Innovative Circular Economy through Recycling
Interview with Beatrice Bartels, Managing Partner of DRH Deutsche Rohstoff Handelsgesellschaft mbH
Since its founding in 2016, DRH Deutsche Rohstoffrecycling GmbH has developed into a leading company in the fields of recycling and trading secondary metals. We spoke with Beatrice Bartels, Managing Partner and Commercial Director of the company, about the challenges of the industry, the growing influence of digitalization, and how the company looks towards the future.
Wirtschaftsforum: Ms. Bartels, your company has developed significantly over the last eight years. What milestones were particularly formative?
Beatrice Bartels: Our journey began as a traditional wholesale business, focusing on the trade of secondary metals. In 2020, right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, we opened a crucial chapter: the opening of our own warehouse under the subsidiary DRR Deutsche Rohstoffrecycling. Here, we can now process mixed metals ourselves, which gives us more flexibility and control over the quality of our products. Another milestone was the founding of SRHG GmbH in Switzerland, which covers our market there.
These steps have not only economically strengthened us but have also expanded our expertise in the recycling sector. Our turnover is now in the high tens of millions range, which confirms our growth course.
Wirtschaftsforum: You and your partner run the business together. How do you divide the tasks?
Beatrice Bartels: My partner, Jovis Bartels, brings industry expertise, while I focus on the commercial sector and exports. A significant part of my work involves controlling and process optimization. For a growing company, it's crucial that internal processes are clearly structured and efficient. In a sense, I am the 'Minister of the Interior' and he is the 'Minister of Foreign Affairs'. Additionally, I ensure that we are always developing and tapping into new markets.
Wirtschaftsforum: What role does digitalization play in your company?
Beatrice Bartels: For us, digitalization is a central issue, especially to make our processes more efficient. We recently introduced new software solutions in personnel management and task management. Many companies in our industry have a backlog in terms of digitalization. Therefore, I see it as our duty to take a leading role here. Particularly in times of skilled worker shortages, it is vital to reduce dependency on additional staff through digital tools. Our investments in modern technologies help us stay competitive while also enhancing the quality of our services.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you implement sustainability in your business model?
Beatrice Bartels: Sustainability is indeed at the core of our business model. We are working to close the loop of secondary metals by recycling these materials and reintegrating them into industry. This has enormous ecological benefits, such as a significant reduction in CO2 emissions compared to using primary metals. Our focus is on maximizing the use of secondary metals to achieve our climate goals. For our own production, we use shredded scrap that we process to make materials like aluminum, copper, and brass reusable again.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you see the current development of the European recycling market, and how is your company positioned in it?
Beatrice Bartels: Europe is a global leader in recycling and technologically very advanced. However, we feel the challenges, especially due to high energy prices and regulatory barriers. Many companies are considering relocating abroad, but we continue to rely on the European market. At the same time, we see that the market for recycled materials is growing and more and more companies are relying on secondary raw materials to achieve their sustainability goals. We have consciously decided to strengthen our location in Germany and invest in the future here, as we are convinced that Europe will continue to play a key role in the global recycling market. It is particularly important to us that all our products meet the highest quality standards.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are your long-term goals?
Beatrice Bartels: We want to further expand our production site and invest in research to make our recycling processes even more efficient. Our goal is to further strengthen the circular economy in Germany and Europe and thus make a significant contribution to resource conservation. In addition, we plan to expand our capacities and develop new sales channels to continue our growth trajectory. A particular concern of mine is also to modernize the image of the recycling industry and attract more women to leadership positions in this field. We see great potential in the development of the industry and support the increasing awareness of sustainability and resource conservation.