Two rapid expansion phases over a three-year period

Laid-Back Lowdown on Metales Bolueta's Metal Magic

Metales Bolueta, a family business founded in 1980 near Bilbao, Spain, started off as a humble non-ferrous metals trading operation in a 200 square meter site. Now run by Julio Marín's three sons, the business handles a whopping 4000 tons of metal per month, with a keen focus on quality, especially in the aluminium sector.

Back in the day, they were processing around 2000 tonnes a month. However, they saw huge potential in the aluminium sector, requiring Aluminium with incredibly high levels of purity needed for extruders and rolling mills. But their existing systems just couldn't cut it. That's when the idea for the Gatika project was born.

The Gatika Extravaganza

Located just 20 km from the head office, the Gatika plant is the star of the show. STEINERT was onboard from the beginning, handling the design, construction, commissioning, and fine-tuning of the sorting systems. Joseba Marín, one of Julio's sons, gives a tour, "We receive, pre-sort, and pre-classify raw materials, comprising mixed metals and aluminium profiles. Then we shred, screen, and sort to ensure homogeneous particle sizes for optimal sorting. STEINERT equipment, such as eddy current separators, X-ray sorters, and magnetic separators, make our aluminium separation line a powerhouse."

Operators of aluminium smelters value products from Metales Bolueta, as they can be processed in the same way as primary goods. Joseba proudly remarks, "Customers regularly stress the quality of our products compared with the rest of the market."

After the milling process, the Gatika line starts with a STEINERT MTE electromagnetic drum. This is followed by a STEINERT EddyC, a STEINERT MOR neodymium magnetic separator, and a STEINERT XSS T EVO 5.0 X-ray sorter. The STEINERT equipment recovers non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium, brass, zinc, or copper. The STEINERT XSS T EVO 5.0 sorting system separates heavy metals, light metals, cast, and wrought Aluminium. With X-ray transmission technology, they reliably achieve extremely high levels of purity to meet market demands.

Initially, there was enough material on the market, but the highly fluctuating levels of input quality, especially profiles and to a lesser degree taint/tabor, required powerful sorting systems. Joseba shares, "Thanks to STEINERT technology, we have managed to achieve a quality product that meets the requirements of our customers, even when using low-quality materials."

In just two years, Metales Bolueta has become a leading national supplier of high-quality recycled material.

Partnering for Success

The collaboration with STEINERT impressed the Metales Bolueta management team from the get-go. "During difficult periods like the pandemic, STEINERT's experts were right there with us. We have grown together," says Joseba Marín. The experiences gained in the STEINERT Test Center were particularly helpful for smooth commissioning. "We were able to test our own material to see whether the process complied with the requirements and quality we were looking for - and it did."

Onward and Upward

Metales Bolueta is looking ahead to expansion. At the start of 2024, they're building a parallel sorting line with another STEINERT XSS T EVO 5.0 X-ray sorter. Joseba predicts a 1000 tonne a month increase in capacity, and is excited about their future growth with STEINERT.

Aluminium Recycling with STEINERT XSS T EVO 5.0

Aluminium recycling generally involves five main steps: collection, sorting, melting, refining, and casting. STEINERT's advanced sensor sorting technology can be leveraged to more efficiently sort and separate metals in the recycling process, enhancing quality and efficiency. Expansion plans in the industry typically focus on increasing capacity, improving efficiency with new technologies, or expanding into new markets. While specific details about Metales Bolueta's plans are not available, they are likely to enhance their recycling capabilities to meet rising demand for recycled materials.

The Gatika plant's aluminium separation line, featuring STEINERT equipment, has made Metales Bolueta a significant player in the finance-intensive business of aluminium recycling, providing high-quality products that meet the stringent purity demands of the industry.
As Metales Bolueta continues to expand its operations, the partnership with STEINERT remains a crucial element, offering valuable expertise during challenging times and positioning the company for future growth in the competitive metal recycling industry.