Power cost of EUR 600 vs EUR 1,800 per tonne: How electricity prices are reshaping Europe’s aluminium industry (Part 1)
How much does it really cost to produce aluminium in Europe, and can the region’s smelters compete with producers in the US and China? Beyond electricity prices, the economics of primary and recycled aluminium, industrial electrification and changing automotive demand are shaping the future of Europe’s aluminium industry. In this exclusive interview with AL Circle, Dr Martin Iffert, Founder and CEO of Martin Iffert Consulting, examines these challenges, discussing smelter economics, recycling competitiveness and the outlook for Europe’s 2040 electrification vision. He also shares his views on Germany’s production landscape and the investments needed to improve productivity and strengthen the aluminium value chain. Dr Iffert brings over 30 years of industry experience. He served as CEO of...
Inside Novelis’ 2030 strategy: Aligning scrap supply, recycling investment and new opportunities in aluminium markets
The AL Circle team caught up with Michael Hahne, Vice President Commercial, Novelis Europe, for a conversation at ALUMINIUM 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany. With experience across the company’s automotive and beverage can businesses, Hahne brings a commercial perspective to the evolving relationship between aluminium, customer needs and circularity. In this exclusive interview, Hahne explains why aluminium’s next growth chapter will depend on more than expanding production. Securing scrap, closing material loops and turning metallurgical expertise into new customer solutions are becoming central to the industry’s competitiveness. As automotive lightweighting, battery applications and circularity reshape demand, he discusses the strategies behind Novelis’ global footprint and the challenges of...
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Part 2: Does every stakeholder in Europe’s aluminium scrap debate fully understand the recycling business model?
In Part 1 of this interview, Stefanie Dixon challenged some of the biggest assumptions shaping Europe's aluminium scrap debate, arguing that recycling policy cannot be built on tonnage figures alone. Stefanie is a strong advocate for evidence-based policymaking and believes that effective regulation must be built on a clear understanding of how the recycling industry actually works. Having worked directly with recyclers, processors, traders and foundries across international markets, she brings a unique value-chain perspective that bridges the gap between policy, manufacturing and the commercial realities of recycling. In this second instalment, the discussion moves beyond the fundamentals to examine the policy, investment and market reforms needed to strengthen Europe's recycling...
Part 1: Does every stakeholder in Europe’s aluminium scrap debate fully understand the recycling business model?
In Part 1 of this exclusive interview with AL Circle, Stefanie Dixon, an international non-ferrous metals trading specialist with nearly two decades of experience in secondary raw materials, explains why aluminium scrap cannot be treated as a single commodity, why market dynamics matter as much as policy ambitions, and how a deeper understanding of alloy chemistry, quality and commercial realities could reshape the debate around Europe's recycling future. Her work focuses on international aluminium scrap markets, recycling economics, commodity trading and the interaction between policy and market dynamics. She is a strong advocate for evidence-based policymaking and believes that effective regulation must be built on a clear understanding of how the recycling industry actually works. AL...
A measure intended to increase the availability of recycled aluminium in Europe could ultimately reduce it, says Julia Ettinger
Europe’s aluminium scrap market is at the centre of a growing debate over whether rising exports are tightening domestic supply or are a result of weak demand from European smelters. In this interview, Julia Ettinger, Secretary General of Recycling Europe, explains the market factors driving scrap exports and the challenges affecting smelter capacity utilisation. She also discusses the possible impact of a proposed export levy on scrap collection, processing and recycling investment, alongside changing aluminium trade flows towards Asian markets and the outlook for Europe’s recycled aluminium sector through 2030. Julia joined Recycling Europe in 2018 and has served as Secretary General since April 2024, leading the association’s work on key regulatory, policy and legal issues affecting...
Salt slag remains one of the most difficult issues for aluminium recyclers to manage today, says Dr Zhongping Que
Europe’s aluminium recycling industry is facing a difficult question: how can increasingly mixed and contaminated scrap be transformed into high-quality alloys without adding more waste, emissions or processing costs? This is what has been addressed by Dr Zhongping Que, an expert in advanced metallurgy and sustainable aluminium recycling, in this interview. She has explained how the CLEANMAT project has brought a viable solution to this through smarter sorting, intelligent pre-treatment, advanced refining and closer control of scrap quality before melting. Her work focuses on alloy design, impurity management and recycling technologies that support a low-carbon, circular metals industry. The discussion explores how next-generation recycling strategies could improve scrap quality, reduce...
From 4.5-micron aluminium foil to mono-material packs: Engineering packaging’s shift
As packaging manufacturers face growing pressure to reconcile performance, recyclability and supply security, integrated manufacturing is emerging as a strategic advantage. Jupiter Group is building across the value chain, spanning aluminium rolling and ultra-thin foil to inks, engraving and flexible packaging. In this conversation with AL Circle, Kunal Bajaj discusses mono-material innovation, precision manufacturing, decarbonisation, backward integration and how India can scale globally competitive packaging solutions without compromising environmental accountability or operational resilience. Bajaj is a second-generation entrepreneur and Promoter at Jupiter Group, where he oversees a diversified manufacturing portfolio spanning flexible packaging, aluminium foils, flat-rolled aluminium...
Stronger collection, sorting and quality standards can enable European aluminium scrap to return to high-value applications
In this exclusive AL Circle interview, Emilio Braghi shares Novelis’ perspective on why aluminium scrap is becoming one of Europe’s most strategic industrial resources and what must change to keep more value within the region. Appointed as Chief Operating Officer in January 2026, Braghi is responsible for driving operational performance across Novelis and advancing excellence in safety, quality and reliability to world-class standards. He also continues to serve as the President of Novelis Europe, a role he has held since September 2016, overseeing 10 manufacturing facilities that produce and recycle aluminium for industries including automotive, aerospace, beverage packaging and construction. With this deep operational view of Europe’s aluminium value chain, Braghi reflects on the forces...
Safeguarding 1.3 Mt of aluminium scrap could enable Europe to reduce primary metal imports by a similar volume
In conversation with Jerome Lucaes regarding aluminium scrap challenges in the European domestic market. In the interview, Mr Lucaes highlighted that if Europe had not exported 1.3 million tonnes of aluminium scrap, it could have cut a similar volume of primary imports. That could reduce Europe’s aluminium carbon footprint by around 17 million tonnes of CO₂ per tonne, according to Lucaes.The conversation also covered the risk of non-inclusion of aluminium scrap within the scope of CBAM, which, according to Lucaes, might leave EU recyclers more than EUR 200 a tonne worse off by 2035. Jerome Lucaes is a senior leader with 35 years of experience, including 25 in the aluminum sector (incl Rio Tinto, RUSAL, Constellium, Arctial), Jerome is an independent advisor driving business...
Indonesia’s aluminium industry must be defined by global credibility, not just production growth
PT Hua Chin Aluminium Indonesia is steadily carving out its space within Indonesia’s fast-growing industrial metals sector, with a strong focus on operational discipline and long-term supply stability. At the core of its operations is a tightly structured procurement system that secures not only primary raw materials but also critical auxiliary inputs essential for smelting efficiency. In this interview, the company highlighted that operational stability is built on a structured procurement framework that secures both primary raw materials and key auxiliary inputs required for smelting. This diversified sourcing strategy is designed to reduce exposure to freight volatility and trade uncertainty, ensuring uninterrupted operations even during external disruptions. A key milestone in its...
The grade of finished products made from recycled aluminium raw materials is improving year by year, says SIMVIC
This exclusive interview with SIMVIC highlights the technical advancements in shredding and sorting. SIMVIC explains iron contamination is the major challenge in scrap recycling. While magnetic separation helps remove iron, aluminium attached to the iron fraction can result in direct aluminium loss. SIMVIC further explains effective recycling solutions must begin with a clear understanding of the customer’s local feedstock conditions. Factors such as lifestyle patterns, waste collection practices and regional material characteristics play a critical role in determining the composition of raw material and the technology required to process it efficiently. According to SIMVIC, the overarching trend in today's recycling market is towards greater refinement. The grade of finished products...
The European aluminium recycling market is currently going through an exciting yet challenging phase with rising demand and scrap outflow
In this interview, as part of the “ Europe Aluminium Recycling Market” , Karl Hoffman, Global Sales Director Metal Recycling of STEINERT, has explained the critical role of sorting and separation in determining the quality of recycled aluminium. According to him, this, in turn, may lead to increased recycling rates of aluminium in Europe. Karl Hoffmann has collected more than 30 years of experience in different positions within the environmental technology industry. Since 2010, Karl has worked for Steinert in Cologne/Germany in different positions. After he joined as Sales Manager, he became Global Key Account Manager and Product Manager for Separation and Sorting Solutions in Metal Recycling. Since the beginning of 2018, he has been responsible for Steinert’s global sales activities in...
Luyou equipment fits Europe, where aluminium scrap availability is limited and recycling rate requirements are high
In an exclusive interview with AL Circle, Shandong Luyou explained the fundamental difference between aluminium scrap recycling and steel scrap recycling, pointing to aluminium’s low melting point and high ductility compared to steel. Published as part of the platform’s latest initiative, “European Aluminium Recycling Market,” the interview highlights how aluminium scrap derived from different end-user products, such as cans, automotive components, or architectural bridges, requires a unique processing approach.Luyou shares that technological advancements have helped them achieve high recovery rates, and they claim their equipment is suitable for the European market, where scrap availability is limited but recycling rate requirements are high. AL Circle: Shandong Luyou has built a strong...
Europe must treat domestic aluminium scrap as a strategic asset to meet its decarbonisation target without being dependent on imports
As part of AL Circle’s latest initiative , “European Aluminium Recycling Market,” an exclusive interview between AL Circle and Tom Jansen, VP and Head of Segments for TOMRA Recycling, explored why Europe’s aluminium recycling debate is shifting from how much scrap is available to how well that scrap can be recovered, retained and reused within the region. In this conversation Jansen stated that Europe’s real challenge lies in scrap quality, industrial retention and competitiveness. He warned that by allowing high-value aluminium scrap to leave the region, Europe is weakening its own circular economy and pushing local smelters into a costly bidding war with international buyers. He also stressed that improving scrap quality must take priority over simply adding recycling capacity. Poor...
Aluminium scrap leakage is also often driven by information asymmetry and inefficient market matching
In an exclusive interview with AL Circle as part of the latest initiative, “European Aluminium Recycling Market” , Ivan Mayorov of CANCOM Austria AG outlined the company’s role in building the digital infrastructure for RecAL, a Horizon Europe project designed to improve Europe’s aluminium supply chain and metals marketplace, enabling them to address long-standing challenges such as data sovereignty, traceability and transparency. Ivan believes information asymmetry and inefficient market matching often leads to scrap leakage. So, in his view, a transparent yet sovereign data exchange is important to create a more efficient internal European market for scrap. Ivan Mayorov at CANCOM Austria AG is a Manager of Digital Sovereignty Team, co-created & now guides a dedicated, business...
Double pressure for Europe with risen ETS costs for aluminium recyclers while valuable scrap moves to higher-paying international markets
As part of AL Circle’s latest initiative, “European Aluminium Recycling Market” , an exclusive interview between AL Circle and Emanuele Manigrassi, Director Climate & Energy at European Aluminium, addressed the loopholes of the updated EU Emissions Trading System benchmarks for 2026-2030, particularly for the recycled aluminium industry. According to Mr Manigrassi, production costs may rise for recyclers due to fewer free allowances under the revised ETS benchmarks. He also pointed to a precarious structure in which EU recyclers remain exposed to ETS and CBAM-related costs, while aluminium scrap and recycled aluminium are not properly covered under CBAM. This comprehensive interview draws attention to the detailed structure of the ETS and CBAM and how they may put the European recycled...
Canada produces 80% of North America’s primary aluminium, drawing on vast amounts of hydropower
In an interview for the 8th edition of LeaderSpeak 2026, , Jean Simard, the President and CEO, Association de l'aluminium du Canada (Aluminium Association of Canada) outlines Canada’s aluminium sector as a reliable, low-carbon and strategically important supplier to North America, while acknowledging that current tariff pressures have made the US-Canada trade relationship more difficult. He stresses that Canada’s strength lies in long-term investment, hydro-powered production, operational excellence and its ability to supply aluminium that the US would struggle to replace domestically due to massive energy requirements. The conversation also highlights Canada’s efforts to strengthen domestic aluminium use, support value-added industries, advance circularity and move from low-carbon to...
There are over 30 Mt of red mud or bauxite residue on the grounds of the Atlantic Alumina (Alcoa) plant in Gramercy, shows LSU reporting
In a conversation with Harvey Kaye, Executive Chairman of U.S. Critical Materials Corp., AL Circle discussed the United States’ growing push to strengthen its domestic critical minerals supply chain and the company’s role in supporting this strategic objective. During the interaction, Harvey said U.S. Critical Materials Corp. is advancing plans to become the first new rare earths mine in the United States to begin supplying heavy rare earth elements within the next two years. Referring to LSU reporting from March 2026, he noted that more than 30 million tonnes of red mud, or bauxite residue, remain on the grounds of the Atlantic Alumina, formerly Alcoa, plant in Gramercy. He further confirmed that Sheep Creek is currently the only economically viable source of virgin ore gallium in the...
Eural Gnutti’s '2033 aluminium' is a highly technical solution, developed specifically to ensure consistency and uniformity
Founded in 1968 in Rovato, Eural Gnutti has built its position as the world’s leading manufacturer of drawn aluminium bars and one of Europe’s largest producers of extruded bars and profiles. Its aluminium bars serve demanding sectors such as mechanical engineering, automotive, aerospace, medical, electrical, electronics and defence, while its heat-treated profiles support applications across automotive, pneumatic, actuator, hydraulic and heat sink manufacturing. As industries accelerate their shift away from lead-based metals, Eural Gnutti’s 2033 lead-free aluminium alloy emerges as more than a material innovation; it represents a strategic response to the future of precision machining. In this interview, Eural Gnutti explains how 2033 was developed to match the productivity of...
Aluminium moves beyond automotive into humanoid robotics, autonomous vehicles, and similar technologies
Part 2 of the interview with John Stokes, General Manager of IDRA Group, moves from identifying industry challenges to exploring practical solutions. While in Part 1 , Mr Stokes pointed to two major concerns of the European aluminium die casting industry, such as scrap leakage and weak data analysis, in this part, he focuses on the role of data crunching and data mining as a critical enabler for the sector’s next phase of growth. Mr Stokes stresses the need to make die casting data more accessible and usable, including for third-party service providers. This, he explains, would allow major software companies to feed valuable insights back into the die casting industry and enable seamless data exchange in and out of die casting machines. Highlighting the demand for aluminium die cast...
