Sortera second US facility expands AI-sorted aluminum scrap supply in Tennessee

Sortera Technologies

Sortera second US facility plans signal faster growth in US recycled aluminum feedstocks. Sortera second US facility will rise in Lebanon, Tennessee, after $45mn in new funding. As a result, Sortera second US facility will help meet tighter automotive-grade scrap demand.

The Lebanon Tennessee aluminum scrap plant should start operating by summer 2026. The new site should double capacity to 240mn lbs per year. Meanwhile, the location should shorten lead times for regional customers.

Tariffs and tighter specs boost demand for high-purity recycled aluminum feedstock

High-purity recycled aluminum feedstock demand rises as primary aluminum costs climb. Rolling mills and extruders now increase scrap usage to manage melt chemistry. Therefore, they need cleaner, segregated alloy streams, not mixed shred.

Domestic secondary producers also push suppliers to upgrade sorting capability. Many buyers want to keep more scrap onshore. However, quality challenges still push material into downgraded routes without better separation.

AI alloy sorting technology targets “vesper” and segregated wrought streams

AI alloy sorting technology helps recover specific alloys from mixed-metal inputs. Sortera uses sensor systems to separate alloys with tighter control. As a result, processors can convert zorba and twitch into more usable units.

The new “vesper” scrap grade supports this shift toward rolling-mill and extruder-ready feedstock. Vesper groups wrought aluminum from shredded streams with multiple alloys. Meanwhile, Sortera can supply cast and wrought alloys for secondary melts.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Scrap sorting upgrades now compete with primary metal as a strategic lever for cost control. Sortera second US facility looks timely because alloy purity, not volume, drives value. However, the market will reward only systems that deliver repeatable chemistry at scale.