Beyond aluminium smelting capacity, we propose to incentivise emissions cuts to support wider decarbonisation: Ed Boyd, Mission Possible Partnership
As the European Council seeks political alignment on the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), the debate over how to accelerate aluminium decarbonisation in bringing emissions accounting and demand for low-carbon metal into focus. Against the backdrop of Mission Possible Partnership’s (MPP) open letter, AL Circle speaks with Ed Boyd, MPP’s Global Policy Lead, about the policies needed to support the European aluminium industry’s transition. Boyd argues that effective decarbonisation must account for emissions from alumina refining and track Scope 2 emissions associated with purchased electricity. On mandatory green procurement and lead-market thresholds of at least 50 per cent for aluminium, he says producers are ready to supply low-carbon metal at scale and considers the proposed threshold...
EU-India FTA, CBAM and carbon costs: Can Indian aluminium crack the European market?
A former Deputy Secretary General of the European Parliament and Director of the EPP Group, Paolo Licandro, has extensive experience in European policymaking, international relations, industry, energy and EU affairs. He is currently the Founder and CEO of eEuropa Belgium and Editor of eEuropa.Blog. He has worked with European prime ministers, ministers and EU commissioners and has held senior roles covering EU enlargement, Mediterranean and Middle East relations, and industry, research and energy. A nuclear engineer, he holds a master’s degree from Politecnico di Milano and has worked with ENI, ARS-Pragma and the EU Joint Research Centre. In this interview, Paolo Licandro shares his perspective on EU–India aluminium trade, CBAM and the opportunities for Indian producers in Europe. AL...
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“Deployment of the Alcore technology will consume excess bath, and reduce the need for fluorspar as a feedstock for aluminium fluoride production.” Dr Mark Cooksey, Managing Director and CEO at ABx Group
As the Managing Director and CEO of the organization, Dr Mark Cooksey joined in early 2020. He previously held process improvement and process development leadership positions with Rio Tinto, GE and CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Dr Cooksey has focused on process innovation throughout his 25-year career. He has extensive experience developing and commercializing new mineral industry processes, particularly in the aluminium value chain. AlCircle: Could you share Alcore’s innovative journey of building the fluorine recovery reactor? What inspired the creation of this cutting-edge technology? Dr Mark Cooksey: The inspiration came from recognising that fluorine is the most expensive component of aluminium fluoride, fluorine is typically high-cost in Australia because it has no...
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine immediately led to uncertainty in the market, with corresponding price hike on energy and increasing raw material prices”, Halvor Molland, SVP of Communication & Public Affairs at Norsk Hydro ASA
Halvor Molland is Senior Vice President of Communication & Public Affairs at Norsk Hydro ASA, a global energy and aluminium company headquartered in Norway. An experienced journalist, he holds a Master of Science with experience in offshore oil and gas development projects. Molland has extensive experience in the field of international corporate communication. Previously, Molland served as Press and Information Officer at the Stabilization Force (SFOR) headquarters in Sarajevo, the NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force. AlCircle: What has been Hydro's journey to produce the first near-zero carbon aluminium at their recycling facility in Clervaux, Luxembourg? Halvor Molland: Hydro has developed our low-carbon aluminium offerings over the last few years. This includes Hydro CIRCAL, a...
“The Brazilian aluminium industry is closely monitoring developments in Europe, as the tensions in the geopolitical scenario have direct effects on global supply chains, especially on the availability and price of the metal”, Janaina Donas, Executive President of the Brazilian Aluminum Association (ABAL)
As a corporate affairs executive, Janaina Donas acquired a broad experience in government relations, communications, sustainability, community relations and business development. She graduated in International Relations, with an MBA in Business Administration. Before taking on the role as Executive President of the Brazilian Aluminum Association (ABAL), she served as Regional Director of External Relations and New Business for Latin America at Newmont Corporation, in Peru and Miami. She also worked as Government Relations and Communication Director for Alcoa, 3M and as an associated partner at Patri, a Government Relations and Public Policy Consulting Company in Brazil. AlCircle: The European aluminium industry is facing critical challenges since the previous year. How has this impacted...
“To a large extent, the European Union is dependent on China for the primary aluminium supply because of the continuous decline in primary metal production in Europe,” President of the International Aluminium Exhibition METEF
AlCircle is honoured to have Dr Mario Conserva giving his views and opinions of the European aluminium market. Dr Conserva is associated with the aluminium industry since 1963 and now the President of the International Aluminium Exhibition METEF, Cofounder and General Secretary of Federation of Aluminium Consumers in Europe (FACE) and General Director of the International Magazine A&L Aluminium and Alloys. He also serves EAC Edimet Aluminium Consulting Srl as a Chief Executive Officer. Let’s hear from him. AlCircle: Could you please share your views on the overall market trend in the European aluminium industry this year? Dr Conserva: The Italian aluminium market had a substantial and significant recovery last year, with an overall record of metal use of approximately 2.3 million tonnes...
“We plan to offer more secondary aluminium to OEMs and traders in the European market in a bid to increase the total recycled content in machinery, products, and manufacturing,” Raymond Onovwigun, CEO & founder of Romco Group
Raymond Onovwigun is the CEO & founder of Romco Group. As a serial entrepreneur, Raymond has successfully built Romco as the fastest-growing green aluminium producer in West Africa. Romco is now a big part of a recycling effort to help build Africa into a powerhouse of sustainability. Starting with just one small can baler 5 years ago, Raymond’s vision has seen Romco now operate over three continents, producing from over four countries and having an annual turn over of US$29.4 million in 2021. Romco has over 350 employees and projects to have 500 more within a year. It plans to ship recycled metals from all coasts of the African continent — greatly reducing the need for mining and burning coal to produce aluminium everywhere. To know his views and opinions on the European aluminium...
“A great uncertainty remains in Europe. We must stay watchful and alert to envision all possible outcomes”, Éloïse Harvey, CEO at EPIQ MACHINERY
Born in Montreal, Éloïse Harvey obtained her Bachelor of Engineering & Management from McMaster University (Hamilton, ON). In 1999, Éloïse joined Mecfor (equipment manufacturer), the youngest of the four companies in the family group (Ceger) as a Technical Sales Representative. Over the years, her dynamism and her vision for business development led her to work her way up within the growing organization. Indeed, from 12 employees and 2 million in turnover when started, Mecfor saw its number of employees and its volume multiply by 10 during the first twenty years of Éloïse's career. In 2018, Éloïse and a group of a few operator partners bought Mecfor from Ceger. The arrival of a patient financial partner who invests in the long term represents the first step towards an aggressive program...
“The market tightened further as European aluminium producers tried to replace Russian aluminium with alternative suppliers”, Moritz Hansen, Head of Marketing & Communication at Speira
In his role as Head of Communication & Marketing at Speira (formerly Hydro Rolling), Moritz Hansen is responsible for communicating with a 360° approach towards internal and external stakeholders including the disciplines of the employee, marketing and crisis communications, as well as media relations. In addition, he is also acting as spokesperson for Speira. AlCircle: What was the major reason Speira entered into an agreement with Alcoa for the supply of low-carbon EcoLum™ aluminium? Moritz Hansen: In Speira, we share the passion for reducing the carbon footprint of our products and driving the decarbonisation of our business. We think sustainability is end-to-end, from sourcing through efficient operations to products. The partnership with Alcoa and the decision to purchase EcoLumTM is...
“EnPot can have a positive impact on aluminium smelters’ carbon footprint; particularly those that have access to variable renewable electricity but struggle to take advantage of it because of its variability,” Karyna Young, CEO of EnPot
Karyna Young is associated with EnPot since inception in 2016 and now serving the company as Chief Executive Officer from early 2021. EnPot is an innovative new technology that fundamentally changes the way smelters use energy to produce aluminium. Karyna started her career as a commercial lawyer and finance company director in both New Zealand and Australia. In addition to leading EnPot, she is the CEO of Yunca Group, a manufacturing and engineering business and supplier to the global aluminium industry. We are extremely delighted to have her with us in our “European Aluminium Industry Focus 2022” e-Magazine, and here is an excerpt from her interview. AlCircle: EnPot technology enables smelters to vary their energy usage to better match electricity price fluctuations. Could this help...
“We have been shocked and appalled by the events in Ukraine and we have publicly expressed our desire for an early end to the conflict”, Roman Borisov, Sales Director for EMEA at Rusal
Roman Borisov is the Sales Director for Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) of Rusal with more than 15 years of commercial leadership experience in the aluminium industry. In his role, Roman is responsible for Value Added Product and Low Carbon Aluminium sales across the region, supporting key vertical markets including Automotive, Packaging, Construction and Energy Transition. AlCircle: How would you rate Rusal’s performance for 2021 and envision the year 2022? Mr Roman Borisov: In general, 2021 was a very solid year for RUSAL. The Company showed resilience in withstanding the COVID-19 pandemic and various challenges particular to the aluminium industry. We supported our clients around the globe, providing flexibility and options required to absorb the supply chain disruptions, and...
“In South Africa, among the various industrial sectors, packaging is the current major aluminium demand driver”, Mr Muzi Manzi, Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Federation of South Africa (AFSA)
Mr Muzi Manzi is the Chief Executive Officer of AFSA and is responsible for the management and governance of the Federation. He is also a member of the AFSA Board of Directors, responsible for development and implementation of the South African Aluminium Industry Roadmap (SAAIR). One of the deliverables of the SAAIR is to elevate the local industry to become competitive to be able to double local aluminium demand and ultimately for the country to become a net exporter of value-added aluminium products. Muzi Manzi, a qualified Metallurgical Engineer and MBA, has an extensive experience in the aluminium industry, especially related to policy development and stakeholder engagement. Being an integral part of the aluminium industry, especially in South Africa, he has shared his projections...
“The unfortunate situation with Russia and Ukraine will also affect our industry and we are waiting to see how the various sanctions will further impact our occidental clients”, Eloise Harvey, CEO of EPIQ Machinery.
Born in Montreal, Éloïse Harvey obtained her Bachelor of Engineering & Management from McMaster University (Hamilton, ON). In 1999, Éloïse joined Mecfor (equipment manufacturer), the youngest of the four companies in the family group (Ceger) as a Technical Sales Representative. Over the years, her dynamism and her vision for business development led her to work her way up within the growing organization. Indeed, from 12 employees and 2 million in turnover when started, Mecfor saw its number of employees and its volume multiply by 10 during the first twenty years of Éloïse's career. In 2018, Éloïse and a group of a few operator partners bought Mecfor from Ceger. The arrival of a patient financial partner who invests in the long term represents the first step towards an aggressive program...
“EGA plans to build a 150,000 tonnes per year aluminium recycling facility, which will be our first and the largest of its kind in the UAE”, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium
Abdulnasser Ibrahim Saif Bin Kalban is Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). Before he was appointed CEO in 2020, Mr Bin Kalban had served as an Alternate Board Member of EGA since May 2017. He is a member of EGA’s Technical and Project Committee and its Finance and Commercial Committee. However, he also sits on the Board of Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), EGA's bauxite mining subsidiary. As Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bin Kalban is responsible for managing EGA’s ongoing operations and business and reports to EGA’s Managing Director. Mr Bin Kalban joined DUBAL in 1996 and worked in both Major Projects and the Power and Desalination Department. (DUBAL merged with EMAL to form EGA in 2014). In 2014, Mr Kalban left his position as General Manager of Power and...
“The aluminium industry’s specific issues related to regulation, geopolitical risk, legal limits on the use of natural resources, have created additional challenges”, Frederic Pereira, Head of Marketing at Fives Aluminium
Frederic Pereira is Head of Marketing at Fives Aluminium. In this role among others, he is responsible for leading the business strategy for services and digital innovation. After studying industrial engineering in France, he started working within the automotive industry moving to the aluminium sector in 2006, joining French company ECL which now forms part of the Fives Aluminium division. He has extensive experience in engineering, project management, and business development. AlCircle: How do you think the year 2022 will shape the demand-supply scenario of the global aluminium industry? Mr Frederic Pereira: We can see that the demand for aluminium is set to grow at an increasing rate going forward, driven largely by a growing appetite for environmentally friendly solutions in...
“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”, José Ignacio Sesma, General Manager at Insertec
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...
Progesys has been very active in helping clients with projects targeting the net-zero emission”, Riad Four, CEO at Progesys
Riad is the founder and CEO of Progesys that is responsible for providing leadership and managing the growth of the company. He has over 23 years of experience in project management and executive leadership throughout North America and abroad. He started his career in the aluminium industry in Canada and then the USA. He worked with owners of assets and projects as well as, and engineering firms before he founded Progesys in 2003 and has since been responsible for its growth and expansion to many industries and regions including Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. He received the UQAM performance award in 2016 for leadership, entrepreneurship, and international development. Riad is a registered professional engineer. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from École...
“Although higher aluminium prices may add to the financial bottom line in the short run, we must also remember that aluminium as a material competes with other materials, so artificially high prices over time will also have a potential downside”, Hilde Merete Aasheim, President & CEO at Norsk Hydro
Hilde Merete Aasheim is the President & CEO of Norsk Hydro. A Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, Norsk Hydro ASA is headquartered in Oslo. It is one of the largest aluminium companies worldwide, with operations across 50 countries. Starting from bauxite and alumina, Hydro produces low-carbon aluminium, extruded profiles, building systems, precision tubes, rolled products, and casthouse products. Besides, the company has reckoned a name in the industry by offering a variety of services with unmatched capability and knowledge. It currently has 16 ASI certified extrusion and fabrication facilities. We are grateful to have Hydro with us in our flagship e-magazine LeaderSpeak 2022, where the company’s President and CEO have shared the new plans and strategies for 2022 and also...
“We also believe that aluminium is an important component for a growing and greener society and are fully committed to this industry for the long term”, Jean-Denis Carrier, Global Director for Aluminium & Alliances at Hatch
Mr Jean-Denis Carrier is passionate about the development and delivery of aluminium smelter projects and technologies for over 20 years. He currently is the Global Director for Aluminium & Alliances at Hatch where he leads one of the largest technical teams in the aluminium industry. Mr Carrier’s career has taken him from North America via North Africa to the Middle East, where he was previously the Regional Director for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) for Hatch’s portfolio in the region for the Aluminium, Minerals and Infrastructure industries. This role included the realization of several large execution projects as well as long-term service agreements with Hatch’s key clients in the region. Mr Carrier is a chartered Civil Engineer holding an Executive MBA from INSEAD. Throughout...
“Modern smelters fitted with EnPot modulation technology can maximise operating performance and reduce their CO2 emissions profile by flexing their energy use to match electricity generation fluctuations”, Karyna Young, CEO of EnPot
We are glad to have Karyna Young join us at LeaderSpeak 2022, a Chief Executive Officer of EnPot since early 2021, after being involved with the company since its inception in 2016. EnPot is an innovative new technology that fundamentally changes the way smelters use energy to produce aluminium. It is helping the world achieve net zero emission sooner by reducing aluminium’s carbon footprint. Karyna started her career as a commercial lawyer and finance company director in both New Zealand and Australia. In addition to leading EnPot, she is a CEO of Yunca Group, a manufacturing and engineering business and supplier to the global aluminium industry. AlCircle.com: How is EnPot technology supporting the world to attain net-zero emissions? Karyna Young: EnPot supports the rapid uptake of...
