Newsworthy

METALS

Constellium to invest in new extrusion line

Constellium N.V., a manufacturer of value-added aluminium products headquartered in Amsterdam, has finalized a €15 million ($20.3 million) investment at its site in Decin, Czech Republic. The investment includes a new casthouse and extrusion line that will increase production of hard alloys extrusions by almost 10,000 tonnes per year. The company says the extrusion line is running at full capacity to help meet the growing demand for aluminium blocks, parts for automatic gear boxes and other components.

“Constellium’s investment in the plant in Decin is a critical part of our strategy to fully capitalise on the growing demand for aluminium automotive structures,” says Paul Warton, president of Constellium’s Automotive Structures and Industry business unit.

“This investment also paves the way for a new recycling facility at the Decin site, which will enable Constellium to deploy its innovative recycling technology,” adds Warton. “The facility will process and recycle aluminium scrap from Constellium’s key automotive customers in Europe. A key advantage of aluminium is that it is infinitely recyclable and retains its original properties throughout the recycling process. These properties make aluminium an environmentally responsible and economical choice.”

METALS

European law enforcement cracks down on metal theft

Europol says that close to 300 arrests have been made as part of an operation to stem the growth in metal theft on the continent.

Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency headquartered at The Hague, Netherlands, has announced that a two-day operation that covered 20 European countries has resulted in 271 arrests, identified 146 cases of theft and checked 8,300 scrap metal dealers for accepting scrap metal without asking the proper questions.

In a statement, Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, says, “Metal theft is not a victimless crime — it can have a devastating impact on individuals, communities and businesses. The overall damage caused by metal theft far exceeds the value of the stolen metal itself and can severely affect key infrastructure and services such as railways, traffic controls and telecoms networks. This crime phenomenon can only be tackled through consistent cross-border law enforcement cooperation, and the use of Europol’s information systems and analysis capabilities.”

The operation was led by the Belgian Federal and Judicial Police and took place at the end of May 2014. The operation was the result of an initiative launched during the second conference on metal theft, which was held at Europol’s headquarters in April 2014. The operation is part of an ongoing EMPACT2 (European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats) program that focuses on organized property crime, which Europol says is a current priority within the EU.

METALS

BIR publishes updated global ferrous statistics

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), Brussels, has published the fifth edition of its “World Steel Recycling in Figures.” The announcement was made during the BIR’s Ferrous Division meeting during the association’s 2014 World Recycling Convention & Exhibition, June 1-4 in Miami. The compilation of statistics on the global ferrous scrap markets was first published in 2010.

Division President Christian Rubach says the publication and its statistics will be useful as the industry works to overcome trade barriers or restrictions. “We need it also as an argument toward the political institutions and the federations which work for metal industries and foundries,” Rubach said.

Rolf Willeke, statistics advisor of the BIR Ferrous Division, summarized the main news and findings contained in the report, which covers the five-year period from 2009 to 2013. The new report contains a total of 45 graphs and tables, seven more than the previous edition.

The report notes that world crude steel production increased 3% in 2013 to 1.61 billion tonnes, according to the World Steel Association. Furthermore, according to the BIR’s 2013 figures, steel scrap consumption declined in the European Union member counties by nearly 5% but climbed in China and Japan. The BIR also calculated a steel scrap usage increase in world steel production to roughly 580 million tonnes last year. The report contains seven flow charts covering steel scrap exports from the U.S., the European Union, Japan, Canada, Russia, Australia and South Africa. The global steel scrap export trade showed a downtrend last year compared with 2012.

“Our figures show that ferrous scrap is used as a raw material by steelworks and iron and steel foundries around the globe and is an ecologically beneficial raw material and an international commodity subject to global commodity prices,” said Willeke at the convention. “I think this underlines the need for a free world raw materials market.” Visit www.bir.org/assets/Documents/publications/brochures/Ferrous-report-2014-LightWeb.pdf to view the publication online.

 

EXPORT SHIPPING

China denies vessel-sharing agreement

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has turned down a proposed long-term operational vessel sharing agreement that was proposed by three ship lines: Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and CMA CGM. MOFCOM’s decision was made following a review under the country’s merger control rules.

Under the initial proposal, the three ship lines had formed an organization called P3 Network that was designed to improve the service quality for shippers and well as provide what the three shipping lines say would be more frequent and reliable services.

P3 was introduced by the three ship lines on June 18, 2013, as a long-term operational vessel sharing agreement on the East-West trades.

Individually, the three container lines move a significant amount of the recyclables from the United States and Europe to Asia, principally China. (Allen Clifford, executive vice president of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company will be one of the speakers at the upcoming Paper and Plastics Recycling Conference & Trade Show in Chicago.)

In a statement, P3 stressed that the agreement was an operational and not a commercial cooperation. The P3 partners also say that following MOFCOM’s decision they have agreed to halt the preparatory work on the development of the network.

On March 24, 2014, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission had decided to allow the P3 Network agreement to become effective in the United States. Last month, the European Commission decided not to open an antitrust investigation into P3 and closed its file.

“In Maersk Line we have worked hard to address the Chinese questions and concerns. So of course it is a disappointment. P3 would have provided Maersk Line with a more efficient network and our customers with a better product. We are committed to continuing to be cost-competitive and offer reliable services,” says Vincent Clerc, Maersk’s chief trade and marketing officer.

“The decision does come as a surprise to us, of course, as the partners have worked hard to address all the regulators’ concerns. The P3 alliance would have enabled Maersk Line to make further reductions in cost and CO2 emissions and not least improve its services to its customers with a more efficient vessel network. Nevertheless, I’m quite confident Maersk Line will accomplish those improvements anyway. It has delivered on those improvements over the last five quarters in the absence of P3 and I’m confident it will continue to do so,” says Nils Andersen, Maersk CEO.

“We are disappointed by the decision of the MOFCOM but will continue our efforts to operate more efficiently and provide our clients with a comprehensive and excellent service,” says Diego Aponte, MSC’s vice president. “We could have achieved these efficiencies much faster through P3 but with our investment in more fuel efficient vessels, further economies of scale will still be achieved over a period of time.”

Commenting on the demise of the P3 Network, Chris Welsh, secretary general of the Global Shippers’ Forum, says, “The unprecedented size and scale that the proposed P3 Global Alliance was going to pose [to] competition regulators was a concern to the GSF. We had welcomed the recent monitoring arrangements for the proposals, but the P3 appears to have failed the legal hurdles under Chinese competition law which we always recognized was likely to be both an unknown factor and problematic.”

In opposing the network, the GSF had expressed concern that if the agreement was passed it could raise the potential for restrictions on competition caused by the commonality of costs resulting from the P3, including the potential risk of collusion on rates and capacity due to the wide-ranging scope of cooperation specified within the agreement.

 

METALS

Novelis casts first ingot at new German plant

Novelis has successfully cast the first production-sized ingot —almost 10 metres long — at its €200 million ($271 million) aluminium production facility in Nachterstedt, Germany.

The casting center is located next to Novelis’ existing aluminium rolling mill. It will be able to produce up to 400,000 tonnes of recycled-content aluminium sheet ingot per year and is projected by the company to be the world’s largest secondary aluminium production plant.

“We are very pleased with the steady progress on the construction and ramp-up of our recycling center in Nachterstedt,” says Erwin Mayr, vice president of Atlanta-based Novelis and president of Novelis Europe. “This major investment further highlights our long-term sustainability commitment to dramatically increase the recycled content of our products across all market segments and save valuable natural resources while enabling our customers to create products with a smaller environmental footprint.”

The facility will melt used beverage cans as well as several other forms of aluminium scrap from throughout Europe.

 

METALS

Trimet takes over aluminium smelter

Trimet Aluminium SE, a Germany-based aluminium producer, has acquired the Germany-based aluminium smelting firm Voerde Aluminium GmbH., which is currently in the midst of insolvency proceedings.

Voerde produces primary aluminium and carbon anodes used in the electrolysis process to produce metal. Trimet will continue to operate the aluminium smelter and the anode plant at the current location and retain all employees.

“We are pleased to be able to continue production at this future-viable production site and to retain all the jobs,” says Heinz-Peter Schlüter, owner and chairman of Trimet. One condition for the takeover was that the EU remove any legal uncertainty regarding the renewable energy law as it relates to the smelter. “It is important for us that this legal certainty endures,” he adds.

With the acquisition of the Voerde site, Trimet says it intends to expand its production capacities for primary aluminium, continuing a growth path in recent years. “Key industries in Europe have a large demand for aluminium,” says Martin Iffert, chairman of Trimet’s executive board. “The Voerde site will enable us to meet this growing demand.”

Trimet operates production plants at eight different sites where it manufactures, casts and recycles aluminium. In December 2013 Trimet took over two production plants in France.

 

PLASTICS

Viridor breaks ground on plastics recycling facility

United Kingdom-based recycling and waste management firm Viridor UK has begun construction of its new ¤15.6 million plastics recycling facility (PRF) in Rochester, U.K. Stadler, which supplies sorting and treatment plants for the waste management industry, will be handling construction of the facility.

Viridor says when the facility is operational it will be capable of processing 75,000 tonnes of mixed plastics each year into plastic scrap grades ready to be used in the production of new plastic products and packaging. The plant is the fourth specialist PRF Stadler UK has been commissioned to deliver. In addition to plastics, the facility will be able to separate up to 10,000 tonnes of glass from combined input streams every year.

Viridor UK says when complete the facility will be the first plant of this size to have the capability to recover mixed plastics as well as comingled glass and cans and brings together the best in sorting technology.

Herman van der Meij, Viridor’s director of resource management, says, “Our industry is at the heart of making the green economy a reality. Making the most of the resources we have within the U.K. is becoming increasingly important as it creates employment opportunities and helps the country achieve its ambitions of becoming a leader in sustainability. We have had a strong presence in the south east of England for quite some time, developing resource-management infrastructure as well as investing in our people to make sure we deliver a high quality service and added-value to our customers as well as value to society and broader stakeholders. This latest investment is a signal of our real commitment towards helping develop a circular economy in the U.K.”

Stuart Foster with the U.K. organization Recoup, says, “We are delighted to see another PRF about to come on stream. It is imperative that the U.K. is able to recycle more of its plastic resource as this will cut the use of virgin feedstock, help achieve the increasing packaging recycling targets, reduce the CO₂ load and, very importantly, significantly reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill. We congratulate Viridor and its technology-supplier Stadler UK on this new facility.”

Trevor Smart, Stadler UK’s U.K. sales manager, says, “We are delighted to be working with Viridor on this prestigious development. The combination of our expertise in the design and delivery of plastics recycling facilities and excellent working relationship with Viridor will see this multi-million pound, state-of-the-art facility open for processing later this year.”
 

 

PLASTICS

DAK Americas acquires PET recycling operation in Argentina

DAK Americas Argentina S.A. (DAK), a producer of PET resins based in Argentina, has announced the acquisition of CabelmaPET S.A., a PET bottle recycling operation located in Buenos Aires. Terms and conditions of the acquisition were not disclosed. The acquisition will be subject to post-closing review by Argentina’s antitrust authorities.

The acquired facility currently recycles more than 16,000 tonnes of PET bottles per year, which should significantly increase the sustainability of DAK’s product line, as well as help customers streamline their processes. About 100 employees associated with CabelmaPET, S.A. recycling operations are part of the acquisition. Cabelma S.A., which manufactures plastic crates, is not included in the acquisition.

DAK currently produces more than 190,000 tonnes per year of virgin PET resin at its Zarate, Argentina, facility. The company plans to integrate the post-consumer recycled material from the acquired facility into its manufacturing process after the process upgrades.

“This acquisition demonstrates DAK’s commitment to finding and leveraging opportunities that best serve our customers, the economic health of Argentina and the environment,” says Hector Camberos, president, DAK Americas Argentina, S.A. “The acquisition has tremendous impact in terms of product sustainability.”

 

METALS

Singapore dedicates facility to recover metal from incinerator ash

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) has awarded a contract to REMEX Mineralstoff GmbH (REMEX) to develop and operate a metal recovery facility that will recover ferrous and nonferrous metals from incineration bottom ash (IBA) generated by incineration plants in the country.

The NEA says the metal recovery facility is part of its long-term strategy to manage solid waste in Singapore and part of the government’s plans to move toward a resource efficient society. Currently, ferrous metals between 10mm and 300mm in size are being recovered from the incinerator bottom ash using magnetic separators at the incineration plants, with the residual ash sent to the Semakau Landfill for final disposal. In awarding the contract to REMEX, NEA says this conventional treatment system leaves the nonferrous metals such as aluminium and copper, and the remaining smaller pieces of ferrous metals that are still of economic value, intact in the residual ash.

“The setting up of REMEX’s metal recovery facility is part of NEA’s long-term plan to improve resource efficiency. NEA is currently studying the possibilities for ash reuse, which will help resource-scarce Singapore to further increase resource recovery, as well as extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill,” says Ronnie Tay, NEA’s CEO.

REMEX is expected to begin construction on the facility in October 2014 and have the facility operational by the middle of 2015. The project is expected to cost around $12 million. When fully operational the facility will be able to process 1,800 tonnes of incinerator bottom ash per year produced by the four incineration plants in the country. At the facility ferrous and nonferrous metal will be recovered through the use of conveyors, magnetic separators and eddy current separators.

 

PLASTICS

UK plastics recycler acquires PVC recycling plant

VEKA Recycling has added a second PVC scrap collection and processing facility to its United Kingdom operation through the acquisition of Trafford Services (Midlands) Ltd, for an undisclosed sum.

Beginning in June 2014, Trafford’s 20,000-square-foot warehouse, processing and storage facilities in Bilston, U.K., will be part of VEKA Recycling’s business. The newly acquired facility takes in post-industrial and post-consumer PVC window frame material, processes the material into smaller sizes and then ships it in 24-tonne loads to Kent, U.K., where it is processed to higher standards of purity.

“Having this second centrally-located site means that local installers, fabricators and waste management companies can benefit from our reliable service with prompt payment for waste PVC frames,” says Tony Cattini, VEKA Recycling’s managing director. “Trafford Services has worked closely with us since 2007, so the company is already familiar with our focus on getting the infeed quality right and reducing contamination. This is vital in maintaining the high quality of our 100% recycled PVC-U pellet and micronized PVC-U (pulver),” adds Cattini.

The acquisition is the culmination of extensive negotiations and builds on lessons learned from VEKA Recycling’s pilot trial in Barnsley last year, according to a news release from VEKA.

“Having restructured our business and launched our pellet sales, now’s the right time for this strategic acquisition,” Cattini continues. “It’s also great news for environmental sustainability. With our VEKA model here in the Midlands we will be ensuring more waste PVC frames will be diverted from landfill for recycling back into new windows and other PVC-U products.”

 

END-OF-LIFE VEHICLES

UK car firm extends ELV deal with Autogreen

United Kingdom-based auto manufacturer Vauxhall Motors has signed a contract with vehicle recycling company Autogreen. Under the contract, Vauxhall says all Vauxhall vehicles handled by Autogreen that have reached end-of-life will be properly recycled using “the latest, most environmentally friendly methods” and meeting the legislative requirements set out in the European End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive.

Vauxhall says it has been incorporating recyclables in its vehicles since 1990. Its Design for Recycling strategy means more than 200 recyclables are used across the carmaker’s range, allowing it to use 45,000 tonnes of recycled materials in new vehicles every year.

Vauxhall says it also participates in Autogreen’s Rewarding Recycling campaign, which allows customers to be reassured that their vehicles are being disposed of properly and potentially earning them money on turning in the vehicle.

To take advantage of the Rewarding Recycling programs customers need to visit the Rewarding Recycling (www.rewardingrecycling.co.uk) website and type in their registration and postcode. From there, the car owner can receive an instant quote for the vehicle, which would be collected.