EGA and Ma’aden will co-operate on developing greener aluminium smelting technology

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s biggest industrial company outside oil and gas, and Ma’aden, a Saudi state-owned mining company, have reportedly agreed to extend their collaboration on greener aluminium smelting technology, in a bid to achieve more sustainable production.

The news came on Thursday, April 7, when both the companies said in a joint statement that they would continue to work together to develop new aluminium smelting technologies with lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement extends an original contract signed in 2018.

 As per the report now, EGA and Ma’aden also plan to work together on managing by-products from processes in the aluminium value chain and aluminium recycling.

On the extension of the partnership to work on technology and other developments for achieving sustainable operation, Abdulnasser bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, commented:  "The successful tackling of big challenges can only be accelerated by companies working together."

EGA, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, has smelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It is developing its own technology to decarbonise operations and reduce emissions. In February, the company announced its plans to build an aluminium recycling plant with a capacity of 150,000 tonnes per year.

Ma’aden, with one of the world’s largest operating aluminium complexes in Ras Al Khair on Saudi Arabia’s east coast, runs a refinery, smelter, rolling, and export facilities. It supplies billets, ingots, slabs, and flat-rolled aluminium products to customers worldwide, including carmakers and consumer brands.

Riyadh Al Nassar, senior vice president of Ma’aden’s Aluminium Business, said, “Aluminium is one of the world’s most crucial metals for many global industries going into a future that is focused on environment and sustainability."

He added, "This partnership aims to increase the co-operation between Ma’aden and EGA to work together, including towards more sustainable aluminium production.”