Gerdau invests $10 million in nonferrous scrap separation system

Steelmaker Gerdau is planning a $10 million project to upgrade the nonferrous scrap separation system at its steel mill in Whitby, Ontario. The company says planning for the project is currently underway, with construction slated to begin in the first half of 2016.

The company has contracted with Italy-based Danieli Centro Recycling (DCR) to upgrade its Whitby nonferrous scrap system.

The technology for the new system allows Gerdau to sort and extract nonferrous scrap metal that is not used in the steelmaking process. The nonferrous metals, such as aluminum, copper and stainless steel, can be separated from the scrap steel mix and recycled or sold to be used in other manufacturing processes.

When the system is fully operational, Gerdau will be able to process nearly 40 million pounds of nonferrous scrap material annually.

“We are excited about the capabilities of the separation system and the advantages that it will bring, including reducing our overall environmental footprint,” says Alan Lamb, vice president and general manager of Gerdau’s Whitby mill. "This investment will significantly increase the amount of ferrous and nonferrous materials we’re able to recover and ultimately recycle, and we feel provides an opportunity for growth that will allow Gerdau to remain globally competitive."

The Whitby mill uses ferrous scrap steel from end-of-life vehicles and other sources, which is melted and produced into merchant bar quality products and reinforcing steel used in a variety of applications, including major commercial buildings, freeways, bridges, parking garages and other concrete structures throughout North America.

Gerdau employs approximately 385 people at the Whitby mill and has a strong presence in Canada, including additional steel mills in Cambridge, Ontario, and Selkirk, Manitoba. The company has seven additional recycling facilities in Ontario.

Gerdau has supplied steel to many other major projects, including the World Trade Center Vehicle Security Center in New York, the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles, the Panorama Tower in Miami and the Panama Canal expansion. The company is headquartered in Brazil.