CRU: Aluminum investments continue to center around remelt and scrap

Emirates Global Aluminium of the UAE has signed a binding agreement to purchase 100% of German aluminum recycling company Leichtmetall.

As well as recycling, Leichtmetall is a specialty foundry that produces up to 80,000 mt of billets each year, using around 80% recycled aluminum. Powered by renewable energy, the company employs proprietary inductive melting technology, liquid metal treatment and casting processes to make high-specification products. The main category is hard alloy billets up to 1,150 mm in diameter, used in high load-bearing extruded profiles and very large forged components.

Vista Metals announces new US plant for aerospace applications

US specialty aluminum products manufacturer, Vista Metals, announced an investment in a new location to serve the aerospace industry. The new facility, located in Bowling Green, Ky., is part of Vista Metals’ long-range investment plan, and will expand upon the company’s existing capabilities in California and Georgia. It will also follow the planned completion of the company’s seventh aerospace casthouse in Georgia this spring.

With an initial investment of nearly $60 million, the new site will primarily support downstream processing and value-added products serving the aerospace extrusion, forging and rolling markets. In addition to supporting commercial aviation, the new location will also support defense, automotive, and general industrial applications. Initial site preparation is now underway, and Vista Metals will commence a phased build-out to support the growth in its core markets.

Hydro enters into multi-year scrap purchase agreement with Sims Alumisource

Hydro has entered into a multi-year agreement with Sims Alumisource to purchase processed aluminum scrap for its North American extrusion business. Hydro operates 12 recycling facilities in the US and Canada. Together with Sims Alumisource, the facilities have worked together to refine the processing of post-consumer aluminum scrap into furnace for extrusion billet casting. Through this new agreement, the Hydro Extrusions business unit in North America will gain access to roughly 36,000 mt of additional post-consumer aluminum scrap.

New secondary billet facility to be built in the US

According to a recent press release, US remelter Adaptiq will soon begin construction of a 140,000 mt/y “green” aluminum billet facility. The plant will be based near Cincinnati, Ohio, with full production expected to be reached by Q4’25. PerenniAL Group will have the off-take agreement.

“Adaptiq is stepping up to meet the true demand for alternatives in the remelt billet market. As a 100% US owned and operated independent company, we plan to offer some of the greenest, world class quality billet and scrap handling options through our remelt billet cast house,” said a statement by company founder Brian Hesse on LinkedIn.

Ball announces installation of new sorting machine at Copper Mountain Resort

Ball Corp., Copper Mountain Resort, and the POWDR Adventure Lifestyle Corp. announced the installation of a reverse vending machine (RVM) at Jack’s Slopeside Grill in Frisco, Colo., to increase aluminum recycling in the mountain town. The machine was installed in February 2024 and will be available for the duration of the season through April 2024.

Ball Corp. worked with recycling data collection provider Recycle Track Systems to install the machine. The aim of the project is to incentivize increased recycling rates at one of the most popular ski resorts in Colorado and educate consumers about the benefits of using aluminum. Guests can insert their Ball Aluminum Cup® can or aluminum bottle into the front of the machine, which then uses a conveyor belt to scan, crush and sort the aluminum packaging.

This article was first published by CRU. Learn more about CRU’s services at www.crugroup.com/analysis.