Éloïse Harvey, the dynamic CEO of EPIQ Machinery, has communicated with AL Circle for the seventh edition of its flagship annual digital magazine, ‘LeaderSpeak 2025’. Known for its curated perspectives from across the aluminium value chain, this year’s edition continues the tradition of bringing together influential voices to guide readers, be they decision-makers or emerging entrepreneurs, towards more informed and inspired choices.

In her conversation, Harvey delves into how she and her team have consistently pushed boundaries by integrating cutting-edge technologies into EPIQ’s equipment portfolio. With her rich industry experience and forward-looking approach, Harvey offers valuable insights that could resonate with anyone navigating the evolving landscape of aluminium manufacturing.

Here’s a sneak peek into her exclusive interview:

AL Circle: Beyond China, which regions do you believe will play a crucial role in shaping the future of global primary aluminium production, and what factors make these regions significant in the coming years? How is EPIQ Machinery positioning itself to support producers in these emerging hubs?

Éloïse Harvey: Beyond China, India and the Middle East are ready to play pivotal roles in shaping the future of global primary aluminium production. India is rapidly scaling up its aluminium capacity to meet both domestic infrastructure demands and export opportunities, supported by favorable government policies and a strong industrial base. At the same time, the Middle East, particularly the Gulf region, continues to consolidate its position as a global aluminium powerhouse, leveraging access to low-cost energy and modern, large-scale smelting operations. 

EPIQ Machinery has strategically positioned itself to support these emerging hubs. In India, we now have a workforce of over 550 employees through our integrated operations with ADF (equipment design and fabrication), STYMER (engineering), and NOVIMEQ (automation) and the recent acquisition of 50% stake in FAFECO, a respected local crane and equipment manufacturer, significantly strengthen our ability to serve the needs of Indian producers. These EPIQ companies form a powerful local ecosystem to serve India’s aluminium producers while also supporting EPIQ Machinery’s projects globally with high-quality, cost-effective solutions. Our Indian teams are deeply involved in both domestic and international mandates, providing robust engineering, manufacturing, and automation capabilities across the full spectrum of EPIQ's product lines.

In the Middle East, our presence is expanding rapidly with the launch of EPIQ Machinery Services, our regional facility in Bahrain serving the MENA region. This hub allows us to offer fast, localised support to smelters across the Gulf region while scaling up our team to meet growing demand. As these markets continue to invest in capacity and modernisation, EPIQ Machinery is proud to be a trusted partner, delivering integrated solutions that combine advanced engineering, automation, and deep process know-how to help aluminium producers achieve operational excellence and long-term sustainability.

AL Circle: Looking ahead, how do you forecast 2025 and beyond for the primary aluminium sector, and which global factors will influence this trajectory?

Éloïse Harvey: At EPIQ, we strongly believe that the primary aluminium sector will navigate over the next few years a dynamic and complex environment shaped by global economic pressures, decarbonization imperatives and a continued increasing demand. Indeed, notwithstanding the current world geo-politic situation, aluminium will continue to be in high demand due to its essential role in the clean energy transition and other key markets, including defence.

One important factor, specifically affecting Canadian producers, is the tariffs on aluminium and steel exports to the US. These protectionist measures disrupt supply chains, impact pricing stability, and create planning uncertainty for Canadian smelters and American secondary plants as well. As a result, the industry must be increasingly agile to mitigate the impact of such trade policies.

We believe that the producers best positioned to succeed will be those who combine operational excellence with proactive strategies around sustainability, digitalisation, and global trade resilience, including thoughtful navigation of tariff risks and regional policy changes. We, at EPIQ, are behind our clients throughout these more difficult times, and we will continue offering them solutions and support to help them meet these challenges.

To explore the full interview and gain deeper insights from on the global aluminium market and how EPIQ is contributing to its growth, click here.