In a press release issued on Friday, July 31, 2026, France-based Derichebourg announced that it has completed the acquisition of 100 percent of Scholz Recycling Group, as previously set out in the agreement dated May 5, 2026, and approved last week by the European Commission under Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 on July 23, 2026. With this move, Derichebourg will strengthen its strategic position in the scrap and metals recycling industry.
Founded in 1872, Scholz Group built a significant presence in the recycling segment, generating a turnover of €1.6 billion and selling more than 3 million mt of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, paper and plastics in 2025. Scholz currently employs more than 3,500 people across Europe, with sites in Germany, Czechia, Poland, Slovenia, Austria and Romania.
Derichebourg stated that the acquisition will enable it to expand its operations into areas where it is not yet present, as well as “support decarbonisation of the steel industry in Europe to meet growing demand from European steelmakers, who will be replacing their traditional blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces - which consume large quantities of high-quality scrap steel - over the coming years”, the company statement says.
Abderaman El Aoufir, Derichebourg SA's CEO, stated, “The completion of this acquisition [which had a transaction enterprise value of €480 million] marks a pivotal step in our international expansion strategy. We have been able to respond swiftly to a complex market opportunity thanks to the strength of our balance sheet and our industrial vision. The teams at Scholz have shown exceptional resilience, and we will now join forces to build, by leveraging our complementary strengths, a leading European player in recycling that supports the green transition. I would like to welcome them to the Derichebourg Group.”
