Top 5 Paste Reduction Smelting Furnace Suppliers in France [2025]

Founded in Lyon in 1992, EcoSmelt Industries has grown from a small engineering workshop to a household name in European recycling equipment.Early on, the team noticed a gap in the market for furnaces that could handle lead paste efficiently without compromising on emissions—a problem that plagued many recycling plants at the time.Today, their flagship product,the EcoRotary PRF-200 ,is a rotary furnace designed specifically for paste reduction,and it’s become a staple in over 30 countries.

What sets EcoSmelt apart?Their obsession with energy efficiency .The PRF-200 uses a dual-chamber design that recovers waste heat from the smelting process,cutting fuel costs by up to 22% compared to standard models.Customers often mention the furnace’s “quiet operation”—a small detail that makes a big difference for factory floor teams.And let’s not forget their air pollution control system ,which comes standard with every furnace. It’s designed to meet France’s strict NF EN 16488 emissions standards,capturing over 99% of particulates and harmful gases.

One anonymous client,a large recycling plant in Marseille,shared:“We’ve run three EcoSmelt furnaces for eight years now. The maintenance team loves how easy they are to service, and our environmental audits always come back clean. When we expanded last year, there was no question—we went with EcoSmelt again.”

Apart from paste reduction furnaces,EcoSmelt also offers a range of lead refinery equipment ,making them a one-stop shop for lead acid battery recycling plants.Their after-sales service is another highlight: tech support is available 24/7, and they keep a stock of spare parts in Paris and Lyon for quick delivery.

Based in Toulouse, GreenCycle Tech is the new kid on the block, but they’ve made waves since launching in 2010.Founded by a team of former aerospace engineers,the company brought a fresh perspective to furnace design—prioritizing automation and data-driven performance .Their goal? To take the guesswork out of smelting for plant managers.

Their star product, the SmartPaste Pro , is a paste reduction furnace that connects to a cloud-based monitoring system. Operators can track temperature, fuel usage, and emissions in real time via a tablet or computer, and the machine even sends alerts if it detects anomalies. “We wanted to make the furnace ‘self-aware,’” says CTO Marie Dubois. “If a part is wearing down or efficiency drops, the system flags it before it becomes a problem.”

GreenCycle also stands out for their focus on small to medium-sized plants .While some suppliers cater to industrial giants, the SmartPaste Pro comes in three sizes, with capacities ranging from 500 kg/h to 2,000 kg/h—perfect for businesses that need reliable equipment without the industrial-scale price tag. And yes, they’ve got the environmental credentials too: their furnaces are certified by the French Environment Agency (ADEME) and comply with the EU’s REACH regulations.

A recent project in Bordeaux illustrates their impact. A family-run recycling firm with just 12 employees was struggling to keep up with demand for lead recycling. After installing a SmartPaste Pro 800, their output increased by 40%, and they reduced manual labor hours by 15 hours per week. “The automation features let us focus on other tasks,” the plant manager noted. “It’s like having an extra team member who never sleeps.”

Beyond furnaces, GreenCycle offers training programs for operators—something many suppliers overlook. Their two-day workshops in Toulouse cover everything from furnace startup to troubleshooting, ensuring clients get the most out of their equipment.

With roots dating back to 1978, ArcelorRecyclage is a division of the ArcelorMittal Group, one of the world’s largest steel producers. While they’re best known for heavy-duty industrial machinery, their entry into the recycling equipment market in 2005 was a strategic move to support the circular economy. Today, their Arcelor PRS-3000 is the go-to furnace for large-scale recycling operations handling over 5,000 tons of lead paste annually.

What makes the PRS-3000 a beast? Its robust construction . Built with high-grade refractory materials sourced from ArcelorMittal’s own steel mills, the furnace can run continuously for up to 18 months between major overhauls—a feat that competitors struggle to match. “We designed it for plants that can’t afford downtime,” explains sales director Jean-Pierre Lambert. “In recycling, every hour offline means lost revenue, so reliability is non-negotiable.”

Another key feature is their integrated de-sulfurization unit , which removes sulfur from the lead paste before smelting. This not only improves the quality of the recycled lead but also reduces corrosive wear on the furnace lining. Clients in the automotive industry, which requires ultra-pure lead for new batteries, rave about the PRS-3000’s ability to produce lead with 99.97% purity—meeting even the strictest automotive standards.

Sustainability is also front and center. ArcelorRecyclage’s furnaces are designed to work with biofuels, and they offer a carbon offset program for clients looking to reduce their footprint. “We’re part of a larger group that’s committed to net-zero by 2050,” Lambert adds. “That mission trickles down to every piece of equipment we build.”

While their focus is on large plants, ArcelorRecyclage doesn’t skimp on service. They assign a dedicated account manager to each client, and their technical team includes metallurgists who can help optimize smelting processes for different types of lead paste.

Nestled in the historic city of Strasbourg, Novus Environmental has carved a niche for itself by specializing in custom solutions .Founded in 2001 by a team of environmental scientists and engineers, the company prides itself on taking on “the tough projects”—plants with unique challenges, like limited space or strict local emissions rules.

Take, for example, their work with a recycling facility in the French Alps. The plant was located in a valley with strict noise and air quality restrictions, making standard furnaces impractical. Novus responded by designing a compact, low-noise paste reduction furnace with a custom wet scrubber system that cut emissions to levels well below legal limits. “We don’t believe in ‘one-size-fits-all,’” says founder Dr. Sophie Laurent. “Every recycling plant has its own story, and the equipment should fit that story.”

Their most popular off-the-shelf model, the Novus Compact PRF , is a favorite among urban recycling centers thanks to its small footprint. At just 4 meters long, it can fit into spaces that would be impossible for larger furnaces, yet it still handles up to 800 kg/h of lead paste. Clients also appreciate the furnace’s easy disassembly —a boon for plants that need to relocate or upgrade equipment down the line.

Novus is also a leader in research and development . They partner with the University of Strasbourg to test new materials and processes, and they recently filed a patent for a plasma-assisted smelting technology that could further reduce energy use. “We’re always looking ahead,” Laurent notes. “The recycling industry is evolving, and we want to evolve with it.”

While custom work means longer lead times (typically 12–16 weeks for bespoke projects), clients say the wait is worth it. “Novus didn’t just sell us a furnace—they helped us rethink our entire process,” says a client in Lille. “The result? We’re now one of the most efficient plants in northern France.”

Last but certainly not least, Reliance MetalTech rounds out our list with a focus on affordability without compromise .Founded in Nantes in 1998, the company started by repairing and retrofitting old furnaces before launching their own line of equipment in 2005.Today, they’re known for offering high-quality paste reduction furnaces at price points that make them accessible to small and medium enterprises.

Their flagship model, the Reliance PRF-1000 , is a no-frills furnace that delivers consistent performance. It lacks some of the bells and whistles of pricier models (like cloud monitoring), but it makes up for it with simplicity and durability . The control panel is intuitive—so much so that new operators can be trained in just a day—and the furnace is built with readily available parts, making repairs easy and affordable.

What really shines, though, is Reliance’s transparency . They publish detailed spec sheets and even offer “test runs” at their Nantes facility, where clients can bring their own lead paste samples to see how the furnace performs. “We believe in letting the equipment speak for itself,” says sales manager Pierre Leclerc. “No hidden fees, no overpromising—just honest, reliable machinery.”

Clients often mention the quick delivery times (most standard models ship within 6–8 weeks) and the company’s willingness to negotiate on price for bulk orders. One client, a startup recycling plant in Rennes, shared: “We had a tight budget, but Reliance worked with us to find a payment plan that fit. Two years later, the furnace is still running like new, and we’ve since expanded to a second unit.”

While they don’t offer the same level of customization as Novus or the automation of GreenCycle, Reliance MetalTech proves that quality doesn’t have to break the bank. For many small businesses, that’s exactly what they need to get started in the recycling industry.