Alusort LLC, the 50/50 joint venture between Hydro and PADNOS, started up operation of its new aluminum scrap sorting line using advanced HySort technology at PADNOS’ existing facility in Grandville, Michigan. The new facility will supply Hydro’s Cassopolis and Henderson recycling plants with raw post-consumer scrap material for large-scale production of low-carbon Hydro CIRCAL, a line of recycled aluminum with minimum 75% post-consumer scrap content.
“Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, but far too much of it ends up in landfills,” noted Duncan Pitchford, president of Hydro Aluminium Metals USA. “The new sorting machine allows us to dig deeper in the pile and let more aluminum get a new lease on life. Advanced recycling is good for the environment, it’s good for the climate and it’s good for business.”
Access to post-consumer scrap is becoming increasingly important for aluminum recycling companies like Hydro. The establishment of Alusort and the US$4 million investment in cutting edge sorting technology answers the call for putting valuable materials from end-of-life cars, buildings, electronic equipment, or other consumer goods to good use in a growing domestic market rather than sending it to landfills or exporting it overseas.
Hydro announced plans to develop its advanced scrap sorting technology with PADNOS in December 2023. The proprietary HySort technology, pioneered in Europe and now used by Alusort, allows more mixed and challenging types of post-consumer aluminum scrap to be sorted into fractions, before being returned to the recycling plants as feedstocks. This enables the aluminum recycling plants to achieve streamlined production of high quality, low-carbon aluminum.
PADNOS personnel are responsible for running daily operations at Alusort, with Hydro personnel overseeing activities and providing technical support. With its annual sorting capacity of 20,000 tonnes of aluminum scrap per year, the HySort machine is important for the production of high-quality, recycled alloys aimed at the U.S. automotive, building and construction, and other key markets.
“We at PADNOS are continually investing in new technologies that increase the accuracy and throughput of recycled materials,” said Sam Padnos, manager of Nonferrous Trading at PADNOS. “We are thrilled to begin commercial operations of the Hysort machinery in conjunction with Hydro. The ramp-up of production will make a real difference for American manufacturing and, we hope, encourage everyone in the recycling industry to continue innovating toward a more circular, sustainable economy.”
Road to Zero Emissions
Hydro has committed to a 30% reduction in its carbon emissions by 2030, with a goal of achieving net zero in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2050. As part of the company’s roadmap, the company is targeting aluminum recycling, with a focus on post-consumer scrap to accelerate emission cuts.
Stepping up growth in recycling capacity is one of the key factors in Hydro’s overall strategy towards 2030 to meet the increasing demand for low-carbon, recycled products. The company is continuously exploring new possibilities, both to source post-consumer scrap and develop advanced sorting technologies, to allow an increased amount of used aluminum to be sorted, repurposed, and given a new life.
“With the HySort technology now in operation we have reached yet another exciting milestone in our strategy to double the production and expand the portfolio of recycled products in the U.S.,” said Pitchford. “The sorted scrap from Alusort puts us in an even better position to bring more low-carbon aluminum to the U.S. market and help some of the most demanding customers in America reach their sustainability goals.”