At Marsden Metals Group, we’re committed to continuously improving the way we recycle, recover, and repurpose valuable materials for our Northland communities. In 2025, we took another major step forward by investing in a large, state-of-the-art Copper and Aluminium Granulator, now fully operational at our Ruakaka yard and servicing all three of our Northland sites — Ruakaka, Dargaville, and Waipapa.
This advanced machine represents a milestone in our recycling capability, bringing world-class technology to Northland and significantly increasing the value we can return to both our customers and the region.
What Is a Granulator — and Why Does It Matter?
Granulators are specialised machines that process insulated copper and aluminium cables, breaking them down into small, clean granules. These machines mechanically separate the valuable metal core from plastic insulation and other contaminants.
The result? High-purity copper and aluminium granules ready for smelting and reuse — and a dramatic reduction in waste.
Economic Benefits for Northland and Our Customers
Installing this granulator means we can recover more value from cable and wiring than ever before.
Higher Metal Recovery = Increased Revenue
Traditional cable stripping cannot match the precision of a granulator. Our new system recovers a significantly higher percentage of pure metal, increasing the value of each load of scrap wiring brought to our yards.
Better Pricing for Our Customers
Because the granulator boosts efficiency and margins, we can pass these benefits on to our customers with more competitive pricing for insulated wire and mixed cable.
Local Processing Saves Time & Money
By processing metals on-site in Ruakaka, rather than shipping them elsewhere for refining, we shorten lead times and reduce overall handling costs.
Environmental Impact: A Cleaner, Greener Northland
This investment isn’t just about business growth — it aligns with our broader commitment to environmental stewardship.
Reduced Landfill Waste
Granulation allows us to extract almost all valuable metal content, leaving minimal residual waste. Less plastic insulation ends up in landfill, and more material re-enters the circular economy.
Conservation of Natural Resources
Every kilogram of metal recovered is one less that needs to be mined. Granulation supports sustainable resource use by turning old wiring into high-quality raw material ready for manufacturing again.
Lower Carbon Footprint
Efficient local processing reduces transport emissions and energy waste across the entire recycling chain.
Operational and Safety Improvements
The new granulator doesn’t just increase output — it creates a safer and more productive environment for our team.
Improved Workplace Safety
Granulators eliminate the need for manual stripping of large or complex cables, reducing exposure to sharp tools, repetitive strain, and hazardous insulation materials.
Higher Throughput & Productivity
The automated system can process large volumes of cable quickly, allowing our yards to turn material around faster and keep up with growing demand across Northland.
Consistent, High-Quality End Product
The granules produced are uniform, clean, and ready for sale, ensuring reliability for our downstream manufacturing partners.
A Stronger Future for Northland Recycling
At Marsden Metals Group, we’re proud to lead the way in innovation within New Zealand’s scrap metal industry. This granulator investment reinforces our long-term commitment to:
- Cleaner environmental practices
- Safer workplaces
- Better value for local businesses and tradespeople
- Stronger recycling systems for future generations
Whether you’re a tradie bringing in offcuts, a business managing industrial loads, or a farmer clearing old wiring from the shed, our new granulation system ensures the best possible value and outcome for your scrap metals.
Visit Us at Ruakaka or Any Northland Yard
We welcome you to bring in your insulated copper and aluminium wire and experience the benefits of our upgraded processing capability.
Marsden Metals Group — Northland Owned, Northland Proud.
Turning yesterday’s waste into tomorrow’s resources.
