Joint Venture Backs Ames Copper Group Secondary Copper Smelter
Ames Copper Group (ACG)—a joint venture between U.S.-based Prime Materials Recovery, Inc. (PMR) and Spain’s CuNext Group—plans to build a new Ames Copper Group secondary copper smelter in North Carolina, USA. The project will create a modern recycling hub that turns copper scrap into high-purity copper anodes for North American manufacturers.
According to project details, SMS group will supply the core smelting equipment. The plant will have the capacity to process up to 50,000 tons of copper anodes per year, making it the first secondary copper recycling facility in the U.S. to produce copper anodes from copper scrap and copper fines. Startup is scheduled for this year.
Meeting U.S. Demand for Custom Copper Anodes
“The manufacturing industry is critical to our success as a nation, and this will be the only smelter in the U.S. manufacturing custom copper anodes,” said Bernard Schilberg, CEO of PMR. He explained that China’s restrictions on copper scrap imports have created an oversupply in the U.S. market, while demand for copper anodes in North America continues to grow.
These market shifts prompted PMR and CuNext to launch the joint venture. Schilberg noted that ACG will use advanced, efficient technology so it can compete globally with other copper anode producers.
PMR and CuNext Combine Recycling and Refining Expertise
Based in East Hartford, Connecticut, PMR operates processing facilities in Canastota, New York; Willimantic, Connecticut; Orangeburg, South Carolina; and Hickory, North Carolina. PMR processes and brokers more than 35 million pounds of nonferrous metals each month. Its affiliate, IMC Metals America in Shelby, North Carolina, manufactures copper used in wiring, lightning rods, and defense applications.
Schilberg said that CuNext contributes deep experience in copper mining and refining, while PMR brings long-standing expertise in direct melting of copper scrap. Together, they will feed the new smelter with birch/cliff, No. 2 copper chops with at least 90% copper, and copper-bearing scrap and copper alloys with a minimum of 85% copper content. The plant will consume about 54,000 tons of scrap annually to produce 50,000 tons of 99.7% copper custom anodes, with U.S. wire and cable manufacturers as key customers.
Advanced SMS Technology and Future-Ready Design
For the North Carolina facility, SMS group will supply a tilting refining furnace, anode casting wheel, gas cleaning system, and the associated electrical and automation systems. This equipment will help ACG run efficient, high-yield operations while managing emissions and process controls.
The plant design also prepares for future upgrades, including additional digitalization features. This forward-looking approach will allow Ames Copper Group to improve process monitoring, optimize energy use, and adapt quickly to changing market and regulatory demands.
