Detinning of tinplate and metal separation: Elektrozinn returns tin, iron and aluminium to the raw material cycle.
Elektrozinn AG
Oberrüti (CH)New on Amplifa
About Elektrozinn
Elektrozinn AG in Oberrüti is a recycling specialist for tinplate and aluminium. The company operates the first and so far only detinning plant in Switzerland, where tin is recovered from delivered tinplate by means of electrolysis. Tinplate and aluminium are separated from municipal collections; the aluminium is processed separately, while the tinplate goes through the detinning process. After the separation of tin and iron, steel, tin and aluminium works receive the raw materials for the closed material cycle. Customers are municipalities, transporters and processing centres; the tinplate processed comes exclusively from Switzerland, so the raw materials remain in the country. The company traces back to the A.G. für Metallverwertung founded in 1943 and has been operated under its current name since 1969.
- Site
- Oberrüti
- Processes
- Detinning of tinplate by electrolysis (recovery of tin), Metal separation: separation of tinplate and aluminium from municipal collections, Recycling of tinplate packaging (recycling, return to the raw material cycle), Processing of aluminium (separate processing after metal separation), Detinning of tinplate (tin recovery by electrolysis), Metal separation tinplate/aluminium, Aluminium processing, Recycling of tinplate packaging for municipalities and transporters
- Materials
- Tinplate, Aluminium, Tin, Iron, Tinplate (tin-coated steel)
- Industries
- Recycling, Steel/tin/aluminium works, Waste management, Municipalities, Transporters
- 01
Reception of tinplate packaging and collected material
- 02
Metal separation tinplate/aluminium
- 03
Separate aluminium processing
- 04
Detinning of the tinplate by electrolysis
- 05
Separation of tin and iron
- 06
Return of the raw materials to steel, tin and aluminium works
Materials & Processes
Tinplate (tin-coated steel)
Is received, detinned by electrolysis and returned to the steel and tin cycles.
Aluminium
Is separated from municipal collections and processed separately.
Tin
Is recovered from tinplate in the detinning process.
Iron
Is supplied to steel works after separation from tin.
Sites
Oberrüti
CHDetinning plant and administration
- Materials
- Tinplate, aluminium, tin, iron
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detinning of tinplate by electrolysis (recovery of tin)Surface | – | – | – | – | Tinplate |
| Metal separation: separation of tinplate and aluminium from municipal collectionsTesting | – | – | – | – | Tinplate, Aluminium |
| Recycling of tinplate packaging (recycling, return to the raw material cycle)Other | – | – | – | – | Tinplate, Aluminium, Tin, Iron |
| Processing of aluminium (separate processing after metal separation)Other | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
Additional services
Reference customers
History
- 1943
Foundation of A.G. für Metallverwertung by Dr. Hermann Weidenmann in Zurich-Altstetten as a result of an export ban on scrap; first and only detinning plant in Switzerland
- 1968
Construction of the new factory building in Oberrüti
- 1969
Relocation of production to Oberrüti and founding of Elektrozinn AG by Weidenmann & Goldschmidt AG
- 1982
Establishment of the recycling cycle for the recovery of secondary material
- 1985
Sale of Elektrozinn AG to the Royal Dutch Blast Furnaces (Hoogovens)
- 1987
Co-founding of Ferro Recycling (first members included Elektrozinn, Coop, Sauter)
- 1994
Lifting of the export ban on steel
- 1998
Changeover of production from the detinning of new production scrap only to the detinning of secondary tinplate cans
- 1999
Return of the company to Swiss ownership on the initiative of Peter Suhner
- 2005
Change in management; focus on sustainable corporate management