Cable & wire
Cable & wire recycling
Cable is one of the most valuable things you can bring us and the easiest to be short-changed on. We process it on our own equipment and grade it on what is actually inside.
40+ years in Nantwich
Family run scrap merchants and industrial dismantlers since the 1980s.
Environment Agency compliant
Licensed facility with proper end-of-life vehicle de-pollution.
Weighed and graded on site
Approved scales, sorted by grade, and an 800-tonne Harris shear.
Collection across the region
Own lorries and grab loaders covering roughly 30 miles from the yard.
Whether it is a van-load of offcuts from a rewire or coils of armoured cable off a site, we will grade it in front of you and explain how we have graded it.
Cable we buy
Steel wire armoured cable, twin and earth and other house wiring, three-core and flex, data and telecoms cable, coax, welding lead, transformer and motor windings, and copper or aluminium overhead conductor. Aluminium-cored cable is worth less than copper-cored, and we will tell you which you have if you are not sure.
Why grading matters
Cable is priced on recoverable copper, so the thickness of the insulation matters as much as the weight in your van. Thin flex with a lot of plastic pays less per kilo than heavy single-core; armoured cable carries steel that has to come off. Rather than lumping everything together, we separate it out so each grade is paid properly.
Should you strip it yourself?
Sometimes. Stripping clean heavy cable by hand can pay, but on thin cable the time rarely covers the difference and burning cable is illegal and dangerous. Bring it as it is if you are unsure — we process it here and you will get a fair grade either way.
Contractors and regular loads
For electrical contractors and facilities teams we can put a bin or container on site for offcuts and drums, and collect it when it is full rather than having someone run it down here in a van.
ID and payment
Cable attracts thieves, so the law is strict and we follow it to the letter: photo ID and proof of address every time, a full record of every transaction, and payment by bank transfer only — never cash. If you cannot show ID we cannot buy from you.
Why Garratt’s
- Armoured, house, flex and data cable
- Processed on our own equipment
- Graded on copper content, explained to you
- Photo ID required by law on every load
- Electrical contractor collections arranged
Step by step
How it works
No jargon and no surprises. This is what happens from the first phone call to getting paid.
- 01
Tell us what you have
Ring the yard on 01270 611447 or send the details through the form — a photo helps us judge it quickly.
- 02
We quote you honestly
We tell you what we are paying today for that grade, and whether it is worth us collecting or better brought in.
- 03
Collection or drop-off
We collect with our own lorries and grab loaders, or you turn up in opening hours and we help you unload.
- 04
Weighed, graded and paid
Your load is weighed on approved scales and paid straight into your bank — no cash, as the law requires.
In the yard
Tap any photo to see it full size.
Request a quote for cable & wire recycling
Tell us what you have, roughly how much of it and where it is, and we’ll come back to you with what we can do and what we’re paying. Prices change daily, so ring the yard if you need a figure today.
Good to know
Cable & wire recycling — questions we get asked
Should I strip the cable before bringing it in?
On heavy, clean single-core cable stripping can be worth the time. On thin flex it rarely covers the effort. Never burn cable — it is illegal, dangerous and ruins the copper. Bring it as it is if you are unsure and we will grade it fairly.
How is cable priced?
On recoverable copper, not just total weight, so insulation thickness and any steel armour matter. We separate the grades out rather than paying everything at the lowest rate, and we will explain how your load has been graded.
Do you buy aluminium-cored cable?
Yes, though it is worth considerably less than copper-cored cable. If you are not sure which you have, bring it in and we will tell you.
Do I need to bring ID?
Yes. Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 we have to record the identity of everyone who sells us scrap metal, so please bring photo ID such as a driving licence or passport, along with proof of your address.
Do you pay cash?
No — the law does not allow scrap metal dealers in England and Wales to pay cash. We pay by bank transfer, so bring your bank details with you.
Not sure what your scrap is worth?
Prices move daily. Give us a ring and we'll tell you what we're paying today — no obligation, no nonsense.