TORONTO, Aug. 7, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enirgi Group Corporation ("Enirgi Group") today is pleased to provide a progress update on its Bomen expansion plans.
Renewed Metal Technologies Pty Ltd. ("RMT"), an Enirgi Group company, has lodged an application with the New South Wales Department of Planning and Infrastructure to obtain State Significant Development status as the first step of its investigation into expanding the current operations from the current processing capacity of 42,000 tonnes of Used Lead Acid Batteries ("ULAB") each year to approximately 150,000 tonnes.
RMT currently produces approximately 30,000 tonnes of lead for use in battery manufacturing, 4,000 tonnes of sodium sulfate for use in detergents and 2,000 tonnes of plastic which is further processed in Australia. The proposed expansion will see a near tripling of that output, the addition of approximately another 100 new jobs and the creation of a critical mass to support local production of industrial inputs such as liquid oxygen. The expansion will also incorporate a plastics processing facility which could further increase regional jobs and industry in the area.
Anthony Deal, VP Corporate Development for Enirgi Group, said, "Enirgi Group is constantly reviewing its operations to ensure it keeps abreast of market changes and identify opportunities to improve economies of scale. The expansion plans are conceptual at this stage and very much dependent on receiving positive signals from all levels of government. I am pleased to say that Wagga Wagga City Council is very supportive as are the local members, Darryl Maguire and Michael McCormack."
The federal government regulates the ULAB recycling industry and ongoing federal support for in-country processing of waste, in this case Used Lead Acid Batteries, is a critical signal to enable Enirgi Group investing $50M into the project. Mr. Deal said, "Without that continuing support, ULAB would be shipped overseas for processing, resulting in job losses and the loss of nearly $100M from the economy." At full production the expanded plant will be able to process all of Australia's ULAB arisings. "This will be a significant expansion of our world class, state of the art recycling facility and will be good news for the Bomen industrial precinct, regional employment and the Riverina," Mr Deal said.
The expansion project will be overseen by Enirgi Group Divisional Managing Director, Todd Vains. "At this stage we expect to achieve State Significant Development status by February 2015. Once Enirgi Group has appropriate levels of support, we expect that the project will be completed in approximately 2 to 3 years from the approval as a Significant Development," Mr. Vains said, "In terms of changes to the existing site, you will see a slightly enlarged factory area added to the southern side and an increase in traffic flows until the new rail terminus is operational. The current facility employs the best available technology so you will not see any change to our current strong commitment to appropriate environmental outcomes and high standards. We estimate that it will significantly increase RMT's contribution to the local economy."
RMT will engage with local stakeholders once government support is confirmed and more detailed plans are available. Mr. Deal said, "When the original plant was proposed, RMT engaged with all of the local stakeholders to explain the process and allay any concerns. The operation is recognized as a safe, environmentally responsible operation, managed by an experienced and professional team. When the time is right, we will be reaching out and engaging with all of our stakeholders again to ensure that they are fully briefed on our plans."
Any enquiries concerning the expansion project can be directed to Mr. Todd Vains, Divisional Managing Director, Enirgi Metal Group, rmtexpansion@enirgimetals.com.au.
For commercial enquiries, please contact commercialenquiries@enirgi.com
About Enirgi Group Corporation
Enirgi Group is a private global company headquartered in Toronto, Canada that owns and operates an inventory of world class, long-life, cash-positive assets located in the USA, Australia, and Argentina. Our results driven team focuses on providing the critical materials that are required to sustain our modern way of life and support the emerging technologies that improve life. Enirgi Group's target sectors include Industrial Metals & Mining, Chemicals, Diversified Industrials, Oil & Gas and Utilities. Enirgi Group is currently producing and exporting sodium bicarbonate, lead concentrate, lead metal, and lithium carbonate.