New Kuusakoski Heinola Cable Recycling Plant
Kuusakoski Oy will invest $7 million in a new wire and cable recycling plant at its Heinola site in Finland. The facility will processย aluminum- and copper-containing cablesย and is scheduled to start operations next year. This project supports Kuusakoskiโs long-term program to boost capacity, improve material yield, and deliver cleaner recycled metals.
President and CEO Mikko Kuusilehto calls the new copper center unique in Finland. He notes that local processing helps Kuusakoski serve customers closer to their operations, which reduces environmental impact and also improves cost efficiency for both the company and its clients.
Multi-Stage Cable Processing and Metal Separation
The new plant will handle mixed copper and aluminum cable streams and separate the metals into clean fractions. Kuusakoski will refine the copper on-site in Heinola, while the aluminum fraction will go to a dedicated smelter. Until now, the company has run a similar operation only in neighboring Sweden, so this investment brings that capability home to Finland.
The facility will include a precrushing line and a separation line. In precrushing, operators will crush the incoming material and use magnets and a windscreen to remove and sort different components. Next, the separation line will granulate the remaining material into small particles so the system can efficiently separate copper, aluminum, and other materials.
Capacity, Output, and Competitive Edge
Engineers designed the line for a production capacity of about 2.5 tons per hour. At that rate, the plant can produce roughly 40 tons of copper per week, according to company estimates. This output helps meet growing demand from sectors such as power cables, electronics, and electric vehicles, while replacing primary metals with high-quality recycled feedstock.
Kuusakoski says the new chopping line will strengthen the competitiveness of its Heinola facility. The company describes the site as the largest integrated recycling plant in Northern Europe and sees this upgrade as a way to deliver purer fractions, higher recycling rates, and better value for its industrial customers.
