Frank Pollmann, Founder, Taha International, is a German entrepreneur whose business roots are more than 30 years deep in the Gulf region. He founded TAHA International Corporation and led its transformation from a small trading company in Bahrain to a leading-edge provider of award-winning proprietary dross management services to cast house operators worldwide. Through this descriptive interview for AL Circle's 'Aluminium Industry: Focus Europe' e-magazine, Pollmann reflects on the challenges that the business has overcome as well as industry collaborations that have steered the business’ overall growth.
AL Circle: From your perspective, what are the most significant challenges the European aluminium industry faces today regarding waste management, and how can TAHA contribute to addressing these issues?
Frank Pollmann: The European aluminium industry faces significant waste management challenges, with the constant tightening of regulations, particularly in handling by-products like aluminium dross and spent pot lining (SPL). Aluminium dross, a by-product of the smelting process, contains valuable aluminium metal and oxides. Traditional processing methods often involve the use of salts and chemicals, leading to hazardous waste and environmental concerns. Similarly, SPL, generated during the aluminium electrolysis process, is classified as hazardous due to its toxic constituents, posing disposal and environmental challenges.
TAHA International addresses these challenges through its innovative, environmentally friendly dross processing solutions. Their proprietary technology operates without the addition of salts or chemicals, recovering up to 90% of available metal in the dross during the first processing stage. The remaining aluminium is recovered through meticulous mechanical separation. This approach not only maximises metal recovery but also eliminates hazardous waste production, aligning with the industry's sustainability goals.
In summary, the European aluminium industry's primary waste management challenges involve the safe and sustainable handling by-products like aluminium dross and SPL. TAHA addresses these issues by providing innovative, zero-waste processing solutions that enhance metal recovery and convert residuals into valuable products, thereby supporting the industry's transition towards more sustainable practices.
AL Circle: Your collaboration with a German research institute to produce aluminium tri-hydrate (ATH) showcases TAHA’s commitment to innovation. Can you discuss the significance of such partnerships and how they shape the future direction of your product development?
Frank Pollmann: Collaborations, such as TAHA's partnership with a German research institute to produce aluminium tri-hydrate (ATH), are crucial for innovation. These partnerships enable the development of new processes that convert residual aluminium oxide into valuable products, enhancing TAHA's product portfolio and contributing to the advancement of sustainable practices in the industry. Aluminium produced at the ALBA smelter in Bahrain generates dross—a by-product containing valuable metallic aluminium. TAHA processes the hot dross immediately after skimming using a proprietary two-step method, recovering aluminium and leaving a residual material referred to as "Oxides." These oxides, containing 78–88% aluminium oxide and other metal oxides, can be converted into high-purity aluminium tri-hydrate (ATH) through a process akin to the Bayer process. This involves dissolving oxides in a caustic solution, filtering out impurities like iron hydroxide, and precipitating aluminium hydroxide, which is then dried to yield ATH. The process efficiently handles varying oxide compositions and is adaptable to other metal oxide mixtures, such as those from primary aluminium smelters.
Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH) is a widely used fire retardant and smoke suppressant due to its ability to release water vapour when exposed to high temperatures, which cools the material and dilutes combustible gases. Additionally, ATH forms a protective char layer on the material's surface, inhibiting the spread of flames and reducing smoke generation.
AL Circle: One of TAHA’s strengths is deploying onsite processing solutions near cast houses. How does this strategic placement contribute to minimising the carbon footprint and enhancing the circular economy in the aluminium industry?
Frank Pollmann: Deploying processing facilities near cast houses minimises the carbon footprint by reducing the need for transportation and reheating of dross. This strategic placement allows for immediate processing, leading to higher metal recovery rates and supporting the circular economy by returning recovered metal directly to the original furnace.
AL Circle: TAHA’s dross processing method results in an 81% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional processes. What steps is TAHA taking to improve these environmental metrics further, and how do you envision this influencing the global aluminium industry’s sustainability goals?
Frank Pollmann: TAHA International's innovative aluminium dross processing method achieves an 81% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional TRF methods. This significant improvement is based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) conducted by Ernst and Young, aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and using CO2e factors from EPA, DEFRA, and Ecoinvent databases. The analysis covers the entire process, from transporting the dross processing machine to the operational site to the final residual oxide refining stage, highlighting TAHA's sustainable approach to reducing emissions while eliminating toxic salt cake and producing reusable by-products. To further improve environmental metrics, TAHA continues to refine its processes and develop new technologies that enhance efficiency and sustainability. Their commitment to innovation positions them as a leader in promoting sustainability within the global aluminium industry.
To read the full interview, click here.
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