wTe Corporation Introduces ZebraSort™ System
April 14, 2011Bedford, Massachusetts, April 14, 2011 ? wTe Corporation announced today that its
Spectramet® subsidiary has completed the design, manufacture and installation of its first commercial
scale proprietary ZebraSortTM metal alloy sorter. The system, developed in conjunction with National
Recovery Technologies, Inc., is targeted at sorting metal alloys from the mixed non?ferrous materials
generated by automobile shredders and waste?to?energy facilities. The initial system is located at
Spectramet’s technical research center located in Greenfield, MA, and will be dedicated to processing
mixed non?ferrous metals from various sources.
The ZebraSortTM system is the next step in a platform of metals sorting technologies developed
by wTe and NRT through their Spectramet® venture. ZebraSortTM further expands the existing
Spectramet® product line, which includes the AlloySortTM system, the ZSortTM system and other related
technologies. In the coming year, Spectramet® intends to further expand the technology platform to
also target small particle sizes through its proprietary ChipSortTM system, while also looking at molten
metal applications with its Melt CognitionTM technology.
Dr. David Spencer, wTe’s Chief Technical Officer, commented that “The new ZebraSortTM system
gives us a leading position in the sorting of mixed metals generated by auto shredders and waste?toenergy
plants. We believe that this family of technologies will largely replace the wet systems and
manual sorting methods currently used in many overseas markets.” As a result of this project, Dr.
Spencer suggests that there will be less United States dependence on supplies of strategic virgin metals
recovered at primary refineries from ore (most of which are purchased abroad), there will be substantial
energy savings from use of scrap rather than ore and virgin metals, and there will be greatly reduced
emissions because secondary smelting consumes much less energy than primary production followed by
remelting.
Scott Mellen, President and CEO, added, “While the Asian and Indian markets currently import
most of these mixed metals to support a manual labor strategy, we firmly believe that automated
sorting technologies will gradually replace manual techniques over the next five to ten years. wTe and NRT intend to capitalize on this trend by developing opportunities to build, own and operate sorting systems or enter into strategic licensing or partnership arrangements in strategic applications and geographies.”
Dr. Edward Sommer, President of NRT, commented on the crucial role of the federal
government in assisting Spectramet’s technology development platform, noting that “The National
Science Foundation and the ATP and TIP Programs at the Department of Commerce have been very supportive of our development efforts. While wTe and NRT funded the vast majority of the ZebraSortTM development, our current $11.4 million TIP program and several National Science Foundation projects have been crucial to the development of the Spectramet® platform. There is no doubt that these technologies will improve the competitive position of the United States in the manufacturing sector going forward.”
About wTe Corporation
wTe Corporation is a technology?driven recycling company located in Bedford, MA. The
Company operates downstream plastics and metals recycling and refining operations in several locations
in North America. Spectramet® LLC is a company owned by wTe Corporation and National Recovery Technologies, Inc. Spectramet® is a world?wide leader in the development of high speed sorting systems using a platform of x?ray based and other sorting technologies. Melt CognitionTM LLC, a joint venture with Energy Research Co., Staten Island, NY and Materials Strategies, Inc., Worcester, MA, promotes development and sale of optoelectronic equipment for continuously measuring liquid metal composition and controlling melt chemistry on?line. For more information, please visit www.wte.com
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