Skip to main content
Success stories from North Rhine-Westphalia

ScrapBees GmbH

Making scrap metal recycling easier:
The Neuss-based start-up ScrapBees specializes in metal scrap recycling and has developed an innovative concept. The "Scrap Bees," as the company name translates to, relieve tradespeople by taking over the sorting work directly on construction sites and then systematically and directly marketing the scrap using digital tools.

Navigate to the next section

The challenge

Valuable scrap metals accumulate daily on construction sites: aluminum, iron, copper, brass, nickel, zinc, and tin. This is particularly evident in the context of the energy transition: In Germany alone, hundreds of thousands of heat pumps are installed every year – and with each new heating system, an old one has to be dismantled. "This quickly adds up to 300 kilograms of scrap metal," explains Thilo Hamm, co-founder of ScrapBees GmbH from Neuss. By law, tradespeople are obligated to dispose of this metal waste properly – but this takes time and ties up skilled workers. There is an acute shortage of personnel, especially in the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning (HVAC) sector, adds Florian Kriependorf, also a co-founder. "And every hour that skilled workers spend loading scrap metal is time they could be taking off their actual jobs." ScrapBees' solution: They collect scrap metal, packaging materials, and, upon request, even old heating systems directly from the construction site – booked via app, phone, or email. In doing so, the company is implementing "urban mining," thus recovering raw materials in urban areas. Because: Decentralized construction sites are veritable sources of raw materials – but unlocking their potential takes time, effort, and organization. ScrapBees takes care of exactly that – ensuring that valuable materials are efficiently recycled and skilled workers are deployed where they are truly needed.

Commissioned by:

  • Photos: ScrapBees GmbH
  • Text: Lothar Schmitz, business journalist, Bonn
  • Publication: July 2025

Florian Kriependorf, CEO of ScrapBees GmbH

“Our system reduces empty runs, increases the recycling rate and saves massive amounts of CO₂.”

The innovation

Florian Kriependorf and Thilo Hamm met in 2010 while pursuing an MBA while working. At the time, Kriependorf was a lawyer at a large recycling company in North Rhine-Westphalia specializing in trading high-quality scrap metal. Hamm already had experience founding a company and had most recently run a service business in the skilled trades sector. He was familiar with the daily challenges on construction sites – especially where skilled workers are unnecessarily tied up with organizational tasks. The founding team was completed by Sebastian Kopsan, who had previously helped shape the digital transformation as an authorized signatory at a machinery and plant manufacturer. Together, they developed the concept for ScrapBees: a fully digitalized, full-service solution for recycling scrap metal on construction sites. Like a swarm of bees, the employees target specific construction sites, inspect, sort, and weigh the metals on-site, determine their quality, and transport them directly to the appropriate recycling partners without having to go through a scrap yard. The entire logistics process – from intelligent route planning to documentation and invoicing – runs digitally and in real time. "Our system reduces empty runs, increases the recycling rate, and massively saves CO₂," explains Kriependorf. Tradespeople benefit from immediate proof of disposal and transparent credit – directly on the construction site. Hamm sums it up this way: "We take an entire construction project off the tradespeople's hands – namely, the one involving scrap metal."

The NRW effect/The location

The startup now employs 69 people and serves over 400 customers in the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning (PHVAC) sector nationwide – and that number is growing (as of June 2025). The Neuss location has proven to be a real stroke of luck. "North Rhine-Westphalia, and Neuss in particular, offers an excellent environment for startups like ours," says Florian Kriependorf. "Here, we benefit from a strong network of companies, targeted funding programs, and easy access to partners." Neuss is ideally situated, especially logistically: centrally located in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, with direct connections to highways, airports, and transshipment centers. "From here, we can efficiently manage our fleet throughout Germany – which is crucial for our commitment to speed and punctuality." The location is also attractive because of the funding institutions. For example, NRW.BANK is an investor in the young company. “The start-up ScrapBees systematizes the collection of scrap metal on construction sites and ensures the most complete possible return of the scrap metal to the raw material cycle,” said Johanna Antonie Tjaden-Schulte, member of the board of NRW.BANK, in January 2025. “Such ideas are an important contribution to a functioning circular economy and to the sustainable transformation of North Rhine-Westphalia. That is why NRW.BANK is supporting the young company with growth capital.” ScrapBees plans to use the funds to expand into further regions and industries.

This success story of an innovative transformation was published in July 2025. No updates or reviews of the information have taken place since then.

More on the topic of the environment

Transformation through innovation

Background of the publication series

The publication series “Transformation through Innovation” aims to illustrate how companies in North Rhine-Westphalia have been able to write successful innovation stories thanks to the framework conditions created by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Are you interested in being featured in a future edition?
Then please contact us with your request at:

info@nrwinnovativ.de