Dolphin Metal Separation
Dolphin Metal Separation B.V. is a Dutch private recycler that purchases non-ferro mix from EfW plants and shredders, processes it through a self-engineered eddy-current, flotation, and oxide-removal line, and sells separated aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and precious metals to industrial melters and end-processors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersHarderwijk, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dolphin Metal Separation does
Dolphin Metal Separation B.V. is a Dutch privately held industrial recycler founded in 1999 and headquartered in Harderwijk, Netherlands, specializing in the recovery of non-ferrous metals from complex waste streams. The company purchases non-ferro mix material from Energy-from-Waste (EfW) incineration plants and shredder operators, processes it at its single site, and sells the separated metals to melters and industrial end-processors. Its core technical asset is a self-engineered production line commissioned in 2014, combining eddy-current separators, proprietary flotation, and oxide-removal equipment capable of separating aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and — at the upper end of recovery — precious metals. Every incoming batch is weighed on Dolphin's own calibrated weighbridge and sampled for chemical analysis in an in-house laboratory prior to processing, supporting both quality control and content-based settlement.
The business model is a two-sided industrial intermediary structure. Dolphin purchases non-ferro mix under formal written agreements with two pricing options: a fixed pre-agreed price based on estimated metal content, or a content-based settlement computed after processing with a 5% moisture deduction applied to recovered metal weight, less processing, transport, and residual-disposal costs. Separated metals are then sold ex works (EXW, Incoterms 2020) to melters and end-processors, with prices quoted in euros (exclusive of VAT) and subject to annual adjustment against NEA or CBS indices. The company holds a stack of regulatory accreditations — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, MRF Keurmerk, NIWO/VIHB, OVAM (Belgium), and VGI status — that materially constrain new entry into Dutch and Belgian non-ferrous waste processing.
Customer segments are enterprise-only and vertically split: EfW plants and shredders act as material suppliers (the primary segment), while melters and end-processors act as buyers of separated metal feedstock. Go-to-market is direct B2B field sales with no self-serve or marketplace channel; the company's digital presence is limited to a multilingual corporate website (Dutch, English, German) and a LinkedIn company page. Pricing is bilaterally negotiated and not publicly disclosed. No revenue, headcount trend, funding history, M&A activity, or named customer logos are disclosed in available materials, limiting the ability to triangulate scale or growth.
Dolphin Metal Separation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dolphin Metal Separation
- Legal name
- Dolphin Metal Separation B.V.
- Website
- https://dolphin-metal.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dolphin Metal Separation B.V. is a Dutch private recycler that purchases non-ferro mix from EfW plants and shredders, processes it through a self-engineered eddy-current, flotation, and oxide-removal line, and sells separated aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and precious metals to industrial melters and end-processors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dolphin Metal Separation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing (3314), Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) (331492)
- SIC
- Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341), Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metals Recovery & Sorting Facilities (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (EUAIADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc) (EUAIAJAB), Physical Separation (Gravity, Magnetic & Electrostatic) (IMAKALAC), Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF), Post-Shredder Separation & Recovery (Eddy Current, Heavy Media, Sensor Sorting) (EUAIAJAE)
Keywords
Where Dolphin Metal Separation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Harderwijk
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dolphin Metal Separation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Non-ferrous metal purchase and processing: Dolphin purchases non-ferrous mix (non-ferro mix) from counterparties (EfW plants, shredders) and processes it using its separation technology. Revenue is generated by selling the recovered aluminium, stainless steel, and heavy metals (copper, brass, zinc) to third parties, while residual materials are returned or forwarded. Two pricing models apply: (1) fixed price — a pre-agreed price based on estimated quantity and quality of non-ferrous metals extracted; (2) content-based — post-processing settlement based on the actual quantity of non-ferrous metals recovered and residual weight, with a 5% moisture deduction applied to non-ferrous metal weight.
- Sale of separated non-ferrous metals: Dolphin resells separated non-ferrous metals (aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and precious metals) to buyers including melters and end-processors. Prices are quoted in euros, exclusive of VAT, with delivery ex works (EXW, Incoterms 2020). Pricing may be adjusted annually per NEA or CBS index.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Fixed price agreement — pre-agreed price based on estimated metal content |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Content-based agreement — post-processing settlement based on actual recovery |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Dolphin Metal Separation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dolphin Metal Separation purchases non-ferro mix materials from energy-from-waste plants and shredder operators, processes those materials through its self-engineered 2014 separation line (eddy-current separators plus flotation and oxide removal), and resells the recovered aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and precious metals to melters and end-processors. Every incoming batch is sampled and chemically analysed in the company's own laboratory before processing, with weights determined on its calibrated weighbridge.
Product overview
Dolphin Metal Separation operates as a non-ferrous metal recycling and processing company, offering a unified service for the recovery of valuable metals from waste materials. The company's core offering is its proprietary metal separation technology, which processes non-ferro mix from waste incineration plants (EfW) and shredder operations. The service portfolio consists of three integrated components: (1) the 2014 self-engineered production line utilizing eddy-current separators for primary metal separation, (2) proprietary flotation and oxide removal processing for material refinement, and (3) comprehensive analysis and quality assurance of incoming batches. The company focuses on recovering aluminium, stainless steel, and heavy metal mix (copper, brass, zinc) up to precious metals. These separated materials are then sold to end-users including smelteries, automotive industry, and other final processors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Non-Ferrous Metal Separation and Processing Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Non-ferrous metal recovery from complex incineration and shredder waste streams, producing high-quality aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and precious metal outputs.
Companies that use Dolphin Metal Separation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Dolphin Metal Separation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Dolphin Metal Separation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Dolphin Metal Separation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Metallo Group: Belgian non-ferrous metals recycler (now part of Aurubis) historically specialized in recovering tin, lead, copper and precious metals from complex residues. Closely comparable mid-sized European non-ferrous separation/refining profile serving melters and downstream processors.
- TSR Recycling: European non-ferrous and ferrous scrap recycler with multiple shredder and separation sites across Germany and beyond. Operates a comparable EfW/shredder residue recovery value chain and competes for the same melter off-take relationships.
- ELG Haniel (ELG Metals): Global stainless steel and non-ferrous scrap processor headquartered in Germany with processing hubs across Europe. Closely comparable mid-stream separation and trading model serving stainless and non-ferrous melter customers.
- Cronimet Holding: Family-owned German non-ferrous metal recycler and trader operating separation/processing facilities worldwide. Highly comparable as a non-ferrous scrap processor selling into melters and end-processors under similar pricing structures.
Broad incumbents
- Befesa: European leader in recycling steel dust and salt slags into valuable raw materials, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. A broader incumbent in metals recycling with downstream metallurgical integration that ultimately competes for similar secondary-feedstock margins.
- Umicore: Belgian-listed materials technology group with a major Recycling business unit that recovers non-ferrous and precious metals from complex industrial residues. Comparable on the precious-metals recovery capability and on selling refined metals to downstream manufacturers.
- Aurubis: Europe’s largest copper smelter and one of the largest recyclers of copper and precious metals globally. Functions both as a major off-taker of separated non-ferrous streams and as a vertically-integrated competitor in the broader secondary-metals value chain.
- Boliden: Swedish mining and smelting group with extensive non-ferrous metals recycling operations from electronic waste and industrial residues. Comparable on the non-ferrous and precious-metals recovery technology stack, though at much greater scale and integration.
- Norsk Hydro (Hydro Aluminum): Integrated aluminium producer with significant secondary-aluminium and recycling operations in Europe. Overlaps with Dolphin on the aluminium-recovery leg of the value chain, with vastly larger scale and downstream integration.
Emerging players
- Wieland Group: German copper and copper-alloy products manufacturer that operates its own recycling loop for copper-bearing scrap. Comparable as a downstream buyer of Dolphin’s copper/brass output and as an integrated recycler, though more focused on semi-finished products.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dolphin Metal Separation social profiles
Digital presenceDolphin Metal Separation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Dolphin Metal Separation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dolphin Metal Separation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Dolphin Metal Separation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dolphin Metal Separation 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 Dolphin Metal Separation
What does Dolphin Metal Separation do?
Dolphin Metal Separation purchases non-ferro mix materials from energy-from-waste plants and shredder operators, processes those materials through its self-engineered 2014 separation line (eddy-current separators plus flotation and oxide removal), and resells the recovered aluminium, stainless steel, copper, brass, zinc, and precious metals to melters and end-processors. Every incoming batch is sampled and chemically analysed in the company's own laboratory before processing, with weights determined on its calibrated weighbridge.
Is Dolphin Metal Separation a public or private company?
Dolphin Metal Separation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dolphin Metal Separation founded?
Dolphin Metal Separation was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dolphin Metal Separation based?
Dolphin Metal Separation is headquartered in Harderwijk, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Dolphin Metal Separation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Non-ferrous metal purchase and processing is the primary driver. The others are sale of separated non-ferrous metals.
Who are Dolphin Metal Separation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Metallo Group, TSR Recycling, ELG Haniel (ELG Metals) and Cronimet Holding. Broad incumbents are Befesa, Umicore, Aurubis, Boliden and Norsk Hydro (Hydro Aluminum). Wieland Group is listed as an emerging player.
Does Dolphin Metal Separation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dolphin Metal Separation.
What industry is Dolphin Metal Separation in?
Dolphin Metal Separation's product category is Metal Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIADAG, Metals Recovery & Sorting Facilities (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous), with a secondary code of EUAIAJAB, Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc). Its NAICS code is 3314 and its SIC code is 3341.