Hydro expanding aluminum recycling capacity at German plant

Norsk Hydro began construction of an expansion July 7 at its aluminum recycling plant in Rackwitz, Germany, that will add 25,000 mt/year of capacity dedicated to the production of a specialty billet made from a greater mix of post-consumer scrap.

The new capacity will produce Hydro's Hyforge billet, which has a smaller diameter and higher surface quality than traditional billet, according to a statement.

HyForge billet is supplied to Hydro's automotive customers. The high share of post-consumer scrap that will be used in the production of HyForge at Rackwitz will allow the product to have a guaranteed CO2 footprint under 4 kg CO2 per kg of aluminum, less than 25% of the global average for primary aluminum, the Norway-based aluminum producer said.

Focus on sustainability

"With more automotive customers putting emphasis on sustainability, we are taking this breakthrough step at Rackwitz to produce aluminum HyForge products, resulting in even smaller diameter billets, while ensuring a best-in-class climate footprint by using a high share of post-consumer scrap in the process," said Eivind Kallevik, executive vice president of Hydro's aluminum metal division.

"The business case shows that it is not only profitable, but it also has an important sustainability dimension, and it brings us closer to reaching our ambitious recycling targets."

Rackwitz currently produces about 95,000 mt/year of aluminum extrusion ingot. The expansion is expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2023's first quarter.

The project at Rackwitz represents another step in Hydro's initiative to double its use of post-consumer aluminum scrap to over 500,000 mt/year by 2025.

Hydro adding extrusion press in Denmark

Hydro said it was also investing to add an extrusion press at its plant in Tønder, Denmark, in another move to serve automotive and electric vehicle customers from its European locations, according to a separate statement July 7.

"The Tønder plant is an important part of our automotive network, supplying European carmakers with high-end and safety-critical components," said Bruno D'hondt, Hydro's senior vice president of its extrusion business unit in Europe.

"We are expecting rapid growth in the automotive industry's use of extruded aluminum components in the coming years," he added. "This is in line with our strategy of lifting profitability and driving sustainability in our automotive business."

The state-of-the-art 12-inch extrusion press at Tønder, which should be operational by mid-2024, will have the capability to produce extrusions with larger cross sections, Hydro said.

The Tønder plant sources low-carbon and recycled aluminum from Hydro's various European recycling locations, and it is powered by renewable hydropower.