Copper Wire Scrap Supplier — No.1 & No.2 for Bulk Export
Atlas Copper International supplies ISRI-graded copper wire scrap in container volume for export — Barley (mill berry, No.1 bare bright), and Birch and Cliff (No.2 copper) — from a third-generation, family-owned US company trading since 1962. Pricing is LME-linked with a transparent grade-based margin, minimum export order is 5 × 20ft containers, and material ships FOB Port Everglades or CFR/CIF to your port. If you run a secondary smelter, refinery, rod mill or recovery operation and you buy wire scrap by the container, this page covers the grades, what each one allows, loading, and terms.
Grades we supply
Copper wire scrap is not one product. The ISRI code on the contract is what defines purity, what contamination is tolerated, and therefore the discount to the LME. These are the wire grades we ship most often:
| ISRI code | Common name | Description | Recoverable copper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barley | Mill berry / No.1 copper wire | Clean, bare, bright, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire, 16 gauge and thicker | 99.9%+ |
| Birch | No.2 copper | Unalloyed copper wire that is tarnished, oxidised, soldered, tinned or thin-gauge | ~94–96% |
| Cliff | No.2 copper | Miscellaneous unalloyed No.2 copper, including painted or coated wire and mixed conditions | ~94–96% |
| Palm | No.1 copper wire nodules | Granulated / chopped clean copper wire, sold by recovered content | By assay |
Insulated copper cable is a separate category — it is bought on recoverable copper content after stripping or granulation, not on gross weight, so it is quoted differently. Where wire scrap sits against cathode, mill berry and ingot is set out in the copper grades guide.
What each grade allows — and what gets a load rejected
The single most common cause of a claim on a wire scrap shipment is a grade dispute: the buyer contracted for No.1 and the container arrives closer to No.2. The line between them is cleanliness, not chemistry — both are unalloyed copper.
- Barley (No.1) must be bare and bright. No insulation, no paint or coating, no solder, no tinned or plated wire, no burnt wire, no brass or bronze, and nothing below the minimum gauge.
- Birch / Cliff (No.2) still has to be unalloyed copper, but tolerates tarnish, oxidation, coatings, solder and thin gauge. What it does not tolerate is excessive attachments, free iron, insulation left on, or non-copper metals riding along in the load.
- Universal prohibitives across grades: no sealed containers, no aerosols, no radioactive material, no hazardous or medical waste, no free liquids. Loads are checked for radiation before export, and a positive reading stops the shipment.
The practical fix is boring but effective: name the ISRI grade in the contract, agree tolerance for attachments in writing, and let an independent inspector confirm it at the load port. A full side-by-side of the two tiers is in mill berry vs Birch/Cliff.
How copper wire scrap is priced
There is no fixed price for wire scrap, and any supplier quoting one for delivery weeks out is quoting something they cannot hold. Wire scrap is priced against the LME copper settlement, less a transparent grade-based margin, with volume tiers for larger commitments. Freight and insurance are added on CFR and CIF terms.
The size of that discount is set by yield. No.1 material loses very little copper in the furnace, so it trades close to the LME. No.2 loses more to oxidation, solder and coatings, so the discount widens. That is also why grade sorting pays: a seller who separates bright wire from coated wire is paid for two grades instead of one blended rate. The mechanics are explained in full in how copper pricing works.
Why buy wire scrap from a US supplier
Much of what shows up under "copper wire scrap for sale" online is a directory listing or a broker chain with no material and no track record — often paired with a demand for SBLC or advance payment on stock nobody has seen. Atlas Copper is a 64-year, family-owned US company in Doral, Florida: ISRI member, ISO 9001:2015, LME-linked pricing, 1.2 million tonnes shipped to buyers in 47 countries, loading from Port Everglades with complete export documentation. Ask any supplier for their ISRI membership, their load port, and a pre-shipment inspection clause. The answers sort real suppliers from the rest quickly.
Container loading and minimum order
Wire scrap is loaded loose or in bales, big bags or bundles depending on grade and condition. The binding limit is weight, not volume — a 20ft container reaches its payload ceiling long before it looks full, and road and port weight limits at both ends apply on top of that. Our minimum export order is 5 × 20ft containers, roughly 110–120 metric tonnes, which is what makes an ocean booking and inspection economic for both sides.
- Packing: loose, baled or big-bagged, agreed before loading and recorded on the packing list.
- Weights: certified weights at the load port; final invoice weight basis agreed in the contract.
- Photos: loading photographs and container/seal numbers issued for each unit.
Export terms
- Incoterms: FOB Port Everglades as standard; CFR or CIF to a nominated port on request.
- Payment: an irrevocable Letter of Credit for new trade relationships, agreed in writing before shipment.
- Documents: commercial invoice, packing list with container and seal numbers, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin (USA), weight certificate, and inspection certificate where appointed.
- Inspection: SGS, Bureau Veritas or Cotecna at the load port, at whichever party's cost is agreed in the contract.
- Import rules: scrap import licences, pre-shipment inspection requirements and duties differ by destination and change over time — confirm current rules with your customs broker before you book.
If this is your first container from the USA, the step-by-step export buying guide walks through Incoterms, payment and inspection in order. Buyers who need certified purity rather than scrap should look at LME Grade A copper cathode instead.
Selling copper wire scrap to us
We also buy. If you are a demolition contractor, electrical contractor, recycler or yard with consistent wire scrap volume, we quote LME-linked against the ISRI grade you can actually deliver — and we would rather tell you the grade honestly than surprise you at settlement. Sorting bright wire away from coated and tinned wire before you weigh in is the fastest way to raise the number. See how to sell copper scrap for what to prepare.
Sourcing copper wire scrap for export?
Get today's LME-linked rate for Barley, Birch and Cliff, plus container availability — FOB Port Everglades, CFR or CIF to your port.
Get a Wire Scrap QuoteFrequently asked questions
What copper wire scrap grades do you supply?
ISRI Barley (mill berry, No.1 bare bright copper wire, 99.9%+), and Birch and Cliff (No.2 copper, roughly 94–96% recoverable copper). Mixed container loads are quoted grade by grade rather than as one blended number.
How is copper wire scrap priced?
Against the LME copper price, less a transparent grade-based margin, with volume tiers. No.1 wire scrap carries a narrower discount than No.2 because more copper is recovered when it is refined. Quotes are short-lived because the LME moves daily.
What is the minimum export order for copper wire scrap?
Export orders start at 5 × 20ft containers, roughly 110–120 metric tonnes depending on grade and packing, shipped FOB Port Everglades or CFR/CIF to a nominated port worldwide.
Can we inspect the material before shipment?
Yes. Independent pre-shipment inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas or Cotecna can be arranged at the load port, and the agreed ISRI grade is written into the contract so the inspection has a defined standard to test against.