Raffineria Metalli Cusiana S.p.a. (Cusiana), a major Italian secondary aluminium refiner supplying multinational automotive, construction and furniture companies across Europe, has established a strategic partnership with TOMRA Recycling to redefine aluminium recycling with advanced multi-sensor sorting technology. Together, they have pioneered a multi-stage sorting line, enabling Cusiana to move beyond traditional ingot production and create branded, near carbon-free aluminium ingots and specific high-purity alloys, maximising profit while also delivering significant environmental benefits.

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Historically, Cusiana’s business model was based solely on the melting and production of aluminium ingots, but the company has strategically transformed its business model over the last few years. Without advanced pre-sorting of the scrap, melting could not meet the strict elemental specifications, such as maximum limits on silicon or iron, now strictly required by aerospace and automotive customers. This strategic shift allows Cusiana to capture significantly higher value from its input materials, reducing dependency on commodity markets and strengthening long-term competitiveness.

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Today, the scrap recovery side of the business accounts for 50 percent of total revenue, making it a key growth area. With a capacity of 100.000 tons per annum plant in Verbania, Italy, 24 hours a day, five days a week, Cusiana’s goal is to increase profitability by producing material of a quality previously unattainable from scrap. Cusiana’s process is powered entirely by renewable energy sources, dramatically reducing energy consumption and allowing it to produce near carbon-free aluminium. This enables the production of its branded 'Recall' ingots, providing a competitive advantage to high-profile customers who require both high-quality materials and a low-carbon footprint.

Multi-stage sorting configuration

The key challenge for Cusiana was moving beyond simple contaminant removal to achieving the ultra-high purity and alloy-specific separation needed for high-quality remelting. To address this, Cusiana and TOMRA Recycling have developed a sophisticated, fully automated sorting line that combines multiple technologies in a three-phase process:

• Phase one – pre-processing: The process begins with pre-shredding raw materials (mixed aluminium sheet, profiles and extrusions). The material is then run through a hammer mill, where magnets and screeners remove ferrous metals and separate the material into multiple fractions.
• Phase two – contaminant and heavy-metal removal: This phase is divided into two sub-steps. First, two X-TRACT™ units remove contaminants such as copper and brass. In a second step, aluminium containing heavy metals, like certain cast alloys and the 2000 and 7000 alloy series, is separated by two further X-TRACT™ units.
• Phase three – high-purity alloy sorting: In the final, critical phase, two AUTOSORT™ PULSE units perform alloy-specific sorting to further increase aluminium purity. Using Dynamic LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy), the system precisely targets and reduces elements such as silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) to meet strict alloy specifications. The line operates at a high input rate, with a stable production throughput of seven tons per hour feeding into each AUTOSORT™ PULSE unit.
• In addition to this process, a FINDER™ unit recovers valuable metal fines from the residual output of the eddy current separators, maximising overall metal yield and resource efficiency.

Given the precision required across the sorting line, operational reliability and consistent performance are critical. Cusiana therefore uses the TOMRA Care service package to support high uptime and stable operation. Ongoing support and optimisation help ensure that the systems consistently deliver the required sorting accuracy under continuous operating conditions.

Quantifiable outcomes and market differentiation

For Cusiana to achieve its goal of creating specific, high-quality aluminium alloys, the final sorting step through the AUTOSORT™ PULSE is critical. As traditional sorting methods cannot differentiate between subtle elemental compositions, the AUTOSORT™ PULSE provides the necessary precision. This investment has transformed Cusiana's business model by unlocking two high-value output streams. First, they produce their branded 'Recall' ingots, offering customers a guaranteed 100 per cent recycled content solution. Second, and most importantly, the ultra-high purity achieved by the AUTOSORT™ PULSE allows Cusiana to sell premium, alloy-specific scrap directly to manufacturers without any downgrading. This enables the company to bypass the melting furnace for these streams, significantly saving on the time and high energy costs associated with ingot production.

The company is now uniquely positioned in the European market. By integrating Dynamic LIBS precision, Cusiana is achieving specific alloy quality levels, positioning its scrap and ingots for direct use by leading aluminium manufacturers without downgrading. This directly supports the sustainability agendas and profitability goals of its customers.

With this project, Cusiana further consolidates its role as one of the most advanced secondary aluminium refiners in Europe, demonstrating how technology, strategy and sustainability can converge to create long-term industrial value.

Fausto Forni, Plant Manager at Cusiana, comments: “The strategic, collaborative nature of this partnership with TOMRA was the cornerstone of this transformation. TOMRA’s experts ensured the precise on-site calibration, constantly refining the sorting line to deliver just the right output for our specific scrap streams. The multi-stage, multi-sensor line has given us the ability to produce high-quality, alloy-true secondary aluminium ingots, which is vital for securing new business. The precision provided by AUTOSORT™ PULSE allows us to meet the extremely strict elemental specifications required by our customers. Looking ahead, we see further potential to unlock additional business opportunities with the AUTOSORT™ PULSE.”

Fabrizio Gasparin, Sales Manager Italy at TOMRA Recycling, adds: "Cusiana’s evolution in recent years demonstrates the vital role of multi-sensor technology in unlocking true material circularity. By combining XRT for contaminant removal and Dynamic LIBS for precision alloy separation, they are proving that high-volume recyclers can become high-value alloy producers. This transition is crucial for a less carbon-intensive aluminium supply chain. Cusiana's plant now serves as a reference site for other TOMRA customers looking to make this shift."

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Note: This article has been issued by TOMRA and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.