Minerals processing startup Valor hires former Redwood Materials VP of engineering

Sept 28 (Reuters) - US minerals processing startup Valor has hired the former vice president of engineering at recycler Redwood Materials as part of its push to commercialize its technology.

Valor is among a wave of US companies focused on developing new ways to refine critical minerals, a key goal of the Trump administration given China's near-total control of the sector.

Here are the details:

• Paul Voigt joined Valor earlier this month as chief engineering and technology officer.

• At Redwood, Voigt was one of the company's senior engineers for nearly six years. He helped oversee teams that developed new ways to recycle critical minerals from battery parts.

• A representative for Redwood was not immediately available to comment.

• Voigt previously worked at Glencore GLEN.L for more than 17 years in the recycling and refining divisions.

• Valor was formed in 2025 by the former head of Glencore's recycling business.

• Valor is building a pilot plant in Houston that it aims to open by the end of the year using technology developed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Based on how the pilot plant operates, the company will then develop plans for a commercial plant next year.