Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has inaugurated the UAE’s largest aluminium recycling plant, a milestone in EGA’s growth in low carbon aluminium and the development of the UAE’s circular economy.
The inauguration 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 (EAD), EGA’s Chairman Homaid Al Shimmari, EGA’s Vice Chairman
His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer, and members of EGA’s Board and senior management team.
Her Excellency Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment,
said: “Recycling is the cornerstone of the UAE’s Circular Economy Policy which aims to transform the
nation into a global hub for green development by shifting from linear to circular production and
consumption, enhancing resource efficiency, and minimising waste. Aluminium represents one of our
greatest opportunities to drive this transition from linear to circular model of production. It is infinitely
recyclable, protecting our ecosystems while fuelling a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Recycling
aluminium waste requires up to 95 per cent less energy1 compared to producing new primary aluminium
from raw ore, saving significant energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
“Emirates Global Aluminium has been a pioneer of our nation’s industry for decades, and today, they
are leading the charge as our national champion in aluminium recycling. I congratulate EGA on the
strategic growth of its recycling business both here in the UAE and globally, proving that industrial
leadership and climate action go hand in hand.”
Al Taweelah recycling plant has a production capacity of 185,000 tonnes per year. The plant processes
post-consumer aluminium scrap, and some pre-consumer aluminium scrap, into low-carbon, highquality ‘premium aluminium’ billets and T-bars, mar
EGA also blends recycled metal with primary aluminium produced using solar power, marketed as
CelestiAL-R, and with nuclear power, sold as MinimAL-R.
Most aluminium scrap generated in the UAE has historically been exported for processing outside the
country and is lost to the national economy. Al Taweelah recycling plant offers the processing capacity
locally making EGA the largest consumer of aluminium scrap in the UAE.
Constructing Al Taweelah recycling plant took 4 million hours of work, which was completed with zero
injuries requiring time off work. The project required more than 26,300 cubic metres of concrete, more
than the volume of 10 Olympic-size swimming pools, as well as over 4,600 metric tonnes of structural
steel, almost two-thirds of the iron weight of the Eiffel Tower.
Al Taweelah recycling plant began producing recycled aluminium in February. Final commissioning
work was paused following an Iranian attack on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi on 28 March and
resumed during April. Recycled cast metal production resumed in early May. Ramp-up to full production
is expected to take up to six months, in line with the original ramp-up timeline, depending on scrap
availability
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “The
inauguration of Al Taweelah recycling plant is a major milestone in EGA’s development of a global
aluminium recycling business. This new plant turns aluminium waste generated in the UAE and
elsewhere into new aluminium that makes modern life possible around the world. With this project, we
have added a new industrial activity to EGA’s operations in the UAE, in line with Make it in the Emirates
and the UAE’s Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy.
With Al Taweelah recycling plant and a planned aluminium recycling plant acquisition in Italy, EGA’s
aluminium recycling capacity has reached more than 400,000 tonnes per year across the UAE, Europe
and the United States, with an additional 200,000 tonnes of capacity under development in Europe and
the United States
EGA acquired recycling plants in Germany and the United States in 2024, and is growing both
operations.
EGA is expanding EGA Leichtmetall in Germany more than six-fold, with a second plant in a new
location near Hannover adding 150,000 tonnes of capacity and expected to be complete during 202
In Minnesota in the United States, EGA Spectro Alloys completed a 65,000 tonnes per year expansion
in 2025 and is currently developing a second phase of the expansion to add a further 35,000 tonnes per
year of capacity during 2027.
In April, EGA announced its intention to acquire an 80 per cent stake in Italian aluminium recycling
company Eco Green. The acquisition remains subject to regulatory approvals.
