Sims announces investments in Virginia

Sims Metal, a business unit of Australia-based Sims Ltd. with sizable operations in North America, says it has invested $20 million to upgrade its metals recycling facility in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The investments in eastern Virginia include a new Vezzani shear, a STAR downstream shredded metals sorting plant and a planned connection to the freight rail system.

“By utilizing electric power, the newly installed Vezzani shear at Sims Metal is projected to reduce energy consumption, and consequently greenhouse gas emissions, by 80 percent compared to previous methods,” Michael Henderson, chief operating officer in North America for Sims Metal, tells Recycling Today.

“This aligns with our efforts to help our customers undertake more energy efficient, lower emissions metal manufacturing,” adds Henderson.

In a late 2024 LinkedIn post, Sims Metals says it also has built “an advanced indoor maintenance facility to better service equipment without compromising the environment or employee safety.”

Another major investment has been made in the metals sorting system found downstream of the Sims auto shredding plant at the Chesapeake yard.

Henderson refers to technology installed as a STAR plant. “The STAR Plant, a groundbreaking innovation in metal recycling, is exclusively available in North America,” says Henderson.

“This advanced technology separates copper and aluminum metal particles as small as a grain of sand, significantly minimizing landfill waste and extending the life span of valuable metal resources, ensuring their continued availability for critical American manufacturing supply chains,” he adds.

In early January, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) announced the approval of a $750,000 grant under its Rail Industrial Access Program to Sims Metal for work to be done at the Chesapeake location.

The DRPT says that during its January meeting, “The Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to award the grant, which will assist in connecting the facility to the freight railroad network.”

Continues the agency, “Sims Metal plans to utilize the grant to construct over 400 linear feet of new track, including an in-track scale, as part of a total investment of $20 million. This project is expected to yield significant benefits, including the diversion of almost 2,000 trucks per year from local roads, the creation of new jobs and a 46 percent private investment.”

Remarks DRPT Director Tiffany Robinson, “The Rail Industrial Access Program continues to play a vital role in supporting Virginia’s growing economy while enhancing the sustainability of our transportation network. By connecting Sims Metal to the freight rail system, this project not only promotes environmentally responsible practices but also reduces truck traffic, creating safer and more efficient travel for residents and businesses in the region.”

The DRPT describes Sims Metal in Chesapeake as a business that “imports ferrous and nonferrous recycled metals and exports sorted metals to steel mills, contributing to the sustainability and efficiency of the recycling industry in Virginia.”