Altech Recycling LLC, an aluminum recycling joint venture established in the U.S.A. by Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. ("TAI") in partnership with Alter Trading Corporation ("Alter"), has began operation from September 2021.

With the advance of global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, BEV and other electric vehicles are rapidly becoming more popular. Consequently, demand is increasing for aluminum parts needed for materials substitution to reduce vehicle weight. In addition, demand is also expected to increase for secondary aluminum alloys, recycled from aluminum scrap. In the United States, which is a major exporter of aluminum scrap, there is demand for efficient use through domestic recycling of aluminum scrap produced in the North America region, and production of high grade aluminum scrap that is exportable to countries whose import regulations are becoming increasingly stringent.

TAI established Altech Recycling LLC together with Alter to participate in upstream business aiming to strengthen its aluminum value chain, and is promoting the aluminum recycling business. The company separates and processes post shredder mixed metals (referred to as Zorba) collected from Alter and other shredder businesses to produce Twitch, a high-grade aluminum product. Twitch, produced through heavy media separation using the specific gravity difference of each non-ferrous metal before washing and drying, will be sold in the U.S. and globally as secondary aluminum alloy raw material, in response to market needs. In addition, Zorba includes copper, zinc and other non-ferrous heavy metals, which the company also intends to sell.

In its Medium-term Business Plan, Toyota Tsusho Group positions "Circular Economy," recycling waste for production, as one of its four priority areas for advancement of its growth strategy. Through this business, by strengthening the aluminum value chain in North America, Toyota Tsusho Group will further resource recycling business, with the aim to contribute to the realization of a circular economy and carbon neutrality.