Bruce is a successful engineering professional with over 25 years of experience in the primary aluminium industry—a graduate in mechanical engineering and business administration with certification in project management. I have strong business acumen that has developed while working for world-class companies. He has excellent leadership qualities with an ability to mentor and motivate individuals, creating high-performance teams. A strong track record in the successful execution of multi-disciplined projects with high standards in technical, contractual, and managerial roles in green-field and brown-field primary aluminium smelter projects. Bruce currently leads an energetic, innovative, and dynamic team as the Director of the Aluminium Division for REEL INTERNATIONAL.

AL Circle: Can you provide an overview of REEL—Aluminium Division's vision for 2024 and beyond and its significance within the aluminium industry? What distinguishes REEL from other market players?

Bruce Roger WILSON: With the directive from the REEL Groupe, the Aluminium Division's vision for 2024 emphasises creating a safe working environment for all our employees, with the main focus on a "work-life balance" and mental health. With an excellent track record in safety over the years, the one objective for 2024 is to continue and maintain these safety standards by achieving a zero LTI. 

The vision is for REEL Aluminium to become the preferred strategic business partner on all major smelter projects because of our technical "know-how", after-sales service, global approach and our proximity and physical presence close to the major aluminium smelter production hubs. With the acquisitions of NKM, Noell Special Cranes, ALESA, the carbon technologies of OUTOTECH, the environmental solutions for aluminium smelters of GE ALSTOM and MOELLER, REEL Aluminium has become the leader in the supply of specialised equipment to the aluminium smelter industry.

Today, REEL Aluminium has the capability to provide Electrolysis and Carbon Cranes, Alumina Material Handling Systems, Vacuum Ship-unloaders/loaders, Port Material Handling and Storage, Environmental Control Systems, Anode Rodding Shop, Green Anode Plant, Carbon Recycling Plant and Bath Treatment Plant, giving us a significant advantage over our competitors.    In addition, we provide our clients with the most cost-effective engineered solutions to upgrade their existing plants in order to improve their operational KPIs.

AL Circle: REEL Alesa is highlighted as a major player in equipment and solutions for the aluminium industry. Could you delve into the specific solutions and technologies offered by REEL Alesa?

Bruce Roger WILSON: REEL ALESA is one of our Technology Centres within the REEL Aluminium Division, based out of Zurich, Switzerland and has the technology and “know-how” to design, supply, install and commission Alumina Material Handling Systems, Potfeeding Systems, Vacuum Ship-unloaders/loaders, Port Material Handling and Storage and Environmental Control Systems. REEL ALESA’s philosophy is to provide equipment and technologies for handling raw materials from the Port to the Pot. The technology and “know-how” in Environmental Control, specifically related to treating bake furnace fumes and pot gases, allows REEL ALESA to enter into agreements with various smelters around the world to explore our various options for Carbon Capture and Storage. In addition, REEL ALESA has the expertise to supply vacuum ship unloaders with a discharge rate of over 1000 tons per hour of alumina, which is the highest discharge rate for ship unloaders. These high-discharge capacity ship unloaders reduce the demurrage cost of clients.

AL Circle: How does REEL Alesa tailor its solutions to meet the needs and challenges of aluminium smelting plants? What are the primary benefits that clients can expect from implementing REEL Alesa's solutions in their operations?

Bruce Roger WILSON: Every aluminium smelter has challenges with the implementation of upgrades and changes to a fully operational plant; therefore, having a strategic partner like REEL ALESA with a good track record within the aluminium smelter industry for providing innovative solutions to implementing upgrades will be to the smelter's advantage. All REEL ALESA solutions are tailored to meet the needs of the clients by taking into consideration the restraints with regard to safety, access, production requirements and limited shutdowns.

AL Circle: The recent Hydro Karmoy technology pilot aims to test the world's most climate and energy-efficient aluminium electrolysis technology. How does REEL - Aluminium Division contribute to innovation and sustainability within the industry?

Bruce Roger WILSON: A few aluminium smelters around the world are currently implementing new potline technology with a focus on environmental control and energy efficiency. Various Technology Centres within the REEL Aluminium Division are providing solutions and equipment that meet the client's needs and address the requirements to achieve energy efficiency and effective environmental control measures. All our innovative solutions are restricted by a signed confidentiality agreement with the smelters; therefore, no details can be provided at this time.  

AL Circle: In what ways does REEL prioritise sustainability and environmental responsibility in its operations and offerings? How does REEL stay ahead of the curve in adopting and integrating new technologies to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact?

Bruce Roger WILSON: It is a fact that primary aluminium production poses environmental challenges. Historically, the focus has been typically on fluoride and sulphur dioxide emissions as well as on the management of Spent Pot Lining (SPL) hazardous wastes, but now the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is fast becoming a major priority for aluminium smelters.

Over the years, REEL has developed a complete range of solutions to efficiently address those multiple evolving challenges, supporting its client's efforts to minimise their overall environmental impact.

In the 70s, REEL was at the forefront of developing modern dry scrubbing systems, dramatically reducing the effects of smelters' fluoride emissions. Over the years, REEL has constantly improved its gas treatment technologies to make these ever more efficient and robust systems, addressing other pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). In parallel, new equipment was developed to collect and treat fugitive emissions, for example, from opened pots or spent anodes.

Today, REEL is actively developing technologies supporting the industry's decarbonisation efforts – a tremendous task. In the short term, these are typically targeted at reducing the plant energy consumption or recovering and valorising the vast amounts of energy currently wasted in the form of heat. Longer-term, these will include solutions for efficiently capturing the CO2 emitted by the pots.

Finally, and in parallel, REEL is committed to measuring and progressively reducing the carbon footprint from its own operation as well as from its products & services, thus contributing to a more sustainable aluminium industry.

AL Circle: How do you foresee the global aluminium industry in 2024? What are some current trends and developments shaping it, and how is REEL positioning itself to adapt to these changes?

Bruce Roger WILSON: There are two sectors in the aluminium smelter industry that REEL focuses on, and that is “Greenfields” Smelter Projects and “Brownfield” Smelter Projects. In 2024 and at present, there are no indicators that any “Greenfield” Smelter Project will be initiated, but there is a possibility that in late 2024, an announcement will be made to initiate the start of a “Greenfield” Smelter Project. Therefore, existing aluminium smelters are approving and implementing “Brownfield” Projects that will increase production capacity and address their environmental responsibility for their existing operations. These “Brownfield” Projects maintain the financial viability of the smelter and address the latest governmental regulations on permissible emissions.    REEL Aluminium Division’s various Technology Centres are engaged with smelters around the world on these “Brownfield” Projects by providing the latest, state-of-the-art solutions and equipment that will ensure production capacity increase and, including implementing solutions that will reduce and treat fumes and gas emissions. The overall view on the global aluminium industry is very optimistic, and the need to increase production capacity is always a challenge to all smelters, it is REEL’s objective to become the strategic partner that assists in achieving these initiatives.    

AL Circle: Could you discuss some of the challenges that aluminium producers face today and how REEL—Aluminium Division addresses them through its products and services?

Bruce Roger WILSON: All aluminium producers have become extremely cost-sensitive due to the ever-increasing raw material costs, labour costs, etc, which affect the break-even production costs. Smelters, therefore, implement various strategies to curtail these spiralling costs by ensuring that suppliers such as REEL support their strategy to reduce costs. In an effort to support these cost reduction strategies, REEL had to review the costing structures of the “Brownfield” Projects by implementing an internal initiative to manufacture the project components locally near the smelter as a way to reduce the cost of logistics. In addition, various other internal initiatives have been implemented to meet the smelter's expectations.