Ralf Schmitz: ‘Fewer rules would make the market more efficient for every one’s benefit’

Ralf Schmitz, departing director of the Verein Deutscher Metallhändler (VDM) and non-ferrous market analyst for Recycling International, is stepping into retirement at the end of the year. His career has spanned major changes in the scrap and non-ferrous metals markets, as well as VDM’s transformation to the Circular Metal Association (CMA).

Schmitz began contributing to Recycling International in the late 1990s when the magazine’s chief editor at that time, Manfred Beck, approached him about writing a regular market report. He continued in that role ever since and has written almost 250 updates.

His career with VDM began on 1 April 1995 when the association was based in Bonn. Later, as managing director, Schmitz moved VDM to Berlin, where he built up the association with a new team.

A people’s business

For Schmitz, the most rewarding part of his career has been neither the market analysis nor the organisational work, but the people. ‘The industry is more than just a business community,’ he says. ‘The members of VDM and CMA form a large community. I will miss the people very much.’

That sense of community is at the heart of Schmitz’s new book, Der Verein Deutscher Metallhändler, published in August. The 280 or so-page book looks back at 118 years of VDM history with a particular focus on thepeople who have shaped the association and the industry.

Crises and critics

Looking back over the past three decades, Schmitz points to both internal and external forces that have repeatedly influenced the metals and scrap markets. Within the industry, he highlights the ability of individual market participants to cause significant disruption, citing the copper crisis of 1996 and the nickel crisis of 2022 as examples.

He is more critical of the growing regulatory burden from outside the industry. In his view, politics has imposed an ever-increasing number of regulations and bureaucratic requirements, many of which he considers unnecessary. The cost to the industry runs into millions of euros, he argues, often without a compelling justification. ‘Fewer rules would make the market more efficient for every one’s benefit,’ Schmitz insists.

New chapter ahead

Retirement will initially bring a rather practical project. Schmitz and his family plan to renovate their 1908 house, working through it one room at a time: ‘Ideally one room each month. The garden is also due for some attention’.

There will then be more time to enjoy Berlin’s cultural offerings. ‘After years spent travelling extensively for work, I’m looking forward to experiencing more of the city.’

Retirement will not mean cutting ties with the non-ferrous metals industry. Schmitz plans to continue subscribing to CMA Metall Weekly ‘to keep up with developments in the markets.’ He also wants to attend the annual CMA summit as a guest for one simple reason: ‘To catch up with many familiar and wonderful people.’