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Not just ferrous metals: results of the Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metal Scrap metals Forum and the MIR-EXPO 2025 exhibition

Last week, April 16-18, Moscow hosted the 20th anniversary international forum “Ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals” and the Moscow International Recycling Expo 2025, an exhibition on secondary raw materials. The event was organized by Rusmet Advertising Agency in partnership with the NSRO Association “RUSLOM.COM.”

Speakers and experts at the event included specialists from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Finance, Rosprirodnadzor, the Federal Tax Service, the Federal Antimonopoly Service, employees of major metallurgical and scrap metal companies, representatives of the financial sector, and industry experts.

The forum’s history began in 2005, when the conference attracted approximately 200 participants and became the first attempt at dialogue between metallurgists and scrap collectors. In 2025, the three-day business program attracted approximately 1,000 participants, over thirty exhibitors, and several dozen speakers, while the forum itself expanded its list of topics. This time, experts discussed scrap not only ferrous but also non-ferrous metals, as well as rare earth and precious metals. The event included roundtable discussions on logistics, taxes, finance, and technology.

MIR-Expo 2025 attracted a strong following among foreign delegations. Almost a third of this year’s exhibitors were Chinese companies, including scrap and waste processors and equipment and technology suppliers.

The event was covered by leading Russian media outlets, including Kommersant and Vedomosti. Other partners included Business and Ecology, Inventor and Rationalizer, PortNews, Ruslom.Ru, Engineer and Industrialist, Ubirator, MetalTorg.Ru, All About SRO, Ecologist’s Handbook, the Promzheldortrans Association, Metal Supply and Sales, TOTAL EXPO, Tochka Opory, Ore and Metals, MetalTrade, Metallurg, Expomap, the International Industrial Portal, SEDA (Austria), SteelRadar (Turkey), and the Recycling Association of India (MRAI).

In addition, the forum proposed establishing Scrap Metal Processing Industry Worker’s Day as an official professional holiday.

The first day’s business program kicked off with a client breakfast for delegates, organized by HuaHong-Rus LLC (the event sponsor). Hu Pinglong, CEO of HuaHong Technology Stock Co Ltd, presented innovations in Chinese recycling technologies that could be implemented in Russia in the Yangtze Hall.

Following the business breakfast, representatives from Huahong-Rus LLC presented the company’s products and solutions for efficient metal chip processing. They showcased their line of chip briquetting presses, chip loaders, manipulators, and shear presses.

Anton Fomchenko presented a line of metal shears, discussing technologies that improve scrap metal cutting efficiency and reduce production costs.

Mikhail Nazvanov discussed the work of the spare parts and service department, noting the importance of timely equipment maintenance and the availability of all necessary components in the company’s warehouses.

During the meeting, special attention was paid to new Huahong-Rus products—attachments and metal analyzers, which have become an important addition to the company’s core product range.

Does Russia need stainless steel scrap exports?

At the same time, a conference on stainless steel scrap was held, where experts discussed the dynamics of the Russian market since 1992 and presented forecasts through 2030. Representatives from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, Norilsk Nickel, the Chermet Group of Companies, and analysts from Metal Supply and Sales and the Rusmet RA participated in the session.

Scrap metal consuming plants and companies leading the ranking of stainless steel scrap suppliers in Russia, compiled by the Rusmet RA and the NSRO Association RUSLOM.COM, were also invited to the event. Viktor Kovshevny, Director of the association, presented the current ranking, which included VtormetInvest/Metalplus, UralVtorMet, and Akron in the top three.

The expert discussed in detail the current challenges facing the recycling industry. Using real and ideal vehicle lifecycle models as examples, he demonstrated the path to creating a truly circular economy.

“The industry has enormous growth potential. If the government understands the need to invest in it, it could provide many times more jobs than it currently does,” noted Viktor Kovshevny.

Andrey Savelyev, Deputy Head of the Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Development Department at the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, reported that stainless steel consumption in the country is at least 500,000 tons, but import substitution in production has not yet been achieved.

“We need to create products that can compete in foreign markets, not just domestic ones. We shouldn’t repeat the situation of 2022, when it was easier to buy scrap than to produce anything,” the speaker noted.

Moreover, Andrey Savelyev emphasized that a €290 duty currently applies to scrap metal exports to friendly countries, but that scrap export quotas based on nickel content could be discussed. Specifically, less stringent regulations could be introduced for scrap metal with a nickel content of up to 8-9%. Other types of scrap, according to the expert, should be supplied primarily to domestic smelters.

The stainless steel session concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring experts from the YUG-MET Production Holding, Intermettrade, and PC Metallinvest. Participants discussed whether Russia needs stainless steel scrap exports.

 

For accountants and lawyers

While metallurgists and scrap collectors discussed the stainless steel market, financial directors, accountants, and lawyers gathered in the Yangtze Hall for a seminar on “Accounting, Taxes, and Law in the Sphere of Scrap and Waste Circulation.”

Lectures were held throughout the three days of the forum. Representatives of the Federal Tax Service, the Ministry of Finance, and industry experts shared information.

The seminar was opened by Alexander Vodovozov, Deputy Head of the Legal Entities Taxation Department of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, who spoke about special regimes and collection of recyclable waste. He highlighted the amendments to Federal Law No. 373-FZ of November 23, 2020, concerning the patent taxation system for glassware and recyclable materials collection services. The speaker also answered questions about the application of the new patent rules and highlighted the nuances that arise when applying the law.

Mikhail Bystrov, Advisor to the Expert Analysis Department of the International Tax Administration of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, highlighted special cases in international tax treaties. Specifically, he cited an interesting legal case: in a number of countries, to avoid tax evasion, income from the lease of industrial, commercial, or scientific equipment is subject to copyright. Essentially, a computer program is considered equivalent to a work of literature or art.

 

Oleg Davydovich, Head of the Corporate Income Tax Department of the Tax Policy Department of the Russian Ministry of Finance, spoke about changes to legislation regarding income tax. Alexey Batarin, Head of the Operational Control Department of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, Leading Researcher at the Center for Tax Policy at the Research Institute of Financial Research of the Russian Ministry of Finance, and PhD in Law, presented a report titled “Cash Register Equipment in the Scrap Circulation Sector and Tax Authority Oversight of Its Use.”

 

Leading expert on foreign economic activity of the Department of Taxation of Legal Entities of the Federal Tax Service of Russia Irina Persikova discussed current issues related to VAT in foreign economic activity in 2025. At the end of the seminar, Olga Duminskaya, 2nd Class Advisor to the Federal Tax Service’s Department of Legal Entities Taxation, complemented her colleague’s discussion, discussing the specifics of applying value-added tax on the purchase or sale of scrap metal.

 

Close or develop?

In the afternoon of the first day, the business program continued with a conference entitled “The Current Situation in the Scrap Market: Time to Shut Down or Develop?” The session was attended by members of the NSRO Association “RUSLOM.COM” and experts from Translom, Acron Holding, Megarex, Sacha Corporation, Taurus Motors, Uni-Block, Agropribor, Intermettrade, YUG-MET, and Sacha.

Marina Uglovskaya, Director of the Rusmet Advertising Agency, discussed the benefits of membership in the NSRO RUSLOM.COM Association under the new circumstances. Her presentation outlined the main reasons for joining the Association, based on a member survey. The top responses included: promoting business through the Association, enhancing one’s company’s reputation in the market, the opportunity to personally contribute to shaping one’s market position, entering international markets, and expanding the number of foreign partners.

She noted that the benefits of Association membership can also be expressed in tangible figures. The commercial benefits for a medium-sized company (with a turnover of 100 million rubles per month) are estimated to be 12-15 million rubles per year. In addition to the existing benefits of Association membership, proposals for further development were also outlined. These include strengthening the position of SRO members, as well as new partnership projects and services for the scrap metal market, including with 1C and the Security Federation.

Despite the challenging period the scrap metal industry is currently experiencing, most conference participants said they are not considering curtailing their operations. During previous periods of stagnation, the crisis, contrary to expectations, brought new opportunities for growth. Participants discussed examples of overcoming difficulties and shared experiences of successful anti-crisis solutions that allowed companies not only to maintain their positions but also to reach new levels.

Mikhail Tarakanov, CEO of Megarex, shared the experiences of European and American companies during a market downturn. He cited two examples—one from the United States and one from Italy.

During the crisis, the US radically changed its approach to scrap metal. Scrap was no longer viewed simply as a raw material but as waste. This led to a significant market restructuring: scrap metal was now considered a valuable resource only after recycling. Subsequently, another important decision was made: increasing the entry costs for new players. Companies that hadn’t invested in resources and equipment were unable to enter the market. Ultimately, these opportunistic changes had a positive impact on the market’s future development.

Meanwhile, the Italian company Tondini Metalli found its own way out of the crisis. When ferrous metals became difficult to sell, the company’s owners turned their attention to thin copper wire, which was then of little interest to most manufacturers. Having developed a unique technology for collecting and recycling this type of scrap, the company began purchasing wire at low prices. This strategic shift to an unoccupied niche within the industry helped the company not only survive the crisis but also emerge from it without incurring losses.

Grigory Ermakov, Deputy General Director for Transformation at 1C-Perspektiva, presented a new industry product from 1C.

Alexander Shepelev, CEO of Taurus Motors, spoke about equipment technologies and production, and Yegor Shipitsyn, a member of the Association of Russian Metallurgical Centers, presented a report on the creation of a comprehensive security system for scrap metal collection facilities. Furthermore, during the session, Rusmet RA analyst Alexey Chizhikov presented up-to-date data on price indices.

At the end of the meeting, a cooperation agreement was signed between the NSRO Association “RUSLOM.COM” and the All-Russian industry association of employers in the field of security and safety, the “Federal Coordination Center of Heads of Security Structures.” According to the document , an agreement was reached on joint work aimed at improving the economic performance of RUSLOM.COM member companies through the implementation of joint initiatives.

The first day of the forum concluded with an educational historical excursion for delegates entitled “Mystical Moscow.”

Domestic scrap trade

On the second day of the forum, participants enjoyed the opening of the Moscow International Recycling Expo 2025, an exhibition on recyclable materials, and continued with the business program.

Viktor Kovshevny, Director of the NSRO Association “RUSLOM.COM,” opened the session “Domestic Trade in Scrap and Metals.” The speaker discussed the development dynamics and prospects of the ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal markets.

According to the expert’s forecasts, the domestic rolled metal market will shrink by 13.34% in 2025, reaching 6.28 million tons, while total exports from Russia—under the most optimistic scenario—will decline by 15%. This represents a decline of 2.18 million tons. However, Viktor Kovshevny noted that companies must continue working to overcome the negative trend, which, in his view, is entirely possible.

The speaker also noted that, although the market dynamics for ferrous and non-ferrous metals are hardly optimistic, they are adapting well to changing conditions. For example, in 2022–2024, the Russian metallurgical market managed to adapt to the sharp contraction of foreign sales markets due to sanctions.

Marina Uglovskaya, CEO of Rusmet Advertising Agency, delivered a presentation on “Transformation of Metals and Scrap Trading in Light of New Regulations.” The presentation focused on legislative changes, increased pricing controls, and the need to transition to more sustainable metal valuation mechanisms. The presentation also addressed aspects of global trading practices and the lack of comparable domestic indices. Uglovskaya emphasized the need for systemic solutions for the sustainable development of the industry in the new economic environment.

Anastasia Nesterova, senior analyst at Rusmet RA, presented up-to-date information on the scrap market.

Marina Matyukhina, Key Account Manager at Avito Services (the event’s Digital Sponsor), spoke at the session. She presented statistics confirming the rapid growth in interest in recycling on the platform.

According to Avito’s internal analytics as of March 2025, over 3.1 million people search for recycling services monthly—demand in this category is growing faster than supply. The presentation included practical tips for increasing orders and promoting services on the platform, from creating a well-designed profile to managing reviews and constantly updating content.

MISIS , discussed the metallurgical value of scrap compared to substitute products and fine-grained scrap sorting technologies. Vladimir Provotorov, Executive Director of the Mezhvtorresurs Association, also presented a paper titled ” Scrap Sorting for Improving Commercial Efficiency.”

The session continued with a strategic panel discussion featuring interactive audience participation. During the panel, Sergey Astakhov, CEO of TransLom LLC (the event’s general sponsor), noted that old strategies—competing for volume and controlling small sites—are already being abandoned.

“Our country is large, and different regions have different strategies. We are evolving toward what exists in many European countries, where scrap metal is not a marketable commodity that everyone is competing for, but a waste product that must be paid for,” the speaker noted.

This evolutionary process won’t happen overnight, and we shouldn’t expect market changes. Businesses need to choose profitable niches; this market needs to be developed and restructured. Scrap metal companies also need to restructure.

Roman Zdobnov, Director of Ferrous Scrap Sales at Acron Holding’s Scrap Division, noted that the race for scrap metal and its procurement has ceased. Metallurgists are limited in their sales, yet they are the ones who determine the market. The key for scrap collectors is a sound development strategy, but “necessarily with an eye to the correct understanding of the word optimization.”

According to Mikhail Tarakanov, CEO of Megarex, a supplier of scrap metal equipment, the company has begun to focus more on developing its service department and training equipment users to minimize equipment downtime.

Igor Balashev, CEO of Intermettrade LLC, noted that, in his observations, market participants are willing to negotiate and that there’s no need to chase volumes. In the current situation, it’s also important to retain the team, which is one of the company’s core assets.

Sergey Kurnosov, founder of Uni-Block LLC (the event’s industry sponsor), emphasized the importance of cooperation between regions, as scrap metal collectors are located remotely from scrap metal consumers. The speaker noted that the primary buyers are the export market. He also emphasized that cooperation is essential for utilizing the capacity of all market participants, which will allow for the procurement of new equipment and its most efficient use, as currently each market participant is underutilized, and sales are limited.

 

Where to get money?

The forum also included a roundtable discussion titled “Finance for Scrap and Waste.” Experts from TKB, PAO Bank PSB and PAY 2 ME , T-Bank and Jump Finance , Alfa-Bank and Mozen, and Vtorium, all sponsors of the forum, discussed key financial aspects impacting the scrap market, including digital tools, regulatory risks, cashless payment trends, and financing availability .

Natalia Bazaley, Head of Digital Business at TransCapitalBank (Bronze Sponsor of the event), dedicated her presentation to the problem of money laundering, revealing fraudulent schemes and methods for combating them. She discussed the types of money laundering schemes and who is most likely to become one, as well as the risks of using money laundering schemes for companies, such as reputational damage, financial losses, and criminal liability. She also shared case studies from the bank’s practice.

Galina Kuznetsova, Director of the Compliance Department and Vice President of JSC TBank and Jump.Finance (the event sponsor), presented a report titled “Scrap Collection and Compliance: What to Look for and How to Reduce the Number of Requests,” in which she examined common mistakes and provided recommendations for their prevention.

She explained how the bank helps clients operate within a secure environment and alleviate the headaches associated with audits. This includes compliance with legal requirements, managing risks associated with clients and partners, and maintaining a reputation through the legality and transparency of operations. She noted that the bank’s stance on compliance issues is not one of prohibition, but of assistance and consultation. To this end, the bank works closely with both the industry and regulatory authorities. The speaker also described a model developed by the bank that allows for a comprehensive assessment of clients, rather than just a single transaction.

Alexander Andreevsky, CEO of Vtorium LLC (the event’s Bronze Sponsor), analyzed the main risks associated with interacting with banks and proposed tools for mitigating them. The speaker announced the imminent transition of clients to a new gateway, which will allow for same-day statement receipts, transfers by phone number to Sberbank clients’ cards, and, in the near future, through the Fast Payment System (FPS). He described the service’s new counterparty verification feature, which confirms clients’ due diligence. The speaker also discussed the importance of working with major bank card issuers (Sberbank, Alfa, and T-Bank) as a key tool for mitigating risks when making transfers to their individual clients.

, Head of Regional Transaction Business Development at PJSC Bank PSB (Bronze Sponsor of the event), discussed the industry’s key needs. Currently, convenience, speed, and reliability have become more important than low fees. According to the expert, in 2025, clients expect not only favorable terms but also digital services—analytics, integration with accounting systems, transparency, and support. Demand for cross-border payments and credit products is growing: today, businesses prioritize efficiency over interest rates. The speaker noted that PSB is responding to these challenges by combining stability with high-quality service.

Nikita Euroff, Foreign Exchange and Interest Rate Strategist at Alfa-Bank (MOZEN, part of Alfa Group, is the event’s Silver Sponsor), delivered a presentation titled “Key Rate, Expensive Money, and Shortages.” He discussed how businesses can adapt to the era of “expensive money.”

Given limited access to affordable borrowing, it’s important for businesses to consider that the share of official preferential programs in 2024–2025 is only 1.9–4.3%, but real “discounts” are possible through cross-products, a comprehensive approach, and a solid credit history. According to the speaker, it’s better to focus on building long-term relationships with the bank: this provides access to more flexible and favorable terms.

In closing, entrepreneur, visionary, investor, and event sponsor Maxim Kurtov spoke about investing in Thailand and effective tools. He highlighted the advantages of investing in both Phuket real estate and yachts and catamarans, which can generate up to 18-20% annual returns. Meanwhile, the Thai baht-dollar exchange rate has remained virtually unchanged over the past seven years.

The pandemic has further impacted the attractiveness of Phuket real estate as an investment, as more and more entrepreneurs and professionals are working remotely. He also emphasized Phuket’s international school, which allows for comfortable family living, as well as regular, hassle-free flights.

 

 

 

 

State regulation, production and consumption

 

One of the key events of the second day was the conference “Government Regulation, Production and Consumption, Global and Russian Trade.”

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Vasily Shpak emphasized the important role of electronics in ensuring the country’s technological sovereignty.

“It is crucial to accelerate the development of Russian metallurgical companies’ processing capacities specifically for the recycling of electronic scrap. To implement this scenario, we propose creating a comprehensive electronic scrap management infrastructure—from organizing a collection system to advanced processing and integrating the recovered resources into new production cycles,” said Vasily Shpak.

Thus, the Deputy Minister outlined specific steps aimed at effectively developing the existing potential of secondary raw materials and increasing the independence of the national economy from the import of critical components.

 

Andrey Savelyev also spoke at the session, outlining the prospects for metallurgy and discussing government regulation of the scrap market. He also presented on the potential for developing self-regulation in Russia. Alexander Vdovin, Director of the Department of State Policy in Licensing, Supervisory Activities, Accreditation, and Self-Regulation of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

Maxim Tretyakov, President of the Electrokabel Association, summarized the results of 2004 and presented forecasts for the current year regarding the secondary copper market and the cable industry. Alexey Sentyurin, President of the Russian Steel Association, spoke about the state of the ferrous metallurgy industry in Russia, while Nikita Ryblenkov, Executive Secretary of the Association of Electrometallurgical Enterprises, discussed the development prospects of the electrometallurgical industry. As the speaker noted, electrometallurgy is a crucial component of the Russian metallurgical industry. Currently, the share of electric steel in total steel production in Russia exceeds 30%. Recognizing the importance of this activity, the Association of Electrometallurgical Enterprises is working to improve the industry’s efficiency, develop scrap collection, participate in regulation, and ensure a balance between the raw materials and product markets. Today, the Association of Electrometallurgical Enterprises comprises six plants, collectively producing over 5 million tons of steel per year and providing employment to over 20,000 people.

Natalia Rakova, a representative of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of the Government of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, presented a report sharing her experience in eliminating scrap metal deposits in her region. Acron Holding Board of Directors member Alexander Kobenko, RSPI President Alexander Romanov, and Boris Krasnozhenov, Head of the Securities Market Analysis Department, also presented at the session.

 

REE, trade, logistics – first time at the forum

The second day of the exhibition also featured new topics. A roundtable discussion, “Rare Earths, Rare and Precious Metals, and Electronic Scrap,” was moderated by Alexey Kovtun, Commercial Director of Rusmet Advertising Agency.

Industry experts discussed the prospects for the recycling and reuse of rare and rare-earth metals (REM) in Russia. The discussion focused on electronic scrap recycling, the launch of innovative production facilities, the raw material base, import substitution, and participation in the global REM race. Key speakers included representatives from NUST MISIS, RUSREDMET Group, Elematika, PTRM, Ecopolis, the Foundation for Rational Use of Natural Resources, the South Ural Specialized Recycling Center, and other relevant organizations.

Andrey Nechaev, CEO of JSC RUSREDMET Group, noted that a shortage of didymium oxide, an important component for magnet production, is expected by 2040. Developing a rare-earth metal recycling system in Russia could be a solution. Nechaev highlighted the following necessary measures: creating a cadastre of rare-earth metal-containing equipment and assessing waste for recyclability; establishing an organized collection system, including mandatory return of electric vehicle motors and wind turbines; banning the export of rare-earth scrap; supporting R&D in rare-earth metal extraction technologies; mandatory product labeling indicating the composition and location of rare-earth metals; and establishing a full recycling chain integrated with production from natural raw materials.

Vladimir Gerya, head of the Industrial Metal Recycling Technologies project, presented a project to extract rare earth metals from waste contained in electronic products. His company has already implemented recycling technologies and achieved initial results. Work is currently underway in two areas: developing a technology for extracting rare earth metals from various types of raw materials and collecting initial data for scaling up the project. He noted that their company aims to launch an industrial-scale production facility for extracting rare earth metals from magnet and electronic waste (up to 600 tons per year).

The forum also included a session titled “Foreign Trade and Logistics.” Industry experts discussed key issues related to foreign trade in the secondary metals sector, including logistics and exports, sanctions restrictions, financial support instruments, container shipping, and ways to reduce risks during equipment imports and foreign exchange transactions. Speakers included representatives from DelMar Logistics, AmurStalChermet, Steel Radar, Primsotsbank, InfraProektov, and IFC Solid.

Yulia Gerasimenko, Executive Director of DelMar Logistics LLC, presented a report on the export of secondary aluminum, brass, and lead. She provided an overview of the logistics market through 2022, as well as for 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, noting changes in routes, deadlines, and tariffs. Particular attention was paid to the impact of external sanctions and internal restrictions on non-ferrous metal exports, as well as the main prospects for the development of logistics and export schemes in 2025.

 

Non-ferrous metals

The forum’s third day business program began with a continuation of the session devoted to the primary and secondary ferrous and non-ferrous metals markets. This time, the focus was on aluminum, copper, and lead.

At the beginning, Viktor Kovshevny, Director of the NSRO Association “RUSLOM.COM,” delivered a presentation introducing the audience to market trends through 2030.

As part of the special session “Copper and Brass,” Maxim Tretyakov, President and Chairman of the Board of the Electrokabel Association, presented a report entitled “The Mechanism for Compiling a List of Cable and Semi-Finished Product Manufacturers.” The discussion focused on the current market situation, forecasts for the near future, the impact of the new agency VAT law and the mechanism for compiling lists, as well as potential markets for copper and brass.

Maxim Tretyakov discussed the copper scrap market rebalancing timeframe (up to six months), the risks of a short-term halt in turnover, the redistribution of market shares in favor of primary semi-finished products, the reduction in the share of tolling schemes, and a gradual market recovery. According to the speaker’s forecast, the market will stabilize within a year, but the scrap discount will be no less than VAT, and the industry chain “scrap – semi-finished product – cable” will be more transparent.

 

Industry meeting

Additionally, on the final day of the forum, a joint industry meeting was held, titled “Recycling Fee for Vehicles and Specialized Equipment. Impact on Industrial Development and the Recycling Sector of Vehicular and Specialized Equipment.”

The session was opened by Elena Semiletova, PhD in Economics and First Deputy Chair of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, who spoke about the objectives of the recycling fee under Federal Law 89-FZ and its growth dynamics in Russia. Alexander Vodovozov, Deputy Head of the Legal Entity Taxation Department of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, also spoke at the meeting.
In his report, “Changes in the Administration of the Recycling Fee of the Federal Tax Service of Russia,” he discussed key innovations in the administration mechanisms and provided practical examples.

In addition, Marina Uglovskaya (NSRO Association “RUSLOM.KOM”), Evgeny Krents (Association “Shinekologiya”), Alexander Shepelev (Taurus Motors), Vladimir Provotorov (Huahun-Rus”), Sergey Semenov (MegaRex) and Dmitry Stukalov (RA “Rusmet”) presented their proposals.

Marina Uglovskaya presented a report on initiatives to improve the recycling of used vehicles. She emphasized that vehicle recycling addresses seven goals of Russian Presidential Decree No. 309 of May 7, 2024, aimed at national development through 2036. Emphasis was also placed on the digitalization of the scrap market and recycling of used vehicles, with catalytic converters and spare parts being prioritized for recycling as the most valuable in terms of resource recovery.

Evgeny Krents, Chairman of the Shinekologiya Association, presented a report titled
“Potential Targeted Use of the Recycling Fee for Developing Tire and Automotive Cord Recycling.” He presented the activities of the Shinekologiya Association for the Promotion of Tire Restoration and Recycling, which has been operating since 2001, and analyzed tire generation and recycling volumes by federal district in 2024. Evgeny Krents also made recommendations for improving the resolution and technological aspects of recycling: specifically, for the packaging of bead-ring metal cord and for the acceptance of “chipped” wire sections from tire processing.

 

 

Russian Aluminum Market: Will It Grow?

Following the coffee break, a conference on aluminum and aluminum alloys was held, sponsored by the NSRO “RUSLOM.COM” Association, the Aluminum Association, and the Secondary Aluminum Association. The conference was moderated by Alexey Alipchenko, a member of the Presidium of the “RUSLOM.COM” Association.

Snezhana Ravlyuk, Head of Market Analysis and Project Support at OK RUSAL TD, opened the session with an introductory presentation. Her topic was “The Russian Aluminum and Aluminum Products Market and Its Growth Potential.” She detailed the role of transportation in shaping the aluminum market, the level of aluminum consumption, and its relationship to economic development and GDP. She also discussed the most promising areas for domestic market development, which, according to the expert, are construction and transportation.

The conference also featured a joint presentation by NUST MISIS representatives: Andrey Lysenko, PhD, professor in the Department of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold, and Daria Mulyk, assistant professor in the same department. The topic of their report was “Electrolytic Refining of Rough Aluminum and Aluminum Scrap to Produce Commercial Metal.” The speakers described their experimental studies and shared their findings. Laboratory tests confirmed that the electrolytic refining method can be used to refine silumin scrap and primary aluminum contaminated with iron.

Viktor Dvorovoy, Director of YUMN-Group Management Company (Yug-Met Technopark), also spoke at the aluminum session, presenting a report titled “Yug-Met Aluminum: Challenges and Prospects.” He detailed the challenges in aluminum extrusion production, the technopark’s priorities—the procurement of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal, industry challenges, and the impact of external economic factors, as well as the dynamics of aluminum ingot production at Yug-Met Technopark. He noted that after a decline in 2022 (-46.35%), the market began to recover in 2023 (up 22.81%) and 2024 (up 28%). These are signs of stabilization and growth.

Viktor Dvorovoy also discussed the industry’s development prospects in the DPR: more than 3,000 industrial enterprises operated in the region between 2010 and 2013. In 2010, there were 17 metallurgical enterprises in Donetsk. By 2025, there were about 8, but active recovery is underway. Despite the ban on scrap metal export, production within the region is possible and economically viable.

 

Waste into income

As part of the session “State regulation, accounting and analysis of the sphere of circulation of scrap precious and rare metals, waste of electronic and electrical equipment,” Marina Uglovskaya, General Director of the Rusmet Advertising Agency, and expert LLC “Corporation “Sacha” Andrey Belov.

Andrey Belov, former Deputy Head of the Russian State Assay Chamber and Head of the Federal State Assay Supervision Department, emphasized that virtually all industrial equipment contains alloys of ferrous, non-ferrous, and precious metals. Since all of these resources are non-renewable, the government is paying special attention to their return to circulation, particularly for industrial companies.

The speaker also highlighted the development trend in the recycling of scrap and waste containing precious metals: “Secondary raw materials—scrap and waste—are virtually limitless. This could include solutions, salts, film, and even huge diesel locomotives. The spectrum is so broad that, naturally, each recycler, already aware of this breadth, begins to select and specialize in specific types of scrap and waste, depending on their equipment and technical personnel.” Furthermore, Andrey Belov discussed the accounting, collection, and recycling of metal-intensive waste and outlined the key challenges facing companies engaged in precious metals recycling.

After the completion of the business part of the program, the closing ceremony of the event began.

Rusmet RA staff thanked sponsors and partners for their support and contribution to the industry’s development, and also presented commemorative diplomas to exhibitors and awarded the market’s top-ranked companies.

As a compliment to exhibition and forum participants, a workshop entitled “Fragrances in Business” was held. Guests learned how scents can help increase sales and create a memorable brand. Participants tested fragrances and discussed how each can highlight a company’s style and values.

 

RA Rusmet LLC is a rating agency founded in 1997. It is developing a system of industry ratings and market analysis in Russia, focusing on prices and indices for metals, metal products, scrap, and waste products, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The company provides a wide range of services, primarily analytical research into the scrap metal market, its prices, and the reliability of entities involved in the collection, storage, processing, and sale of scrap and waste metals