EGA Opens UAE’s Largest Aluminium Recycling Plant

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas sector, has officially inaugurated the country’s largest aluminium recycling plant at Al Taweelah, marking a major milestone in its expansion into low-carbon aluminium production and supporting the UAE’s circular economy ambitions.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, EGA Chairman Homaid Al Shimmari, Vice Chairman His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer, together with members of EGA’s Board and senior management.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak described aluminium recycling as a cornerstone of the UAE’s Circular Economy Policy, noting that recycled aluminium requires up to 95% less energy than producing primary aluminium from raw ore, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while improving resource efficiency.

She praised EGA for leading the country’s aluminium recycling industry and supporting the UAE’s industrial growth and climate objectives.

The Al Taweelah facility has the capacity to process 185,000 tonnes of post-consumer and selected pre-consumer aluminium scrap annually, producing low-carbon aluminium billets and T-bars under the RevivAL brand. EGA also combines recycled aluminium with solar-powered primary aluminium under its CelestiAL-R brand and nuclear-powered aluminium marketed as MinimAL-R.

The new facility enables aluminium scrap generated within the UAE to be processed locally rather than exported, making EGA the country’s largest consumer of aluminium scrap.

Construction of the plant required four million work hours without a single lost-time injury. The project used more than 26,300 cubic metres of concrete and over 4,600 tonnes of structural steel.

Initial production began in February, although final commissioning was temporarily delayed following an attack on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi in March. Operations resumed in April, with recycled aluminium production restarting in early May. Full production capacity is expected to be reached within six months, subject to scrap availability.

EGA Chief Executive Officer Abdulnasser Bin Kalban said the project represents a significant step in building the company’s global recycling business while supporting the UAE’s “Make it in the Emirates” initiative and Operation 300bn industrial strategy.

The Al Taweelah plant also forms part of EGA’s broader international expansion. Including its planned acquisition of an 80% stake in Italy’s Eco Green, the company’s global recycling capacity will exceed 400,000 tonnes per year across the UAE, Europe and the United States, with a further 200,000 tonnes of capacity currently under development.

This follows EGA’s recent acquisitions in Germany and the United States. In Germany, EGA Leichtmetall is expanding with a second recycling facility near Hannover expected to open in 2028, while EGA Spectro Alloys in Minnesota completed a 65,000-tonne expansion in 2025 and is developing an additional 35,000 tonnes of annual capacity by 2027.