Pantheon Electric hits 33% recycled copper as supply squeeze grows

Pantheon Electric says recycled feedstock now makes up 33% of its companywide copper supply as AI infrastructure and electrification projects tighten raw material markets. The Stamford-based company says the shift is meant to protect customers from volatility while lowering carbon intensity and preserving domestic supply.

Why it matters: - Copper demand is rising as AI data centers and electrification projects compete for the same supply. - Pantheon Electric’s move to one-third recycled feedstock gives its customers a lower-carbon source of copper and less exposure to price swings and supply shortages. - The company says the approach helps secure material for 2,500 customers while reducing reliance on constrained global supply chains.

What happened: - Pantheon Electric said it reached its goal of 33% recycled feedstock across the company. - The milestone builds on a multiyear push toward circular manufacturing. - The company said its Leetsdale, Pennsylvania facility produces 100% of its components with recycled copper. - The announcement was made October 1, 2026, from Stamford, Connecticut.

The details: - Pantheon Electric said its Leetsdale mill turns more than 100 million pounds of copper scrap into products each year. - The facility makes busbars, strip, sheet and plate entirely from recycled copper. - The mill uses the world’s largest reverberatory furnace, according to the company. - The furnace removes impurities as scrap melts, allowing the plant to process lower-grade scrap that a conventional furnace could not handle without prior refining. - Slag from the process is sent off-site, where remaining copper is recovered and impurities are turned into revenue rather than waste. - The company said recycled copper requires 85% less energy than primary production and lowers associated carbon emissions. - Pantheon Electric said its products meet ASTM and electrical performance standards. - The company said the model gives customers a domestic material source and reduces reliance on China, which has historically controlled up to 50% of global copper refinement.

Between the lines: - Pantheon Electric is positioning recycled copper as a core supply strategy, not a backup plan. - CEO Gregory J. Smith said manufacturers that invest in circular supply are more likely to keep delivering material as mining and power-grid constraints persist. - The company’s message is aimed at customers worried about both sustainability goals and raw-material availability. - Pantheon Electric said the shift also supports responsible sourcing and supply chain transparency.

What's next: - Pantheon Electric said it will continue expanding this capacity across its North American and European operations. - The company is focused on further lowering its environmental footprint while scaling recycled output. - Pantheon Electric said customers will keep getting access to copper components as the company broadens its circular manufacturing model.

The bottom line: - Pantheon Electric is betting that recycled copper can be a durability play as much as an environmental one, in a market where supply is getting tighter and demand is still climbing.