September 23, 2026
Zorba is up 31% in 2026. Are you still selling it at the price of iron?
Every ton of shredded scrap you sell without separating the Zorba is aluminum, copper and zinc sold at the price of iron. And in 2026 that costs more than ever: according to ScrapMonster estimates, Zorba 95% rose from $0.83/lb in January to $1.09/lb in October, an increase of about 31%.
Zato’s answer is the Blue Devil twin-shaft shredder combined with the Blue Sorter separation line with eddy current separator: no hammer mill, minimal civil works and simplified permitting.
A rising market that won’t wait
Aluminum, copper and zinc prices have been rising for years, and Zorba* is moving in the same direction. Estimated Zorba 95% prices tracked by ScrapMonster show a steady climb throughout 2026, with a peak of $1.10/lb in August.
For a scrap processor, recovering Zorba today means turning this trend into margin instead of leaving it in the ferrous fraction. Every month without Zorba recovery is non-ferrous value sold at the price of iron.
*What is Zorba?
According to the ReMA (formerly ISRI) Scrap Specifications, Zorba is a combination of non-ferrous metals: aluminum, copper, lead, magnesium, stainless steel, nickel, tin and zinc, in elemental or alloyed (solid) form.
Why most operators have left Zorba on the table
Hammer mills paired with a separation line have always been the reference technology for Zorba. But complex civil works, lengthy permitting procedures and high energy consumption have put them out of reach for most small and mid-sized operators.
The result: a large share of Zorba stays locked inside processed scrap.
Blue Devil + Blue Sorter: the solution for non-ferrous metal separation without a hammer mill
Zato’s answer is an integrated two-stage line:
- Blue Devil: the twin-shaft shredder installs on any existing surface, with no need for foundations or special permits. It opens up the material and makes the non-ferrous metals available for separation.
- Blue Sorter with ECS: the first magnetic separation step extracts the ferrous fraction, which follows its own dedicated sales route. The ECS, the eddy current separator, delivers valorized Zorba thanks to precise separation from other contaminants such as ferrous residues, stainless steel and so on.
Compact design, plug and play: minimal footprint, simplified permitting and operating costs under control, to recover margin from day one.
Built on 20 years of hammer mill experience
With over 20 years of experience in hammer mill design behind it, Zato developed this solution not to replace the mill, but to support sustainable investment strategies for small and mid-sized recycling companies.
It is an immediate operational solution, ready to be integrated with a mill at a later stage, so today’s investment keeps its value as your operation grows.
In stock and ready to ship now
In a rising market, waiting months for a machine means missing the wave. The Blue Devil + Blue Sorter combination is already built, in stock and ready to ship now, not next quarter.
