PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Zinc Products (AZP), a wholly owned subsidiary of American Zinc Recycling LLC (AZR) which is a leading provider of environmental services to the U.S. steel industry, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of production at its facility in Rutherford County, N.C.
The facility, which is designed to produce Special High Grade (SHG) zinc using recycled electric arc furnace (EAF) steel mill dust, has been steadily ramping up capacity over the past twelve months and is currently operating at over 70 percent capacity. Since restart, the facility has successfully produced over 90,000 tons of finished zinc metal. The Rutherford County facility is the only plant in the Western World that produces zinc solely from recycled sources. At full capacity, the facility is expected to produce 155,000 tons of SHG zinc annually.
“The successful operation of this unique facility allows us to work toward our vision to be the preferred partner in maximizing the recovery and reuse of valuable metals. I am proud of our team and our ability to maximize the recycling value chain through production of zinc metal,” said Joel Hawthorne, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Zinc Recycling.
The Rutherford County plant extends the recycling value chain by refining the zinc-bearing waste stream of EAF dust that is recovered and processed by AZR’s four recycling operations into an intermediate product called WOX. The WOX product is converted into SHG zinc at the Rutherford County facility. Zinc products are used in common products including galvanizing steel for automobiles, various infrastructure applications, die cast components for appliances and toys. Zinc is also added to soil, vitamin supplements and sunscreen for its health improvement properties.
Mike Griffin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of American Zinc Recycling commented, “We are proud to be among the few companies in the world successfully using this specialized process and making a lasting impact on the sustainability of the metals industry. I am proud of our AZP team and the tremendous progress we have made during this first year of operations. Our success is due entirely to the dedication of our skilled team to safety, the environment and the quality of our product.”
Kobus De Wet, Vice President and General Manager of the Rutherford County facility added, “The team overcame challenges, typical of a start-up of this magnitude and complexity, during the first year of production, and we’re starting to establish our brand as some of the best quality zinc available in the market. Our highest priority is to have a positive impact on the lives of our team members, their families and the community at large to establish AZP as an asset to the Rutherford County community.”
American Zinc Products employs over 375 individuals when fully staffed and aims to be a leading employer in the Rutherford County region.
About American Zinc Recycling:
American Zinc Recycling LLC is the leading provider of environmental services to the U.S. steel industry. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., American Zinc Recycling LLC through its operating subsidiaries employs approximately 700 people and has six state-of-the-art facilities throughout the U.S. Visit azr.com for more information. Its subsidiary American Zinc Recycling Corp. takes zinc-bearing steel mill dust, a hazardous waste that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills, and recycles it using their Waelz kiln technology into Waelz Oxide (WOX), a zinc-based feed that it uses to produce zinc metal at the Rutherford County facility. Coupled with the work of subsidiary INMETCO, a leading recycler of stainless steel dust and household batteries, AZR is the largest hazardous waste recycler in the United States.
The information in this notice contains forward-looking statements, including statements about operational developments and future operating levels and production rates. These statements are based on current assumptions, estimates and information, are not guarantees of future performance, and are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties. Our actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. We can give no assurances that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations and financial condition. We undertake no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
