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Hensel Recycling: 25 years
of precious metals
processing expertise
‘We are more than satisfied, looking back on 2022. It was a hectic year for the
world but one of the best in our company’s history,’ says Clemens Hensel, managing
partner of Hensel Recycling. Here he sits down with Recycling International to dis-
cuss the company’s recent milestones and its 25th anniversary.
volatile metals prices will impact our
results in 2023 – how could they not?’
the entrepreneur asks. ‘I’m confident,
though, we can withstand a little tur-
bulence. We’re well positioned to stay
on top of our game.’
As always, commodity prices are the
main factor. ‘There was a huge
upwards trend in the last few years,
this is now normalising. We don’t
know how far down prices will go;
there are highs and lows and every-
thing in-between. Now we’re on a rel-
ative downward spiral but we’ll see
where it ends. The good thing is,
there is more than enough business in
the precious metals segment. We’re
That this is a big year for Hensel
Recycling is evident from the energy
pulsing through the company’s head-
quarters in Aschaffenburg, Germany.
The site was recently expanded in line
with the recycler’s growth strategy
and the yard is buzzing with activity.
Big bags filled with printed circuit
boards line the walls of one hall while
another a dedicated team is handling
various types of catalytic converters.
Some are as big as a fridge, having
come from large haulage trucks rather
than passenger vehicles.
RESILIENT LEADERSHIP
‘There’s a lot of interest in precious
metals and technology metals and we
are definitely benefiting from that,’
managing partner Clemens Hensel
says. ‘We’re lucky to have a stable and
loyal customer base and we have even
been able to expand our business a
little. It helps that we’ve been a mar-
ket leader in this sector for over two
decades now. People know us; they’re
aware of our expertise.’
Hensel notes that, despite challenging
market conditions and the post-pan-
demic reshuffle, processed volumes
have been high for both e-scrap and
catalytic converters and prices are still
at good levels. Although the company
has witnessed a downturn in the last
six months or so, this has not yet
affected the books as the financial
year has already closed.
‘No doubt, the war between Russia
and Ukraine, lower car sales, inflation,
soaring energy prices and, most of all,
A U T H O R Kirstin Linnenkoper
Clemens Hensel alongside Thomas Hensel and Oliver Krestin.
Hensel Recycling recovers 11 000 tonnes of precious metals from catalytic
converters per year.
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