The company will showcase the DX22MH-5 and the DL320-7 and a new wheel loader guarding package.

Doosan Infracore North America, Suwanee, Georgia, says it will showcase its DL320-7 wheel loader and a DX225MH-5 material handler at the 2022 Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) Convention & Exposition. The equipment will be displayed in booth A7 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas from March 21 to 24.   

The company says the Doosan DL320-7 wheel loader is part of the redesigned -7 Series wheel loaders that were first launched in 2021. The DL320-7 has an operating weight of 43,506 pounds and a 7 percent larger capacity bucket than its predecessor. These updates allow an operator to move more material every hour.   

Doosan also will display a new wheel loader guarding package, available as a factory-installed option for select wheel loader models. The package is intended to provide additional uptime protection for Doosan wheel loader owners.  

“We are excited to be back in person at ISRI 2022 in Las Vegas,” says Aaron Kleingartner, product and dealer marketing manager for Doosan Infracore North America. “This is an important event for the recycling industry, and we are proud to be exhibiting one of our new -7 Series wheel loaders.”  

Doosan also will showcase its 162-horsepower DX225MH-5 material handler. The company says the machine is built for rugged work with additional guarding and a straight boom and droop-nose arm specifically designed for material-handling tasks. It has a reach of 35 feet, 5 inches and a loading height of 40 feet. A raised and fixed cab provides operators a better line of sight when loading and unloading material.  

“Our customers can activate the material handler’s Smart Power Control feature to enhance machine efficiency while maintaining productivity,” Kleingartner says. “This is achieved through variable speed control and pump torque control, automatically adjusting RPMs to match the operator’s lifting needs.”  

Doosan DX225MH-5 material handler customers can pair the machine with a grapple attachment or a magnet and generator set. The latter is an ideal solution for customers who regularly handle ferrous metal. Two-way and rotating auxiliary hydraulics come standard on the machine for optimal use of rotating grapples. 

Eric Nelson has been named vice president of international operations and business development.

Eriez has hired Eric Nelson as vice president – international operations and business development. Nelson worked for Eriez previously, serving as interim managing director of Eriez – China until 2018.

Eriez Vice President – International Jaisen Kohmuench says Nelson will collaborate in developing global business strategies and assist regional Eriez sales directors in uncovering and cultivating business advancement opportunities across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions. Nelson primarily will be responsible for coaching and advising local teams, with the overall goal of continuing Eriez’s strategic growth plans.

“Eric brings a wealth of international management experience,” Kohmuench says. “His accomplishments include spearheading numerous organizational turnarounds, developing international management teams and optimizing the performance of many businesses within China and the Southeast Asia region.”

Nelson earned a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature, and a Master of Business Administration in global management.

Headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, Eriez designs, manufactures and markets separation technologies on six continents through 12 wholly owned international subsidiaries and an extensive sales representative network.

The company says it expects to benefit from sustainability-driven growth megatrends that favor aluminum.

Constellium SE, headquartered in Paris, has reported its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings for 2021.

The company points to a number of highlights for the fourth quarter:

In the news release announcing the company’s earnings, Jean-Marc Germain, Constellium CEO, says that despite the challenges of “inflationary pressures across the business, weakness in aerospace demand, semiconductor shortages in automotive and other supply chain issues,” the company achieved record adjusted EBITDA, which included record results in Packaging and Automotive Rolled Parts (P&ARP) and Automotive Structures and industries (AS&I) segments. 

He forecasts strong demand from the packaging and industrial markets in 2022. “We are starting to see the beginnings of a recovery in aerospace demand and expect year-over-year growth in shipments in the coming quarters,” Germain adds. “In automotive, we expect demand to remain low to start the year as the semiconductor shortage persists and to improve in the second half of the year. We are expecting inflationary pressures to continue at an elevated level throughout 2022, though we are confident in our ability to offset most of the impact with improved pricing and our relentless focus on cost control.”

In the company’s Feb. 23 earnings call, a transcript of which is available from Seeking Alpha, Germain said as its core market, packaging represented 43 percent of the company’s revenue in 2021, noting that growing demand for aluminum cans is a result of consumer preference for cans versus alternatives such as plastics. “We expect midsingle-digit demand growth in the medium term, which is supported by canmaker capacity additions in [North America and Europe], and we are doing our best to meet the needs of our customers.”

Germain said Constellium is investigating a number of initiatives to increase can sheet, which likely will be achieved through debottlenecking of its operations and additional investments.

Automotive represented 26 percent of Constellium’s revenue in 2021, he said, noting that the company is “well-positioned in both sheet and extrusions to benefit from the secular shift to aluminum in automotive and the electrification of the automotive fleet.” 

Germain said production stoppages related to the semiconductor shortage are expected to continue in the first half of this year and to improve in the second half. “From an end market demand perspective, however, we remain very positive on this end market. Dealer inventories are low, and we believe underlying consumer demand remains strong, especially for light trucks, SUVs and luxury vehicles where Constellium has greater exposure,” he added. 

Aerospace represented 6 percent of the company’s revenue in 2021, which Germain noted was “well-below historical levels.” He said the market represented 15 percent of Constellium’s revenue in 2019. However, he said, “Optimism in the aerospace supply chain is increasing, and the destocking appears largely complete. More recently, major [original equipment manufacturers] have announced build rate increases. The timing is still uncertain, but we expect to show year-over-year growth in aerospace shipments in the coming quarters.”

In terms of financial guidance for 2022, Constellium expects adjusted EBITDA of 600 million euros to 620 million euros ($670 million to $692 million). 

“Looking forward, I believe there are substantial opportunities for Constellium to benefit from sustainability-driven secular growth megatrends, which are creating significant momentum around sustainable packaging, lightweighting and fleet electrification,” Germain said in the earnings call. “We will continue to work closely with our customers and deliver value-added products that help reduce their carbon footprint.

“Constellium is part of the solution in the circular economy,” he continued. “As we previously announced, we are expanding our recycling footprint with significant investment in the European recycling center with 130,000 tons of capacity. We are very excited about this investment as it will strengthen our business, help us be a further solutions provider to our customers with increased recycling and contribute to a more sustainable future. It is a triple win for Constellium, for our customers and for the environment.”

Germain said the recycling center is scheduled to start production in the second half of 2024 and is expected to operate at 80-plus percent of capacity in 2025, reaching full capacity in 2026. 

Commenting on the effect of widening scrap spreads and their effect on earnings, he said, “[G]oing forward, we do not anticipate scrap spreads to widen and all that. But we do anticipate energy costs, which are a big part of the conversion costs … to be higher. So, the net impact of that may be a little bit less scrap profit, so to say, in '22 than we had in '21.”

The company will hold its Analyst Day at its Muscle Shoals, Alabama, facility. At that time, Germain says Constellium expects to provide an update on its businesses, detail future plans, establish new long-term guidance and present its 2030 sustainability strategy.

Nonprofit partners with Michigan-based recycler to launch Ocean-Bound Plastics Recycling Program.

The Ocean-Bound Plastics Recycling Program, a joint venture between the Island Green Living Association and Michigan-based recycling company Padnos, launched earlier this month to jumpstart recycling of single-use plastics on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The program will accept rinsed polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene and polypropylene plastics to be recycled by Padnos. U.S Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett and Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory joined Island Green Living President Harith Wickrema and Executive Director Kelly McKinney at the ribbon cutting.

Similar to Island Green Living’s Aluminum Recycling Program, the collected plastics will be sorted and baled and then shipped to Padnos for recycling. The recycling company has committed to purchasing and transporting (using deadheaded shipping containers, or containers that otherwise would have returned empty, when possible) the aluminum and plastics Island Green Living collects, the nonprofit notes in a news release about the partnership.

Padnos provided Island Green Living with a baler that has been installed inside a converted shipping container, so the processing operation is fully self-contained. It also has contributed funds toward a new pickup truck and will soon provide bins that will be placed at key trash sites throughout the island. Island Green Living says it will start collecting plastics and aluminum at these sites in addition to accepting material at its site on Gifft Hill Road just off Centerline, which has served for years as a collection point for aluminum cans. It also is offering a paid collection service to local bars and restaurants.

During the Feb. 18 ceremony, Wickrema said, “While recycling is what we are forging ahead with today, it is vital to remember that recycling should be the last step. Rethink before you purchase single-use plastic. If there is no other option, reduce wherever possible. Next reuse existing plastic and finally—let’s recycle. With the help of our governor, Department of Education and our elected officials, we can spread the message of the importance of source separation and emulate the best practices of a sustainable circular community.”

McKinney added, "The circular economy is the future. We must start thinking about the end of a product's life in a more sustainable manner than sitting unproductively in a landfill. Recycling is an important cog in the wheel of sustainable materials management. Single-use plastics should be avoided, but once plastic is part of the waste stream, the Ocean-Bound Plastics Recycling Program aims to mitigate and reclaim this material that would otherwise pollute our territory’s waterways and overwhelm our landfills.”

"We are honored to be representing Padnos at this dedication,” Gary Barnett, director of plastics at Padnos, said. “Since 1905 Padnos has been living our purpose statement: Continue to find ways to innovate, lead and make a positive impact in this world. Today is no different. This production center represents the innovation of a 42-year Padnos veteran, Bob Herweyer, and the Padnos IXL Fabrication Team.”

Plastics producer Indorama to use Carbios “bio-recycling” technology at existing facility.

Thailand-based plastics producer and recycler Indorama Ventures Ltd. (IVL) has agreed to collaborate with France-based Carbios to install a system deploying Carbios’ polyethylene terephthalate (PET) “bio-recycling” technology at IVL’s PET production site in Longlaville, France.

“We are very pleased that Carbios and Indorama Ventures have chosen France to build their first 100 percent bio-recycled PET manufacturing plant,” states Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of the Economy, Finance and the Recovery.

The capital investment required for the project is expected to be around 150 million euros ($168.6 million) for Carbios technology plus an estimated 50 million euros ($56.2 million) investment to be “allocated for the infrastructure preparation of the site,” according to the two companies.

Carbios says it expects to finalize “strong nondilutive financial support from French government and from the Grand-Est Region” of France, although that will be “conditional on the notification to the European Commission and on contractualization by French authorities.”

“We are pleased to implement Carbios’ innovative and transformative technology at our Longlaville site,” says D K Agarwal, CEO of Indorama Ventures. “Bio-recycled PET addresses customers’ growing demand to contribute to a cleaner planet through high-quality plastics while decreasing the use of hydrocarbons.”

Carbios has a demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The firm says the IVL collaboration moves it toward its goal to build and operate in France “the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET bio-recycling plant, with a processing capacity estimated at around 50,000 tons of postconsumer PET [scrap] per year, equivalent to 2 billion PET bottles or 2.5 billion PET trays.”

“With this first medium-sized plant, we want to become the world reference for the Circular Economy of plastics and textiles,” says Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of Carbios. “By engaging in such a partnership with Indorama Ventures, we confirm our commitment to pursue our initial industrial development in France. This plant will pave the way towards international commercial and industrial deployment. We are grateful to our shareholders, partners, the French government, and Grand-Est Region for sharing Carbios’ ambitions and vision towards a profitable circular economy.”

Carbios says its technology involves combining enzymes and plastics and it “aims to address new consumer expectations and the challenges of a broader ecological transition by taking up a major challenge of our time: plastic and textile pollution.”

Indorama Ventures describes itself as one of the world’s leading petrochemicals producers, with a global manufacturing footprint in Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia Pacific. The company has approximately 24,000 employees worldwide.