Metals company coming to state with Berkeley County location

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A company that buys and trades non-ferrous scrap and also recycles metals and other material will establish its first South Carolina operations with a location in Berkeley County.

ZEB Metals, as part of a newly established joint venture with Glencore, is expected to create 28 jobs with its new facility, according to a news release from the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Relocating operations from Kentucky to a facility near Highway 52 in Moncks Corner, ZEB Metals’ new facility will process dross and other types of secondary aluminum scrap that would otherwise be destined for a landfill, according to the release. This is the first secondary re-melt facility of its kind in the Southeast region of the United States.

“ZEB Metals is very excited about relocating our company to the Lowcountry and cannot wait to be a part of the community,” ZEB Metals President and CEO Cole Lanham said in the release. “South Carolina brings a unique opportunity in the recycling space with local businesses and government support. We’d like to thank everyone at Berkeley County for all their help in making this project come to life.”

Founded in 2021, ZEB Metals is a buyer and trader of non-ferrous scrap, as well as a recycler of metals other than iron and steel, according to the release. The company processes metals through shredding, melting, screening and sorting materials while providing full-service metal recycling including industrial clean-up and off-site demolition.

Glencore, a Swiss-based commodities trader and one of the world’s largest diversified natural resource companies, will partner with ZEB Metals to expand its current aluminum portfolio, the release stated. The joint venture will allow for the development of a new line of recycled products to support the companies’ regional customer base.

Operations are expected to be online by late 2023.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development awarded a $75,000 Set-Aside grant to Berkeley County to assist with site preparation and building construction, according to the release.

“Glencore and ZEB Metals are welcome additions to Berkeley County’s aluminum production sector,” Mike Fuller, Charleston Regional Development Alliance board chairman and president and CEO of Berkeley Electric Cooperative, said in the release. “They are also part of the growing industrial recycling effort in our state, which better secures our supply of critical materials and provides energy savings compared to the manufacturing of raw materials.”