The winners of the ALUMINIUM Innovation Awards 2026

Pioneering ideas for an industry in transition

A successful debut: With the launch of the ALUMINIUM Innovation Awards, ALUMINIUM 2026 created a dedicated stage for the industry's most outstanding innovation leaders for the very first time. In partnership with the International Aluminium Journal, companies were recognised whose ideas and technologies provide answers to the key challenges facing the global aluminium industry and set new benchmarks for its future.

The strong response to the new initiative underlines its relevance: More than 70 submissions and over 9,700 votes cast in the public voting process made the Innovation Awards one of the most talked-about highlights of ALUMINIUM 2026 from the outset. The awards ceremony took place on 7 October and provided a fitting finale to the second day of the event.

Innovation driving the industry forward

The aluminium industry is undergoing profound transformation, from decarbonisation and new materials to intelligent manufacturing systems. Innovation plays a key role in achieving climate goals, unlocking new applications and securing the industry’s long-term competitiveness. The ALUMINIUM Innovation Awards were created to showcase exactly these developments and give the teams and companies behind them the recognition their work deserves.

Patrick Herman, Event Director of ALUMINIUM at RX, emphasises: “Our goal: make innovation visible, but above all, reward companies for their efforts! When the best ideas are recognised on a stage like this, they raise the bar across the industry – and draw the attention of policymakers, which is vital for shaping the future of our sector.”

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Three categories, one shared goal

All exhibitors at ALUMINIUM 2026 were eligible to participate with market-ready solutions, pilot projects or validated prototypes developed within the past four years. The winners were determined by a public industry vote.

Submissions were evaluated across three categories reflecting key priorities for the industry’s future: Sustainable & Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Technology & Product Innovation, and Smart Manufacturing, Automation & Connectivity. These categories span everything from reducing environmental impact and enabling new applications to improving performance through digitalisation and connectivity.

The quantity and quality of the submissions highlighted the tremendous innovation potential within the global aluminium industry.

Alicia Barth, editorial team International Aluminium Journal, also stresses the importance of bringing these innovations into the spotlight: "New ideas are often developed behind closed doors, yet they can provide important momentum for the entire industry. We want to bring these innovations into the spotlight. The ALUMINIUM Innovation Awards provide an opportunity to showcase developments that drive progress, efficiency and sustainability."

These innovations impressed the industry

Sustainable & low-carbon manufacturing

In the Sustainable & Low-Carbon Manufacturing category, Novelis secured first place with Ideal Furnaces: Scaling Proven Furnace-Efficiency Solutions Across Novelis. The solution combines proven efficiency technologies for melting and casting operations and systematically scales their implementation across multiple facilities. Its aim is to significantly reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions while improving operational performance.

Runners up in this category were Hydro Aluminium with CIRCAL – Technologies Enabling Low Carbon Offering, and RAFFMETAL SPA with SILVAL: High-Performance Primary Aluminium Alloys from Recycling.

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Technology & product innovation

The winner of the Technology & Product Innovation category is AMAG Austria Metall AG with its newly developed aluminium alloy AMAG CrossAlloy.57.

This innovative alloy combines the properties of multiple alloy families, offering high strength alongside excellent formability, weldability and corrosion resistance. At the same time, it enables a higher proportion of recycled content and supports resource-efficient value chains.

Runners up in this category were Novelis for 100% Recycled End-of-Life Automotive Aluminium Sheet, and Hydro for AL-LEAN™, a platform for lighter, more sustainable and higher-performance extrusion solutions.

Smart manufacturing, automation & connectivity

Novelis also claimed first place in the Smart Manufacturing, Automation & Connectivity category. Its AI-powered solution, Advanced Predictive Maintenance (APM), uses IoT sensors and real-time data analytics to identify potential equipment failures at an early stage. At the company’s Pindamonhangaba plant in Brazil alone, the system has already helped avoid more than 130 hours of unplanned downtime.

Runners up in this category were Primetals Technologies Germany GmbH for its Central Operation Cockpit, and PRESEZZI EXTRUSION with PEAK.

Ingenuity and excellence in the aluminium industry

More than 70 submissions from around the world made the inaugural ALUMINIUM Innovation Awards an impressive reflection of the industry’s innovative strength. As diverse as the projects were, they all shared the same goal: making the aluminium industry more sustainable, efficient and future-ready.

With the ALUMINIUM Innovation Awards, the world’s leading trade fair has created a new platform for ideas, technologies and concepts that actively drive the industry’s transformation. The award-winning solutions demonstrate how companies are turning the challenges of decarbonisation, digitalisation and rising performance requirements into tangible progress.

They stand as a testament to the ingenuity and technical excellence that define the aluminium industry today and will shape its future tomorrow.

Showcase your brand, aluminium recycling initiatives and sustainability vision in our upcoming magazine: Sustainability & Recycling: Aluminium’s Commitment 2026.

Note: This article has been shared by Aluminium Global Exhibition and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.