Startup Aims to Recycle Aluminum from Cars and Keep It in the U.S.

Sortera, a startup in Indiana, is revolutionizing aluminum recycling to keep materials local and reduce waste.

Startup Aims to Recycle Aluminum from Cars and Keep It in the U.S.
Startup Aims to Recycle Aluminum from Cars and Keep It in the U.S.

Fort Wayne: You know how recycling can be a bit of a hassle? Well, Sortera is stepping in to make it easier, especially for aluminum. They’re tackling the messy process of sorting scrap metal, which usually ends up getting shipped overseas.

Instead of that, Sortera is sorting aluminum right here in the U.S. They’re taking shredded aluminum from old cars and appliances and sorting it into different types. This way, the metal can be reused effectively.

Michael Siemer, the CEO, explained that when things like cars get shredded, they lose their value because all the mixed materials become useless. But with Sortera’s help, those materials can be sorted and reused in industries like automotive and construction.

In North America, there are about 300 metal shredders producing tons of mixed aluminum. Sortera buys this scrap, sorts it with their cool tech, and sells it back to companies that can melt it down using way less energy.

They’re starting with aluminum but have plans to expand to other metals. Their technology is flexible, so it can be moved wherever the metal is. Investors are excited about this potential growth.

Sortera has raised over $73 million from various investors, and they claim their process is energy-efficient and doesn’t contribute to landfills. They’re the only U.S. company with the tech to sort aluminum for high-quality reuse, which is pretty impressive.

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