EGA to Acquire Majority Stake in Italian Aluminium Recycling Firm Eco Green, Advancing Global Expansion Strategy
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas and the world’s biggest producer of ‘premium aluminium’, today announced its intention to acquire an 80 per cent stake in Italian aluminium recycling company Eco Green.
The acquisition, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, marks the latest milestone in EGA’s
global expansion and accelerates the company’s growth in aluminium recycling across Europe.
Eco Green specialises in aluminium scrap collection, sorting and casting, and dross processing,
distributing a total of more than 70 thousand tonnes per year.
The company’s plant in Villafranca di Verona in northeast Italy collects, sorts and distributes
approximately 23 thousand tonnes of aluminium scrap annually. A portion of the sorted scrap feeds Eco
Green’s nearby facility in Nogara di Verona, which casts more than 20 thousand tonnes of secondary
sows per year and also processes dross.
Eco Green is advancing an expansion plan in the in Nogara di Verona facility that will add 15 thousand
tonnes per year of recycled aluminium capacity. The project is expected to be completed early in the
second half of 2026.
Eco Green serves more than 60 customers across Europe, primarily in the aluminium processing and
semi-fabrication industries, with end-users in automotive, construction, and other industrial sectors. The
company has also established a strong scrap sourcing network, of more than 350 suppliers, ensuring
consistent access to high-quality scrap.
Founded by the Scappini family in 1993, Eco Green remains family led. The company employs 70
people, and its current management team is expected to continue following completion of the
transaction.
EGA operates the UAE’s largest aluminium recycling plant in Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi. EGA has
already acquired aluminium recycling facilities in Germany and the United States with expansion
projects underway at both sites.
Following completion, the acquisition of Eco Green will bring EGA’s recycling capacity to more than 400
thousand tonnes per year across the UAE, Europe and the United States, with an additional 200
thousand tonnes of capacity under development in Europe and the US. EGA markets its recycled
aluminium globally under the brand RevivAL.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “At EGA, we
are making rapid progress in building a global aluminium recycling business alongside expanding our
primary aluminium production. Post closing, Eco Green will bring EGA reach and expertise in the
European aluminium scrap market, making this a significant step forward in supplying the recycling
operations we are building across the continent to contribute to Europe’s green future. Eco Green will
also add recycled aluminium production in northeast Italy, which we can further develop as part of
EGA.”
Luca Scappini, Chief Executive Officer of Eco Green, said: “Becoming part of the world’s largest
producer of ‘premium aluminium’ will unlock Eco Green’s growth potential, enabling us to further
enhance our plants and expand our scrap supply and customer networks across Europe. EGA is
already a major primary aluminium supplier to Europe, and we look forward to contributing to a
significant and fast-growing EGA recycling business across the continent.”
Analysts expect global demand for recycled aluminium to double by 2040, accounting for around 60 per
cent of growth in global aluminium supply between now and 2030, and around 70 per cent between
2030 and 2040.
Europe, excluding Russia, is the world’s third-largest recycled aluminium market after the United States
and China. Recycled aluminium currently meets around 40 per cent of Europe’s total aluminium
demand, with industries consuming approximately 4.9 million tonnes in 2025. According to CRU,
demand is expected to grow to around 7.2 million tonnes by 2033.
EGA acquired the German specialty foundry Leichtmetall in May 2024. Based in Hannover, EGA
Leichtmetall produces high-strength recycled aluminium. In December, EGA announced a major
expansion project that will increase EGA Leichtmetall’s recycling capacity more than six-fold, adding
110 thousand tonnes per year of scrap sorting capacity and 153 thousand tonnes per year of melting
and casting capacity. The project represents an investment of approximately $170 million, with first hot
metal expected in 2028.
EGA typically exports over 600 thousand tonnes of primary aluminium annually from the UAE to Europe
each year, supplying key industries including automotive and construction.
In September 2024, EGA acquired Spectro Alloys, a recycling company in Minnesota in the United
States. EGA Spectro Alloys completed an expansion in July 2025, bringing its total production capacity
to 165 thousand tonnes per year of recycled aluminium ingots and billets. A second expansion phase,
adding a further 35 thousand tonnes of billet capacity, is under development, with first hot metal
expected in 2027.
In the UAE, EGA began cast metal production in late February at its new 185 thousand tonnes per year
aluminium recycling plant at Al Taweelah. The plant is currently shut down as a result of Iranian missile
and drone attacks at Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi.
Recycling aluminium requires about 95 per cent less energy than producing primary aluminium and
generates only a fraction of the associated greenhouse gas emissions.
Eco Green and the Scappini Family were advised by Lucio Leoni and Legance with Riccardo Paganin,
Carlotta Giani and Emilio De Niro.
