Minnesota’s manufacturing landscape is undergoing a major transformation, with EGA Spectro Alloys at the forefront. The company’s newly completed $71 million expansion in Rosemount marks a significant milestone with the construction of a new aluminium recycling plant in the region.
Image Source: Renée Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune
The construction is not only important for the business, but also crucial for the region and the nation’s aluminium supply chain, and the broader push toward sustainability and the circular economy.
With the addition of a 90,000-square-foot facility, Spectro Alloys has become one of only about 40 plants in the United States capable of producing recycled aluminium billets. Long, solid poles of aluminium that are essential for industries ranging from automotive and construction to energy and consumer goods. The new operation allows Spectro to produce up to 120 million pounds of high-quality recycled billets annually, giving the company its first new product line in 53 years.
Strengthening domestic supply chains amidst trade challenges
Spectro’s expansion also addresses a pressing challenge facing US manufacturers, which is dependence on imported aluminium. In June, President Donald Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on most aluminium imports, a move that has intensified the need for domestic alternatives. By increasing local billet production, Spectro is helping US industries reduce their reliance on foreign aluminium and avoid the financial strain of tariffs.
The expansion adds 55,000 tonnes of secondary billet production capacity in its first phase, with full ramp-up expected by the first quarter of 2026. Once completed, EGA Spectro Alloys’ total production capacity will reach 165,000 tonnes per year of recycled aluminium ingots and billets. This milestone also boosts EGA’s global aluminium recycling capacity to 195,000 tonnes annually, with facilities operating in both the United States and Germany.
“So there’s a lot of demand. We are in a really good position,” said Luke Palen, President of EGA Spectro Alloys.
The first billets produced at the plant were shipped last week to Crown Extrusions in Chaska, which is supplying aluminium for boat docks and other applications. The expansion is expected to grow Spectro’s business by 50 per cent, reinforcing domestic supply chains and supporting American manufacturing resilience in the face of global trade fluctuations.
In addition to the cutting-edge technology housed in the plant, including three new Austrian-made furnaces, Spectro has invested in its workforce, sending engineers, technicians, chemists, and metallurgists to Abu Dhabi for specialised billet training after selling 80 per cent of the company to Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) last year.
Also Read: Trump’s aluminium tax vs US beverage sector: Corona beer maker, Constellation Brands, lashes out
Advancing sustainability and circular economy goals
Beyond its economic and trade impacts, the expansion marks a significant leap forward in Minnesota’s circular economy. The new facility gives the state its first in-house capacity to process recycled aluminium beverage cans, reducing the need to ship this valuable scrap material to other states.
Some of Spectro’s new billet alloy recipes are specifically designed to incorporate used beverage cans alongside traditional industrial scrap, creating a new, local market for materials that might otherwise end up in landfills.
“This is exciting because it’s not only going to increase the aluminium that’s recycled overall, but it’s the first local outlet for aluminium cans in Minnesota,” said Mark Rust of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
Currently, Minnesotans recycle just 51 per cent of aluminium beverage cans, amounting to about 14,000 tonnes per year, a figure the MPCA hopes will rise as residents see more direct value in recycling. Spectro’s new billets will be marketed under the brand name RevivAL, underscoring the company’s commitment to breathing new life into aluminium waste through sustainable manufacturing. This move aligns with the growing demand for greener materials across industries, as companies increasingly prioritise environmental responsibility in their supply chains.
“Every billet we produce not only supports American manufacturing but also contributes to a circular economy here in Minnesota and across the U.S.,” Palen said.
Economic growth fuels Rosemount’s development
The expansion is not only transforming Spectro Alloys but also reshaping the economic landscape of Rosemount. The project is set to create 50 new skilled jobs, adding to the 150 workers already employed at the company’s original aluminium recycling plant, which produces 28-pound ingots used in products for Harley-Davidson, Polaris, General Motors, Tesla, Black & Decker, and Caterpillar.
“Their investment of $71 million and the creation of 50 new jobs is a huge impact for us,” said Adam Kienberger, Community Development Director for Rosemount.
Spectro’s growth is part of a wider development surge in the area, which includes a new FedEx distribution centre near Highway 52, a Meta data centre along County Road 42 near Dakota County Technical College, a Life Time fitness centre, and a Home Depot distribution hub closer to the city centre. This wave of investment is rapidly transforming Rosemount into a dynamic economic hub, attracting businesses, boosting employment, and enhancing the community’s infrastructure.
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