Aluminium Scrap
Aluminium is our speciality. We buy every grade — sorted or mixed — and pay closest to market for clean, single-grade material such as extrusion and litho sheet. Whether it's a few baskets of offcuts or a full container, we'll grade it fairly.
Aluminium We Purchase
- UBC (used beverage cans)
- Extrusion (6063) — clean window & door section
- Taint / tabor (painted & coated sheet)
- Clean sheet, litho & plate
- Cast aluminium, wheels & LM grades
- Aluminium radiators
- Turnings & swarf
- Aluminium wire & cable
Aluminium Grades We Accept
Sorted or mixed — we grade fairly so you get the right price for each type.
UBC
Used beverage cans — loose or baled drink cans.
Extrusion (6063)
Clean window & door section offcuts — top aluminium grade.
Taint / Tabor
Mixed painted & coated aluminium sheet and clippings, low copper.
Sheet
Clean aluminium sheet and plate.
Litho
Printing litho plate — clean, high-grade sheet.
Cast & Alloy
Cast aluminium, wheels, LM grades and gearboxes.
Radiators
Aluminium and aluminium-copper radiators.
Turnings
Machine swarf and turnings, drained of oil.
Wire
Aluminium wire and ACSR cable.
Foil
Clean aluminium foil and packaging.
Dross
Aluminium dross and skimmings.
How to Identify Aluminium
- Aluminium is light, silvery-white and non-magnetic.
- It is much lighter than steel or copper of the same size.
- Extrusion is clean section with no thermal break, plastic or rubber.
- Taint/tabor is painted or coated sheet with minimal attachments.
- A magnet will not stick — if it does, it is steel or has steel attached.
Common Sources
- Window and door fabrication offcuts
- Manufacturing and machining swarf
- Catering and packaging (cans, foil)
- Automotive (wheels, engine castings)
- Construction cladding and sheet
- End-of-life radiators and HVAC
Complete Aluminium Guide
Product categories vs international trading grades — the classification system used by buyers, sellers and recyclers worldwide.
Aluminium is one of the most valuable recyclable metals in the world. It can be recycled repeatedly without significant loss of quality, which makes it essential to construction, automotive, aerospace, electrical, packaging and manufacturing.
Aluminium scrap is generated by manufacturing, demolition, machining, end-of-life vehicles, packaging waste and consumer products. Rather than being thrown away, it is collected, sorted, processed and recycled into new aluminium.
The industry uses two classification systems. Product categories describe what the material physically is. ISRI grades are the international quality specifications used in global scrap trading. Understanding both helps buyers and sellers identify material correctly and trade using accepted terminology.
Product Categories — What The Material Is
Aluminium Extrusion Scrap
Profiles made by forcing heated aluminium through dies into long, consistent cross-sections.
Sources: Window/door frames, curtain walls, solar frames, office partitions, furniture, machine structures. Common alloys: AA6063, AA6061, AA6005, AA6082
Aluminium Sheet Scrap
Flat aluminium sheet from manufacturing, fabrication, demolition and industrial processing.
Sources: Roofing, cladding, kitchen equipment, sheet offcuts, sign boards, aircraft panels.
Cast Aluminium Scrap
Components made by pouring molten aluminium into moulds; common in automotive and industry.
Sources: Engine blocks, cylinder heads, gearboxes, pump/compressor housings, cookware, castings. Common alloys: ADC12, LM24, A356, A380
Aluminium Wheel Scrap
Used or damaged alloy wheels from cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles.
Sources: Dismantlers, garages, accident repair centres, fleet maintenance.
Aluminium Wire Scrap
Electrical conductors and overhead transmission cable made mainly of aluminium.
Sources: Power transmission lines, electrical contractors, utilities, industrial facilities.
Aluminium Radiator Scrap
Aluminium heat exchangers from vehicles and industrial cooling systems (may contain copper/plastic/steel).
Sources: Cars, trucks, air-conditioning, industrial cooling equipment.
Aluminium Turnings & Borings
Small chips from machining — drilling, milling, turning, grinding; often oily.
Sources: CNC machining, manufacturing plants, engineering workshops.
Aluminium Foil Scrap
Thin aluminium for food, pharmaceutical and industrial packaging.
Sources: Food trays, household foil, pharmaceutical foil, catering packaging.
Aluminium Lithographic Plate
High-purity aluminium plate from commercial offset printing — very clean, premium value.
Sources: Printing presses, newspaper publishers, commercial printers.
Used Beverage Can (UBC)
Used aluminium drink cans collected from homes, hospitality, recycling centres and public schemes.
Sources: Soft drink, beer and energy drink cans. (A product category, not an ISRI grade.)
Aluminium Profile Scrap
Architectural/industrial profiles removed during renovation, demolition or manufacturing.
Sources: Commercial buildings, solar installs, office interiors, fabrication.
Mixed Aluminium Scrap
Different aluminium products not yet sorted; mixed alloys, needs sorting, lower value.
Sources: All sources combined.
Aluminium Dross
By-product formed during melting; contains recoverable aluminium but needs specialist processing.
Sources: White dross and black dross.
Aluminium Cable Scrap
Aluminium cable from power distribution and industrial electrical systems.
Sources: Bare conductors, insulated cables, underground cables.
Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP)
Two aluminium skins bonded to a plastic/mineral core; aluminium must be separated before recycling.
Sources: Building façades, signage, interior wall panels.
Trading Grades Explained
Talon
Prepared UBC that has been sorted, cleaned and baled to ISRI specification.
Clean aluminium cans, properly sorted, baled, minimal contamination, free of excess steel and plastic.
Talk
Prepared lithographic printing-plate scrap meeting ISRI quality specifications.
High-purity, uniform alloy, clean surface, free of paper, plastic and excess coatings.
Tense
Mixed cast aluminium scrap with minor attachments such as steel bolts or bushings.
Engine blocks, gearboxes, pump housings and automotive castings.
Taint / Tabor
Clean mixed wrought aluminium — mainly sheet and extrusion.
Low contamination, clean material, mixed wrought alloys.
Tread
Clean bare aluminium wire and conductor scrap.
Bare wire, no insulation, minimal contamination.
Trump
Prepared clean aluminium radiator scrap.
Aluminium radiators with minimal plastic and steel attachments.
Twitch
Mechanically separated aluminium recovered from mixed non-ferrous scrap (commonly from Zorba).
Mixed aluminium alloys; may need further alloy sorting.
Zorba
A mixed non-ferrous shredded metal stream from end-of-life vehicles and appliances.
Contains aluminium, copper, brass, zinc, stainless and magnesium. Not an aluminium grade — the feedstock Twitch is recovered from.
Product Category vs Trading Grade
| Product Category | Trading Grade | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Used Beverage Can (UBC) | Talon | Talon is the prepared, specification-grade form of UBC. |
| Lithographic Plate | Talk | Talk is the prepared grade for clean litho printing plates. |
| Cast Aluminium | Tense | Tense is prepared mixed cast aluminium with limited attachments. |
| Sheet & Extrusion | Taint / Tabor | Taint/Tabor covers clean mixed wrought aluminium. |
| Aluminium Wire | Tread | Tread is clean, bare aluminium wire to ISRI spec. |
| Aluminium Radiator | Trump | Trump is clean prepared aluminium radiator scrap. |
| Mixed Non-Ferrous | Zorba → Twitch | Zorba is the mixed feedstock; Twitch is the separated aluminium fraction. |
Worked Examples
Example 1: A recycling company collects loose soft drink cans.
Product: UBC Scrap. After sorting, cleaning and baling to spec it becomes Talon.
Example 2: A printing company disposes of used offset plates.
Product: Lithographic Plate Scrap. After preparation to ISRI standards it becomes Talk.
Example 3: A dismantler sells engine blocks with small steel inserts.
Product: Cast Aluminium Scrap. Commonly traded as Tense.
Example 4: An electrical contractor removes bare overhead conductors.
Product: Aluminium Wire Scrap. Prepared to spec, traded as Tread.
Example 5: A factory produces clean 6063 extrusion offcuts and sheet cuttings.
Product: Extrusion & Sheet Scrap. Sold as clean mixed wrought aluminium, traded as Taint/Tabor.
Final Takeaway
- 1. What is the material? — this gives the product category (UBC, cast, extrusion, wire).
- 2. Does it meet an international trading spec? — if so it also gets an ISRI grade (Talon, Tense, Taint/Tabor, Tread, Trump, Talk).
Industries Served
Applications
- Window & door systems
- Automotive & transport components
- Packaging & beverage cans
- Construction cladding & roofing
- Castings & engineering parts
How We Recycle Aluminium
Collection & Weighing
We collect and weigh your aluminium on auditable scales with a clear ticket.
Sorting & Grading
We separate extrusion, sheet, cast, UBC and turnings to maximise your return.
Processing
Material is baled or compacted to clean, foundry-grade stock.
Export & Re-melt
Graded aluminium enters our recycling network for re-melting into new product.
What Affects Your Aluminium Price
We're transparent about pricing — here's what moves the rate you're paid.
Grade purity
Single-grade extrusion and litho pay more than mixed or coated material.
Attachments
Steel, plastic, rubber or thermal breaks reduce the grade and price.
LME aluminium price
Daily market movements set the baseline rate.
Quantity
Larger, sorted loads attract better rates and free collection.
Aluminium — Related Services & Guides
Aluminium Scrap — Common Questions
What is taint/tabor aluminium?
Taint/tabor is painted or coated aluminium sheet and clippings with low copper content and few attachments. It's a common grade from fabrication and is priced below clean extrusion.
Do you buy aluminium UBC (cans)?
Yes — we buy used beverage cans loose or baled. Larger baled quantities attract the best rate.
Is aluminium magnetic?
No. Aluminium is non-magnetic. If a magnet sticks, the item is steel or has steel attached, which affects grading.
Do you collect aluminium for free?
Yes — free collection across Birmingham and the West Midlands for qualifying loads, nationwide for bulk.
Sell Your Aluminium Today
Send a photo and rough weight for a fast, fair quote — with free collection across the West Midlands and prompt, transparent payment.