ArcelorMittal buys Scottish recycler John Lawrie Metals

Global steelmaker ArcelorMittal has acquired Scottish metals recycling group John Lawrie Metals, an ArcelorMittal spokeserson confirmed to Argus today.

The deal was completed yesterday, with full details to be announced imminently. John Lawrie Metals is one of Scotland's largest recyclers and states on its website that it processes 200,000 t/yr of metal. It processes both ferrous and non-ferrous scrap at sites in Aberdeen, Evanton, Montrose and Lerwick in Shetland, and operates a decommissioning business that dismantles large oilfield, sub-sea and industrial infrastructure.

The group also has two steel tubular supply businesses in the UK and USA, but it is not yet confirmed whether these are included in the ArcelorMittal purchase.

John Lawrie is a major supplier of ferrous scrap through a short-sea coaster vessel to Spain and it is likely ArcelorMittal will use it to increase security of scrap supply for its Spanish mills, including the Sestao electric arc furnace (EAF) mill near Bilbao.

ArcelorMittal also plans to build a 1.1mn t EAF at its mill in Gijon, northern Spain, by 2025.

By Ronan Murphy