RICHMOND, VA — Nathan Trotter, a supplier and recycler of tin and tin alloy products in North America, will invest approximately $65 million to construct Tin Ridge, a first-of-its-kind metal production and processing facility in Henry County.
The company selected a strategic 44-acre site north of Martinsville for the 115,000-square-foot tin processing facility, which will significantly increase American tin supply and recycling capabilities. At full capacity, Tin Ridge is expected to create an expected 118 new jobs in the Commonwealth.
The U.S. government has declared tin a critical mineral due to its role in solder used in circuit boards and electronics components for countless commercial and government applications, including critical defense systems, smartphones, flat panel displays, electric vehicles, batteries, advanced robotics, and aerospace technologies.
To address the nation’s dependence on tin imports, Nathan Trotter will develop and operate the nation’s first plant capable of refining noteworthy volumes of both tin concentrate and scrap tin in support of the U.S. economy and defense industrial base. The cutting-edge facility has also been designed to utilize the most advanced and environmentally friendly technology, enabling successful operations into the future.
Tyler Morris, VP and Partner at Nathan Trotter, said, “Our new state-of-the-art tin processing facility will play an important and historic role in strengthening our nation’s fragile tin supply chain, as global competition and demand for critical minerals reaches extraordinary levels. We selected Henry County and the state of Virginia for the talented workforce and proximity to key ports, customers, suppliers, and our network of tin production facilities throughout the region.”
A family-owned and operated business since 1789, Nathan Trotter is based in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, with four tin refining and finishing plants across the state. The company has seen the tin use case evolve over 235 years throughout the Industrial Revolution, multiple world wars, and the digital age, which has intensified demand and applications for the critical base metal in the United States and worldwide.