The current global copper price is in a historical high range, which directly ignites the economic momentum of waste wire recycling.
Price Status: As of mid May 2026, the London Metal Exchange (LME) copper futures price is approximately $14153/ton, and the domestic Shanghai copper futures price has exceeded 104000 yuan/ton. The recycling price of bright copper wire in waste wires is as high as 49.2 yuan/jin, with a general increase of 30% -60% compared to the same period last year.
Main reasons for the increase
Supply and demand imbalance: The global copper mine has limited new production capacity and declining grade, while the demand for copper in the new energy industry (electric vehicles, photovoltaics, energy storage) is experiencing explosive growth. It is expected that the global copper market gap will reach 350000 tons by 2027.
Supply fluctuations: Geopolitical conflicts, labor strikes, environmental policies, and other factors in major copper producing countries continue to disrupt copper mine supply.
Recycling benefits: Under the stimulation of high prices, the net profit of one ton of waste wire processed by copper rice machine can reach thousands of yuan, and the investment return period is usually 6-12 months, with significant economic benefits.
Replacing the outdated processes of traditional incineration and manual peeling, the dry copper rice machine has become a standard in the industry, with its core advantages being:
Technical principle: Adopting pure physical crushing+electrostatic sorting process, no water is required, no exhaust gas or wastewater is generated, and the whole process is zero pollution.
High recovery rate: Copper recovery rate>99%, plastic recovery rate>95%, copper rice purity can reach industrial grade standards.
Strong adaptability: It can handle almost all types of waste cables such as home decoration lines, car lines, communication lines, and miscellaneous wires.
Intelligent and efficient: Fully automatic PLC control, single person operation, low energy consumption, high efficiency. core advantage
The development of the industry has received strong endorsement and regulatory guidance from national policies.
Top level planning: China’s “14th Five Year Plan” for the development of circular economy clearly requires strengthening the recycling and utilization of waste metals. By 2025, the annual utilization target of major renewable resources will reach 450 million tons, with an annual industrial output value of 5 trillion yuan.
Environmental Protection Strictness: Laws and regulations such as the Solid Waste Law strictly prohibit polluting behaviors such as open burning, forcing the industry to transform towards standardization and environmental protection, and accelerating the clearance of unqualified small workshops.
Market size: The market size of copper rice machines in China is expected to reach 4.86 billion yuan by 2025, and is expected to increase to 5.21 billion yuan by 2026, with an annual growth rate of over 7%.
The industry is transitioning from wild growth to a stage of high-quality development.
Scale integration: The market will shift from scattered individual businesses to large, centralized, and compliant leading enterprises, forming a complete industrial chain of “recycling dismantling processing sales”.
High value utilization: Not only will copper be recycled, but the plastic outer skin will also achieve high-purity granulation and reuse, enhancing the overall added value.
Raw material expansion: With the retirement of new energy vehicles and photovoltaic panels, new types of waste such as power batteries and photovoltaic cables will become important sources of raw materials
Under the triple dividend of high copper prices, policy support, and mature technology, the scrap wire recycling and copper rice processing industries are in a golden period of development. This is not only a business, but also a key industry that serves the country’s dual carbon goals and ensures resource security. For practitioners, choosing dry copper rice machine equipment that is technologically advanced, environmentally friendly, and highly intelligent is the core key to seizing this industry dividend and building long-term competitive advantages.
