AlCircle: How do you envision the year 2022 for the global aluminium industry and foundry segment following the economic impact caused by the Covid pandemic?

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: In Europe, just as we were recovering from the pandemic, where all industrial sectors have been impacted over the last two years, we are now facing an unprecedented increase in energy prices. This situation is causing a mismatch in raw material prices and production costs, affecting all sectors including the aluminium industry.

On the other hand, the automotive industry is trying to migrate from the combustion engine to other more environmentally friendly technologies (electric motors, hydrogen, etc.), which has caused consumer uncertainty, slowed down vehicle sales, and directly affected the aluminium smelting sector.

These two effects, together with the political uncertainty we are currently experiencing in Europe, make it difficult to predict how the sector will grow in the coming months.  

AlCircle: What new technology invention in the aluminium foundry and also in the non-ferrous foundry sector Insertec is anticipating in 2022?

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: The current situation, with its significant dose of uncertainty regarding the future, has pushed many companies in the sector to reconnect with their essence. In the case of Insertec, we are facing this new era of aluminium by dedicating our efforts to developing solutions that reconcile people, technology and the environment. We are firmly committed to artificial intelligence; our objective is to limit human risks and improve the performance of production plants.

To this end, we have developed the LAU Intelligent System, a tool that allows us to obtain and analyse in real-time the data generated in the production plant, which enables us to make strategic decisions that affect optimum production performance, equipment maintenance, stock control, purchasing, quality, etc. In short, a window to the strengthening of companies.

AlCircle: Could you please detail to us on Insertec’s performance in 2021 and projection for 2022?

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: In 2021, even though we did not reach our objectives, we were able to maintain an acceptable volume of business. This was possible thanks to the opening of new markets in Asia & Africa and the work and involvement of the whole team.

Also, the implementation of a new department called "Remote Commissioning & Support service", has allowed us to remotely carry out the commissioning and start-up of equipment from our facilities in Basauri, Bizkaia, Spain, greatly reducing the impact of mobility restrictions during the months of international isolation.

By 2022, we will strengthen our presence in new markets by gradually creating a network of new local partners, with the aim of reaching our global business figures. The idea is to take advantage of local talent and their knowledge of the industrial environment, but add to it the technical knowledge and experience of the team at our headquarters in Basauri (Bizkaia, Spain).

AlCircle: The metal aluminium has developed a great significance worldwide. How do you anticipate the global aluminium foundry business will attain a new dimension?

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: There is currently a high demand for aluminium globally and it is expected to grow in line with other materials and metals. We are at a double crossroads: we need to produce more to meet demand, but without losing sight of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The automotive sector is one of the main consumers: it relies mainly on primary aluminium, 74% of whose production today depends on non-renewable energy. The problem is clear and so is the solution: to focus on recycling and decarbonisation. To grow, aluminium production must become greener, but this requires the involvement of public authorities.

At the European level, some interesting projects are already underway in this regard. We are fortunate to collaborate with one of them, ETEKINA, which focuses on the use of HPHE to improve the energy performance of industrial processes by recovering and reusing heat.

The industry of tomorrow is being drawn: we are facing a very stimulating challenge.  

AlCircle: First, the Covid pandemic, then the surge in energy price in Europe and now the Russia-Ukraine combat has leapt the price of aluminium to exceptionally high. Do you feel this is changing the dynamics of the foundry business?

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: The several crises that have hit us in recent months have put the spotlight on two problems in the sector: the volatility of raw material prices, the price of energy and the fragility of logistics. The current situation requires a real change of mentality. Until now, the circular economy has been a buzzword used by marketing departments, but with no real involvement in the company's production processes. This has to change, we have to build a network of proximity and, above all, promote recycling. Aluminium itself is an ideal material to do this, but we have to work at every stage of the process. In this sense, our group collaborates with different projects such as Bauxal II, which will allow the transformation of secondary aluminium oxide into an alternative raw material to bauxite in the manufacture of refractories.

AlCircle: The increasingly demanding production system means that aluminium recycling and foundry plants have fewer shutdown times. How do you respond to this?

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: The key here is prevention as a measure to limit the risk of unplanned downtime as much as possible. The digitalisation of plants is a real milestone in predictive maintenance.  

Our LAU Intelligent System makes it possible to monitor the status of installations in real-time, reducing the downtime of production lines, but it is the learning capacity of our solution that makes it truly unique.

AlCircle: Insertec claims that its aluminium recycling plants are designed to obtain the highest metal recoveries. Kindly detail to us the reason behind your claim of being the best.

Mr José Ignacio Sesma: In the process of recycling and melting post-consumer scrap, with different types of impurities and volatile organic compounds (paints, lacquers, plastics, water/oil fluids), pre-treatment, and more specifically descaling, is key to obtaining the highest possible metal efficiency, a key factor in the performance of the production plant.  

Hence, our aluminium recycling plants are designed to obtain the highest metal efficiency, with the implementation of one of the best technologies available on the market for the deslagging of aluminium scrap.