Spectro Alloys donates $100K to 17 nonprofits

Rosemount-based recycling company’s 2024 “Giving Together” program supports charities in areas from wildlife conservation to children’s services

Spectro Alloys, the leading Midwest-based recycler of aluminum, today announced it has donated $100,000 to 17 nonprofits as part of its annual “Giving Together” program.

Every December, Spectro Alloys team members select organizations that are making a difference in communities across the region, supporting causes ranging from veterans’ programs to wildlife conservation to children and family services.

“It is important to us that we contribute to nonprofits in our region every year,” said Spectro Alloys President Luke Palen. “Spectro is built on the hard work and support of our communities, and we’re beyond happy to pay it back by donating to organizations that have a positive impact on our communities.”

Here are the 17 nonprofits receiving donations from Spectro Alloys this holiday season:

1. Together For Good

2. DCTC Foundation

3. Wounded Warrior Project

4. DiaperBank of MN

5. United Heroes of Hastings

6. Metro Hope Ministries

7. Lower Shell Creek Christian Church

8. Crescent Cove

9. Children’s Home Society of MN

10. MN Adult and Teen Challenge

11. American Wild Horse Campaign

12. The Bond Between

13. All in Ministries

14. Neighbors, Inc.

15. John Burch Park

16. Cannon Falls Dance Team

17. Hastings Dance Team

Construction complete on Spectro Alloys recycling expansion

Spectro Alloys, the leading Midwest secondary foundry alloy producer, and Opus today announced that first construction of the expansion of Spectro’s Rosemount campus is now complete. The 90,000-square-foot addition enables Spectro Alloys to expand its product offering into billet from post-consumer scrap aluminum. This new capability will improve recycling rates in Minnesota and meet growing demand for recycled aluminum.

“This increase in capacity and capabilities means Spectro will have a greater impact on recycling rates in Minnesota, on meeting the needs of sustainable manufacturers, and on advancing the increasingly vital circular economy,” said Spectro Alloys President Luke Palen.

With phase one now complete, equipment will be assembled and calibrated in the facility over the next several months. With first production expected during the second half of 2025, the new facility creates an estimated 50 new jobs, and adds nearly 120 million pounds per year of additional recycling capacity to Spectro. Full production ramp-up is expected in the first quarter of 2026. Opus was the design-builder and architect of record on the project.

“We applaud Opus for their partnership on this project. Their depth of expertise, the quality of their work, and their ability to meet our compressed timeline were second-to-none and set us up to make a much more significant impact on our environmental performance and the economy,” Palen added.

“We are thrilled that Spectro Alloys found value in our design-build model and trusted us to deliver their facility on time and on budget, both of which we did,” said John Williams, vice president of construction with Opus. “It’s always rewarding to partner with clients who are doing good work, and, in the case of Spectro, to partner on a project that will have tangible, meaningful benefits today and well into the future.”

Aluminium is infinitely recyclable. Recycling aluminium requires 95 percent less electricity than producing new metal and generates a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions. Aluminum billet is used as raw material for extruders, which turn it into products like railings, window and door trim, and structural components for cars, boats, airplanes, trailers, docks, and more. Sheet ingot is a high purity slab of aluminum weighing up to 60,000 pounds that serves as feedstock for rolling mills.

The Cast: 2024 edition

Check out this year’s edition of The Cast, our community newsletter about the people and products behind Spectro Alloys!

Our 2024 highlights include:

• The groundbreaking of our $71 million expansion project, which will add 50 new jobs and an additional 120 million pounds of recycling capacity per year in its first phase.

• The continuation of our “Giving Together” holiday donation program. Since its start in 2021, Spectro has donated $300,000 to 49 local nonprofits through this program.

• A majority stake acquisition by Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest premium aluminum producer in the world, marking the next step in our growth journey.

These exciting developments are paving the way for the future of aluminum recycling! Check out this issue of The Cast to learn more about the investments we’re making in our business, our employees and our communities.