Boosting purity levels
Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH consulted with TOMRA’s metals experts prior to investing in the plant’s new aluminum sorting process. The project's development spanned several years, with initial discussions beginning around 2018.
Maximilian Lang, Managing Director at Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH, comments: “With the integration of AUTOSORT™ PULSE, we are able to process a throughput of around 4-7 tons per hour and achieve exceptionally high purity levels, exceeding 95% and potentially reaching 97%. As a result, our material is suitable for use in the production of aluminum without downgrading. We can now sell the recovered materials to leading aluminum manufacturers and recyclers for direct integration into the production of new aluminum alloys. What’s more, we are considering the potential to explore additional applications for other aluminum alloys.”
Frank van de Winkel, Market Strategy Manager – Metal at TOMRA Recycling, adds: “This is a very exciting project for TOMRA to be involved in, and we are delighted that Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH is reaping the benefits that our AUTOSORT™ PULSE can offer. With the European Union's commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, as outlined in the Green Deal, and the specific target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under the ‘Fit for 55’ initiative, there has never been a more crucial time to explore ways of making the aluminum supply chain more sustainable.
“Our AUTOSORT™ PULSE system empowers aluminum manufacturers to enhance the utilization of recycled aluminum in their production processes. This innovative solution unlocks access to previously untapped scrap sources, enabling the recovery of high-quality, ‘alloy-true’ recycled aluminum. By preventing downcycling and conserving material value, we are closing another gap towards full material circularity. The successful implementation of our technology at Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH’s plant demonstrates the feasibility of closed-loop recycling for production scrap and paves the way for a less carbon-intensive aluminum supply chain.”
To see TOMRA’s AUTOSORT™ PULSE in action and learn how it works at Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH’s sorting plant, click here: https://youtu.be/MMLov7hDq20
About Tomra:
TOMRA Recycling Sorting
TOMRA Recycling Sorting designs and manufactures sensor-based sorting technologies for the global recycling and waste management industry to transform resource recovery and create value in waste.
The company was the first to develop advanced waste and metals sorting applications using high capacity near infrared (NIR) technology to extract the most value from resources and keep materials in a loop of use and reuse. To date, around 10,000 systems have been installed in 100 countries worldwide.
TOMRA Recycling is a division of TOMRA Group. TOMRA was founded on an innovation in 1972 that began with the design, manufacture and sale of reverse vending machines (RVMs) for automated collection of used beverage containers. Today, TOMRA is leading the resource revolution to transform how the planet’s resources are obtained, used and reused to enable a world without waste. The company’s other business divisions are TOMRA Food and TOMRA Collection.
TOMRA has approximately 105,000 installations in over 100 markets worldwide and had total revenues of about 14.8 billion NOK in 2023. The Group employs 5,000 people globally and is publicly listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company headquarters are in Asker, Norway.
Source: www.tomra.com
