4 days ago
EGA begins production with its next-generation smart smelting technology – advancing the future of efficient and sustainable aluminium
Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in
the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today announced start of hot metal production at pilot reduction cells for EX, the company's next generation aluminium smelting technology.
The pilot at Al Taweelah is a key step in readying the technology for large-scale industrialisation,making the project a key foundation for both future low-carbon primary aluminium production growth at EGA and the strengthening of EGA's position as the smelting technology provider of choice for the global aluminium industry.
The pilot will also be used to prove the most advanced Industry 4.0 capabilities in the aluminium industry. All EGA's existing Industry 4.0 use case will be deployed in the new technology and the company is developing new state-of-the-art digital capabilities centred on artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: 'First hot metal from these EX Technology reduction cells is a key milestone for both our technology leadership and future growth at EGA. Our goal is to expand our primary aluminium production with the most advanced and smart aluminium smelting technology, to build the smelter of the future and to create further value for EGA through smelting technology partnerships around the world.'
EGA has developed its own aluminium smelting technology in the UAE for more than 35 years.
EGA has used its own technology in every smelter expansion since the 1990s and has retrofitted all its older production lines. EGA was the first UAE industrial company to license its core process technology internationally, in a deal with Aluminium Bahrain in 2016 for use in the Bahraini company's Potline 6 expansion project. EX is EGA's 10th generation smelting technology. Construction of the pilot pots began in late 2024. Press Release EGA's EX has been designed to produce more aluminium with less energy per tonne and lower emissions. EX reduction cells provide higher productivity per square meter compared to our latest DX+ Ultra technology. The next generation technology is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of aluminium produced by around five per cent for the more productive variant and around 12 per cent for the lower energy variant. DX+ Ultra is already one of the most efficient smelting technologies in the global aluminium industry. EGA launched its digital transformation in 2021 to boost cost competitiveness, agility, and flexibility, and to improve safety and sustainability. Since then, EGA has implemented more than 80 Industry 4.0 use cases, generating around $100 million in financial impact.
In January 2025, EGA became the first industrial company in the UAE and the first aluminium company in the world to be designated an Industry 4.0 global lighthouse by the World Economic Forum.
About EGA: Since 1975, when it was founded as Dubai Aluminium by His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum,Emirates Global Aluminium has been innovating aluminium to make modern life possible. Today EGA is the world's biggest 'premium aluminium' producer and the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas industry. EGA is equally-owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai. It is the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates. EGA is an integrated aluminium producer, with operations on four continents from bauxite mining to the production of cast primary aluminium and recycling. EGA operates aluminium smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah in the United Arab Emirates, an alumina refinery in Al Taweelah, a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea, a speciality foundry in high strength recycled aluminium in Germany, and a recycling plant in the United States. EGA's aluminium is the second largest made-in-the UAE export after oil and gas. In 2024, EGA sold 2.74 million tonnes of cast metal. EGA is the only UAE producer and makes the UAE the fifth largest aluminium producing nation in the world. EGA has more than 400 customers in over 50 countries. In 2024, value-added products accounted for 82 per cent of EGA's cast metal sales.
EGA's aluminium is primarily used in the construction, automotive, packaging, aerospace and electronics industries.
Press Release:
Around 10 per cent of EGA's aluminium production is sold in the UAE to around 20 downstream aluminium companies that make products with EGA's aluminium. The growing broader aluminium sector in the UAE supports more than 52,000 jobs. EGA itself employs over 7,000 of these people including more than 1,300 UAE Nationals.
EGA has focused on technology development for over 30 years. EGA has used its own technology for every smelter expansion since the 1990s and has retrofitted all its older production lines. In 2016 EGA became the first UAE industrial company to licence its core industrial process technology internationally.
As a corporate citizen of the UAE, EGA aspires in all its operations to be measured amongst the world's leading metals and mining companies in meeting its environmental and social responsibilities. In 2017, EGA became the first Middle East headquartered company to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, a global programme to foster greater sustainability and transparency in the aluminium industry. In 2019, EGA's Al Taweelah site became the first in the Middle East to receive certification from ASI for its sustainability practices and performance. EGA's Jebel Ali site was certified in 2021. EGA's bauxite mining subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation, achieved the first ASI certification in Guinea in 2023. Al Taweelah alumina refinery was certified later in 2023.
EGA's German speciality foundry was certified in 2023, before its acquisition by EGA.
In 2021, EGA began production of CelestiAL solar aluminium, produced with solar power from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park on the outskirts of Dubai. EGA is the first company in the world to make aluminium commercially using the power of the sun.
EGA was formed in 2014 through the merger of Dubai Aluminium and Emirates Aluminium. EGA's Jebel Ali aluminium smelter began production as DUBAL in 1979. At almost five square kilometres, this site is five times bigger than Dubai Mall.
EMAL started production in 2009 and its Al Taweelah aluminium smelter was the largest single-site aluminium smelter in the world when completed. EGA's Al Taweelah site is five times bigger than Al Maryah Island at six square kilometres.
EGA has its own power stations at both sites in the UAE, producing electricity to meet its needs. EGA's electricity generation capacity is 6,474 megawatts, making EGA the third largest electricity generator in the UAE after the Dubai and Abu Dhabi utilities. EGA also produces water through desalination units at its power plants.
EGA began production at Al Taweelah alumina refinery in April 2019. EGA's alumina refinery is the first in the UAE and only the second in the Middle East. The project reduces the UAE's dependence on imported alumina and supplies over 49 per cent of EGA's needs.
Bauxite exports from Guinea Alumina Corporation, EGA's wholly-owned subsidiary in Guinea, began in August 2019. The GAC project was one of the largest greenfield investments in Guinea in over 40 years.
