Demolition Site Scrap Metal Recovery

Where Molten Steel sits in the demolition chain

Demolition projects in Singapore typically have three parties: the project owner (developer, JTC lessee, factory owner), the BCA-registered demolition contractor who runs the work, and the scrap metal buyer who takes the recovered ferrous and non-ferrous metal. Molten Steel is the scrap metal buyer in that chain. Our role is downstream of the demolition: pricing the recovered metal, providing on-site bins, scheduling pickups against the demolition programme, weighing the load, and paying out.

For demolition contractors, we're the standing scrap account that lets you bake the salvage credit into your quote with confidence. For project owners, we're the visible piece of the recovery chain that turns demolition waste into a measurable cost offset.

What we buy from demolition sites

Per-kg or per-tonne pricing by material category, anchored to the day's LME and local benchmarks. See our live pricing page for current rates.

Material category	Typical demolition source	Indicative range (SGD)
Structural steel (HMS 1)	Beams, columns, framing 6mm+	S$0.39/kg or S$390/tonne
HMS 2 / mixed iron & steel	Lighter gauge, attachments, mixed	S$0.38/kg or S$380/tonne
Rebar / mesh	Reinforced concrete recovery	S$0.38/kg or S$380/tonne
Cast iron	Pipes, machine bases, manhole covers	S$0.32 – S$0.40/kg
Copper (heavy)	Bus bar, AC piping, wiring loom	S$15.70/kg
Copper cable (75% yield)	Stripped electrical cable	S$9.50/kg
Aluminium extrusions (6063)	Window frames, cladding, partitions	S$3.50/kg
Aluminium (cast / mixed)	Engine castings, light alloys	S$2.90/kg
Brass	Fittings, valves, taps	S$9.00 – S$12.30/kg
Stainless steel 304 / 316	Process piping, tanks, food-grade equipment	S$1.20 – S$2.90/kg
Lead (soft / sheathing)	Roof flashings, lead-sheathed cable	S$1.80 – S$2.00/kg

For reference only. Live rates move daily with the LME. Send photos plus a rough tonnage estimate via WhatsApp for a firm quote on your specific load.

How we work with demolition contractors

1. Pre-tender quote — once the contractor knows the structural scope (tonnage of steel, expected non-ferrous content), we issue an indicative per-kg / per-tonne quote against today's rates so the salvage credit can be priced into the demolition tender.
2. Site walk if needed — for larger projects, our yard team walks the site with the contractor to confirm the volume estimate and identify high-value non-ferrous (copper bus bar, brass fittings, stainless process piping).
3. Bin / skip placement — on award, we drop bins on site for separated ferrous, copper, and mixed non-ferrous. Number and rotation depend on the demolition programme.
4. Pickup against the programme — bins rotated as the contractor fills them. For large structural pours we send a tipper or container as needed.
5. Weighing & grading — on our 170 Gul Circle weighbridge for trucked loads, or certified on-site scales for very large jobs. The contractor sees the reading.
6. Payment / contract credit — same-day cash or PayNow for smaller loads; trade-account credit for contractors with standing arrangements. For project-owner-direct settlements, we can issue the credit against the demolition contractor's invoice.
7. Documentation — weigh tickets, grade breakdowns, and disposal documentation suitable for the contractor's and project owner's own waste management plan submissions.

Who routes demolition scrap to Molten Steel

BCA-registered demolition contractors

The contractors who actually carry out demolition work in Singapore. They handle BCA permits, MOM safety plans, and the structural takedown. We're their downstream scrap buyer: contracted bins, scheduled rotation, transparent per-kg pricing, and same-day or trade-account settlement. For repeat-volume contractors we set up standing trade rates with consolidated payment.

Industrial decommissioning specialists

Plant-decommissioning contractors handling factory clear-outs, foundry shutdowns, paint-line removals across Jurong, Tuas, and Sungei Kadut. Heavy non-ferrous (copper bus bar, stainless process pipe) is typically the high-value line.

Project owners and JTC lessees

Owners running redevelopment programmes who want to vet the salvage side of a demolition tender. Talk to us early and we can issue an indicative scrap value range against your structural drawings — useful when comparing demolition contractor quotes (some bake the salvage credit into a lower number, some don't).

Shipyards and offshore decommissioning

Drydock, slipway, and topside module decommissioning. Heavy structural steel volumes (50–500 tonnes per project) form material credit against the contractor's scope. Pickup logistics by tipper or container.

Government and statutory board projects

Public infrastructure work — road widening, utility upgrades, old HDB workshop clearance — where the appointed contractor needs a documented downstream scrap buyer. Compliance with BCA and LTA requirements sits with the contractor; we provide the recovery and documentation paper trail.

Why contractors and project owners route to us

• Single yard, all categories — ferrous, non-ferrous, lead and brass priced and paid in one transaction. No need to send body to one place and harness to another.
• Transparent per-kg pricing — LME-linked, published on each material page. Same number we quote pre-tender is the number at the weighbridge.
• Same-day payment — cash for walk-in lots under S$2,000, PayNow / bank transfer above. Trade accounts on consolidated weekly settlement.
• Bin / skip rotation — we keep up with the demolition programme, not the other way around.
• Documentation — weigh tickets, grade breakdowns, and disposal docs suitable for clients' own BCA / ISO 14001 / waste management plan reporting.
• NEA-approved scrap metal dealer — ACRA UEN 200604088N, continuously operating since 2006. See licensing & credentials.

Recent demolition site recovery (anonymised)

Tuas factory unit, structural recovery: single-storey ~1,200 m² steel-frame factory. Demolition contractor secured the BCA permit and ran the takedown over 14 working days. Molten Steel rotated bins on site across the same window and recovered roughly 72 tonnes of structural steel and 4 tonnes of copper / brass — offset against the contractor's quote to the project owner.

Jurong Industrial Estate, plant decommissioning: two process halls plus mezzanine plant floor. Soft-strip phase recovered approximately 18 tonnes of copper cable and bus bar plus 6 tonnes of stainless piping; salvage credits reduced the project owner's net demolition cost by a double-digit percentage.

Joo Koon warehouse, interior strip-out: 3,400 m² clear-span warehouse with racking and mezzanines. Strip-out completed within four weeks; ~27 tonnes of steel racking and 2 tonnes of aluminium recovered and credited against the strip-out contractor's invoice.

Coverage area

We accept demolition site scrap recovery work across Singapore, with the bulk of recent volume in western industrial zones — Tuas, Jurong, Joo Koon, and Sungei Kadut — plus Woodlands and central projects where logistics allow. Project sizes range from ~500 m² soft-strip scopes to multi-block industrial recoveries of 30,000 m² plus.

Frequently asked questions

Are you a licensed demolition contractor in Singapore?

No. Molten Steel is a licensed scrap metal dealer (NEA-approved, ACRA UEN 200604088N), not a BCA-registered demolition contractor. We don't hold demolition permits or carry out structural demolition. Our role on a demolition project is the metal scrap recovery — we work alongside the licensed demolition contractor as the downstream scrap buyer.

If I'm a project owner, do I hire you or hire a demolition contractor?

Hire a BCA-registered demolition contractor for the demolition itself. Talk to us in parallel so the contractor can build the salvage credit into their quote. For larger projects, we can issue you an indicative scrap value range against the structural drawings before you award the demolition tender — useful for sanity-checking contractor pricing.

How is scrap recovery credited against a demolition contract?

Salvage is weighed on intake at our 170 Gul Circle weighbridge (or certified on-site scales for very large jobs), priced against the day's benchmark, and either paid to the demolition contractor (who then credits the project owner against their invoice) or credited directly to the project owner. The structure is yours to decide; we just supply the per-kg pricing and the documentation.

Can you put bins on site during the demolition?

Yes. We supply bins / skips for separated ferrous, copper, mixed non-ferrous, and stainless. Number and rotation depend on the demolition programme and how the contractor wants to stage the recovery. Bin placement is coordinated with the contractor's site manager.

Do you handle asbestos or hazardous waste removal?

No. ACM removal is a regulated activity carried out by NEA-registered asbestos removal contractors. Hazardous waste removal sits with the appointed demolition contractor or specialist sub. We handle the metal scrap recovery only.

What documentation do you provide for a demolition project?

For every recovery: weigh tickets per pickup, grade breakdown by material category, disposal documentation suitable for the contractor's and project owner's own BCA waste management plan / ISO 14001 environmental reporting, and a tax invoice for the salvage credit. Documentation is consolidated weekly or monthly for trade accounts.

Can a demolition contractor set up a standing trade account?

Yes. Contractors with regular project flow can move to a standing per-kg rate (anchored to LME-linked benchmarks) with consolidated weekly or fortnightly payment. WhatsApp us to set this up — we'll need a basic credit / business reference to open the account.

Do you work on commercial / retail strip-outs as well?

Yes — office, retail, and HDB workshop strip-outs where the strip-out contractor needs a downstream metal buyer for racking, mezzanines, AC plant, and fit-out steelwork. Smaller scopes (200–1,500 m²) but tighter turnaround windows.