Hydro has invested €180 million in a new aluminum recycling plant in Torija, Spain. The company aims to strengthen its position in decarbonizing industries by offering more low-carbon aluminum for Europe's green transition.
In the future, Hydro's new recycling plant will produce 120,000 tons of low-carbon recycled aluminum per year and create around 70 new jobs in Torija. The products are aluminum extrusions for key European industries such as transport and automotive, construction, renewable energy systems and consumer durables. The investment is subject to the final construction decision, expected in the second half of 2024. Production is scheduled to start in 2026.
“Global demand for materials like aluminum is increasing as we build the infrastructure needed for the green transition. To achieve our climate goals, we also need to change the way these materials are made. Key European industries, including automotive and building and construction, need access to responsibly produced materials with low carbon emissions,” explains Eivind Kallevik, Executive Vice President of Hydro Aluminum Metal.
More low-carbon aluminum
Aluminum is light and can be recycled infinitely without compromising the quality of the metal. The Torija facility is expected to supply key European markets with high-quality aluminum alloys for electric vehicles, renewable energy equipment and energy efficient building systems. The extruded ingots produced complement the offerings of the nearby Azuqueca plant.
According to the company, the metallurgical properties of aluminum meet high standards of strength and corrosion resistance, such as those in the automotive industry.
Leveraging process technologies developed at the company's recycling facilities in Clervaux, Luxembourg, and Azuqueca, Spain, Hydro will be able to recycle up to 70,000 tonnes of post-consumer scrap at the new facility in Torija. The plant can produce low-carbon aluminum with a carbon footprint of less than 4.0 kg CO2 per kg, as well as the premium brand Hydro Circal. Hydro Circal is the name for aluminum made from at least 75 percent recycled post-consumer aluminum scrap. It has been certified by DNV and has a market-leading carbon footprint of no more than 1.9kg CO2e/kg aluminium.
