Slimtec, Vertec, Wiretec, Libtec, Cuttec, 1SS, 2SS, 4SS models for various shredding applications
- EcoRip®
- EcoSort®
- EcoScan® Online
- AirSort®
- AirKnife
- EddyPro
- MagSpin
- PolyFloat®
- WetFloat®
- FinesTuning®
- ScrapTuning®
- WEEETuning
- VariSort
- HMS Cleaning
- SyKuRA
- HDS Series
Products and services
- EcoShred® Imtec Balling mill for scrap processing, part of the EcoShred® family of shredding equipment for industrial recycling and steel applications.
- EcoShred® Slimtec Extremely flexible shredder for scrap processing applications, part of the EcoShred® family.
- EcoShred® Vertec Vertical shredder for industrial scrap processing within the EcoShred® series.
- EcoShred® Wiretec Vertical hammer mill for shredding applications; combines shredding, pulverization, and briquetting in a single step for ASR cable recycling.
- EcoShred® Libtec Hammer mill for industrial shredding operations within the EcoShred® family.
- EcoShred® Cuttec Cutting mill for precision size reduction in scrap processing applications.
- EcoShred® 1SS Single-shaft shredder for industrial recycling applications.
- EcoShred® 2SS Twin-shaft shredder for higher throughput industrial recycling.
- EcoRip® Neo Pre-shredder for initial size reduction of scrap materials before main processing.
- EcoSort® Line Laser-based separation system for non-ferrous metals, delivering high precision and purity.
- EcoSort® Classic CAI AI-powered camera sorting system using object recognition to analyze objects holistically and deliver significantly more precise metal scrap sorting than conventional color-based systems.
- EcoSort® Classic MIR-HSI MIR hyperspectral sorting system for dry plastics separation, reliably detecting even black and additive-enhanced plastic streams.
- EcoScan® Online Online analysis system for real-time scrap quality monitoring and optimization of processing parameters.
- EddyPro Eddy current separator for non-ferrous metal recovery from shredder residues.
- MagSpin Permanent magnet system for magnetic metal separation in recycling operations.
- AirSort® Air classifier (Windsichter) for material separation based on aerodynamic properties.
- AirKnife Air-based scrap cleaning system for shredder scrap.
- VariSort Sensor-based sorter for automated material identification and sorting applications.
- WetFloat® / AirFloat Separation tables for wet and dry material separation processes.
- PrimeScrap Cleaning system for shredded scrap materials.
- HMS Cleaning Scrap cleaning system for processing shredded heavy melting steel for steel industry applications.
- ScrapTuning® Complete Fe-Downstream solution for iron recovery from scrap, delivered as a turnkey processing system.
- FinesTuning® Recovery system for small metal parts from fine fractions in ASR and shredder residue processing.
- PolyFloat® Wet plastics separation system for sorting plastic fractions from recycling streams.
- ASR/SLF Basic Basic metal separation system for Auto Shredder Residue / Shredder Light Fraction.
- ASR/SLF Advanced Advanced metal separation system for Auto Shredder Residue with enhanced recovery rates.
- ASR/SLF Premium Complete metal separation system for Auto Shredder Residue offering maximum recovery.
- WEEETuning Processing system for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE/e-waste).
- Kabelaufbereitung (Cable Processing) Cable processing system for recovering metals from end-of-life cables.
- Leiterplatten-Aufbereitung (PC Board Processing) PC board separation system for electronic waste processing.
- Kühlschrott (Coolant Scrap Processing) Coolant scrap processing system for the steel industry, producing defined chemical composition for EAF/BOF routes.
- Stahlplattenbänder (Heavy-Duty Steelplate Conveyors) Robust heavy-duty steel conveyor belts for industrial material handling in shredder plants and shear take-away applications.
- Wassereindüsung (Water Injection System) Water injection system for shredder plants to control temperature and dust during operation.
- Technical Service and Support Comprehensive after-sales services covering installation, commissioning, training of operating and maintenance personnel, maintenance, inspection, repair, spare parts supply, modernization, and retrofitting of existing equipment throughout the plant lifecycle, with worldwide support.
Quantifiable outcome
- High process reliability and reduced operating costs through efficient ASR cable processing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SICON
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SICON technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature12 records
SICON partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- ARPE GmbHminorARPE GmbH is a partner exhibiting alongside SICON America at the E-Scrap Conference in Grapevine, Texas. The partnership involves joint presence at industry events for market development in North America.
- UN Global CompactcoreSince 2024, SICON has been committed to the UN Global Compact Initiative for corporate responsibility. This commitment covers principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, aligning SICON's sustainability strategy with global standards.
- Primetals TechnologiescoreSICON and Primetals Technologies signed a cooperation agreement in November 2021 for joint development and integration of recycling solutions in metallurgical processing plants. The partnership focuses on combining SICON's recycling technology expertise with Primetals' steel industry systems.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SICON competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vecoplan AG: Vecoplan is a German manufacturer of shredders and size-reduction equipment for recycling and waste streams, competing head-to-head with SICON's EcoShred and EcoRip product lines.
- Wendt Corporation: Wendt designs and builds scrap processing, separation and metal recovery equipment for North American recyclers — a regional direct competitor to SICON America.
- Danieli Centro Recycling: Danieli's recycling division delivers shredders and complete scrap processing plants for steel mills — competing with SICON's turnkey system offerings in the same EAF/BOF customer base.
- Erdwich GmbH: Erdwich is a German manufacturer of single-shaft and twin-shaft shredders for recycling and metal recovery — directly overlapping with SICON's EcoShred 1SS/2SS offerings.
- Steinert Elektromagnetbau: Steinert is a German specialist in sensor-based sorting, eddy current separators and magnetic separation — directly competing with SICON's EcoSort, EddyPro and MagSpin technologies.
- TOMRA Sorting Solutions: TOMRA is a global leader in sensor-based sorting (laser, XRT, hyperspectral) — directly competing with SICON's EcoSort Line and MIR-HSI offerings in metal and plastics separation.
- Lindemann (part of Metso): Lindemann manufactures metal shredders, shears and turnkey scrap processing plants — directly competing with SICON's EcoShred series and ASR/SLF systems for the same steel-mill and recycler customers.
- BHS Sonthofen: BHS provides shredding, sorting and recycling technology across metals and waste streams — a comparable German-engineered equipment vendor addressing the same industrial recycling customers as SICON.
- MTB Recycling: MTB builds shredding, separation and turnkey recycling plants for metal scrap — directly comparable to SICON's full-system ScrapTuning and ASR/SLF Premium offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Andritz (Pulp & Paper / Recycling): Andritz is a large industrial group with shredding, separation and metal recycling technology serving similar industries; comparable but operates as a broad incumbent across multiple process industries, not specializing solely in scrap recycling like SICON.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SICON social profiles
Digital presenceSICON financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SICON leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
SICON funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SICON 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 SICON
What does SICON do?
SICON GmbH manufactures and sells industrial recycling machinery and complete processing systems for scrap processing, non-ferrous metal separation, and shredder residue treatment, organized under branded product lines including EcoShred® shredders, EcoRip® pre-shredders, EcoSort® sorting systems (laser, AI-camera, and hyperspectral), ScrapTuning®, FinesTuning®, PolyFloat®, ASR/SLF Basic/Advanced/Premium tiers, and WEEETuning. The company also delivers after-sales technical service covering installation, commissioning, maintenance, spare parts, modernization, and retrofitting across the entire plant lifecycle.
Is SICON a public or private company?
SICON is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was SICON founded?
SICON was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SICON based?
SICON is headquartered in Hilchenbach, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does SICON make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Industrial Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are technical Service and Support and installation and Commissioning.
Who are SICON's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vecoplan AG, Wendt Corporation, Danieli Centro Recycling, Erdwich GmbH, Steinert Elektromagnetbau, TOMRA Sorting Solutions, Lindemann (part of Metso), BHS Sonthofen and MTB Recycling. Andritz (Pulp & Paper / Recycling) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does SICON have an API?
No public API is recorded for SICON.
What industry is SICON in?
SICON's product category is Industrial Recycling Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAJAD, Auto Shredding & Metal Fragmentation (Shredder Operations), with a secondary code of EUAIAJAE, Post-Shredder Separation & Recovery (Eddy Current, Heavy Media, Sensor Sorting). Its SIC code is 3540.