Sell Industrial Scrap in India: Who Buys It and How to Get a Fair Rate

Factories and workshops produce scrap every day: metal turnings and offcuts, rejected parts, plastic, packaging, paper, old machinery and cable. Scrap is usually sold by weight, and the rate depends on how clean and well sorted it is. Sorting and weighing it properly is the easiest way to earn more.

Short answer

Separate scrap by material, keep it clean, weigh it on a proper scale, find the current market rate for that material, and offer it to several scrap buyers for quotes. Sell on written weight and rate, with payment at or before loading.

Common industrial scrap

Ferrous: mild steel, cast iron, turnings, structural scrap
Non-ferrous: aluminium, copper, brass, stainless steel
Cable and wire, sold by metal content
Plastic: rejects, regrind, drums and packaging
Paper, cardboard and wooden pallets
Old machinery, motors and tools, which may sell for reuse above scrap value

How to get a better rate

Do not mix metals, which lowers the rate for all of it
Keep scrap dry and free of dirt, oil and rubbish
Remove items with reuse value, such as working motors and machines, and sell them separately
Compare at least three quotes on the same day, because rates move

Weighing and payment

Weigh at your gate or at a weighbridge both parties accept, note the weight, and keep the slip. Agree the rate per kilogram or tonne, and take payment before the vehicle leaves, or a clear advance and balance. Issue a proper invoice.

Watch out for

Waste that is classed as hazardous, such as oily sludge or chemical residue, which needs an authorised buyer. See our guide on hazardous waste.
Electronic items, which belong with an authorised e-waste recycler
Buyers who will not weigh in front of you or put the rate in writing

How ClearLot helps

If you hold scrap or old machinery in volume, list it on ClearLot as a lot so scrap buyers and reuse buyers can find it. ClearLot is a free-to-list stock board in India. Our team checks every lot before it goes on the board, and your name, business name and phone number are not shown to visitors. When a buyer is interested, we speak to them first and then connect you. ClearLot does not buy, hold, move, store or recycle anything, and it is not a party to the deal: price, payment and dispatch are agreed between you and the buyer.

Frequently asked questions

Who buys industrial scrap in India?

Scrap dealers, metal traders, smelters and rolling mills, plastic and paper recyclers, and machinery dealers buy industrial scrap, depending on the material.

How is industrial scrap priced?

By weight, based on the material and how clean and sorted it is. Non-ferrous metals fetch much more per kilogram than ferrous scrap. Rates move with the market, so compare quotes on the same day.

Is it better to sell machinery as scrap or for reuse?

If a machine or motor still works, it can sell for more than its scrap weight. Remove such items from the scrap and sell them separately.

Does ClearLot buy scrap?

No. ClearLot is a stock board that introduces sellers and buyers. It does not buy, weigh, collect or transport scrap.

See stock in this area on the stock board.

How to sell industrial scrap in India