wTe Corporation Introduces ZebraSort™ Syste
May 9, 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 ZebraSort™ 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 ZebraSort™ system is the next step in a platform of metals sorting technologies developed by wTe and NRT through their Spectramet® venture. ZebraSort™ further expands the existing Spectramet® product line, which includes the AlloySort™ system, the ZSort™ 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 ChipSort™ system, while also looking at molten metal applications with its Melt Cognition™ technology.
Dr. David Spencer, wTe’s Chief Technical Officer, commented that “The new ZebraSort™ system gives us a leading position in the sorting of mixed metals generated by auto shredders and waste?to? energy 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 ZebraSort™ 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 Cognition™ 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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