Emirates Global Aluminium opens UAE’s largest aluminium recycling plant in Al Taweelah
EGA launches UAE’s largest aluminium recycling plant in Al Taweelah, boosting the circular economy, cutting emissions and retaining more value locally.
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) inaugurated the UAE’s largest aluminium recycling plant at Al Taweelah, marking a major expansion of the company’s low‑carbon aluminium recycling operations. The new facility, which has an annual capacity of 185,000 tonnes, underlines EGA’s commitment to aluminium recycling and to strengthening the circular economy in the UAE. Senior government officials and company executives attended the ceremony as EGA positioned the plant as a key step in keeping more material processing and value within the national economy.
Plant inauguration and official attendees
The inauguration was attended by Minister of Climate Change and Environment Dr Amina bint Abdullah Al-Dhahak and Dr Sheikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary‑General of the Environment Authority — Abu Dhabi. EGA’s chairman Hamid Al Shammari and deputy chairman Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer joined the company’s board members and senior management for the launch. The presence of high‑level officials reinforced the government’s emphasis on recycling as a pillar of the UAE’s circular economy agenda.
Production capacity and low‑carbon products
EGA said the Al Taweelah plant will process post‑consumer and select pre‑consumer aluminium scrap into high‑quality, low‑carbon ingots and billets. The facility’s initial capacity is 185,000 tonnes a year, contributing to a broader target to raise the company’s total recycled aluminium output to more than 400,000 tonnes annually. Recycled products will be marketed under EGA’s RevivAL brand, with blends available alongside low‑carbon primary aluminium sold under CelestiAL‑R and MinimAL‑R labels.
Economic implications for local processing
Prior to the plant, most UAE‑generated aluminium scrap was exported for processing overseas, a practice that shifted value away from the domestic economy. By treating and converting that scrap locally, EGA expects to retain more economic value inside the UAE and to become the country’s largest consumer of aluminium scrap. Company executives and government representatives highlighted the role of domestic processing in supporting national industrial targets such as “Make it in the Emirates” and the wider AED 300 billion industrial growth initiative.
Construction scale, safety record and engineering details
EGA reported that construction of the Al Taweelah recycling plant required some 4 million man‑hours and used more than 26,300 cubic metres of concrete and roughly 4,600 metric tonnes of structural steel. The project was completed without any lost‑time injuries, a point the company emphasised in outlining its safety performance. Engineers said the plant incorporates modern melting, refining and casting technologies designed to deliver consistent alloy composition while minimising energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Operational timeline and disruption from March events
Initial trial operations for the plant began in February under a staged commissioning plan, but the programme experienced a temporary interruption following the attacks on the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi on 28 March. EGA resumed final commissioning in April and commenced metal production in early May, with the company estimating a ramp to full production over approximately six months subject to scrap availability. Management stressed that feedstock supply will be a key determinant of the pace at which the plant reaches its nameplate capacity.
Global expansion and portfolio of recycling assets
The Al Taweelah facility forms part of EGA’s global recycling strategy, which includes recent acquisitions and expansions across Europe and the United States. The company acquired recycling plants in Germany and the US in 2024 and is pursuing an 80 percent stake acquisition of Italy’s Eco Green, pending regulatory approvals. Planned expansions include a second large recycling site near Hanover to scale Lichtmetall operations by an additional 150,000 tonnes when completed, and incremental capacity increases at the company’s US operations through 2027.
EGA and government officials highlighted environmental benefits as central to the plant’s purpose, noting that recycling aluminium consumes up to 95 percent less energy than producing primary metal from ore. That energy advantage translates into significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of aluminium and supports the UAE’s broader climate and sustainability objectives. Officials framed the plant as an example of industrial progress aligned with national climate commitments.
The Al Taweelah recycling plant will produce EGA’s RevivAL alloys while integrating blends with solar‑powered primary aluminium (CelestiAL‑R) and nuclear‑powered primary aluminium (MinimAL‑R), providing customers with a range of lower‑carbon material options. EGA expects the combination of local recycling capacity and its global network of assets to position the company as a leading supplier of recycled and low‑carbon aluminium to regional and international markets.
The plant’s opening marks a strategic pivot toward capturing more of the value chain within the UAE and expanding the lifecycle of aluminium by keeping material in productive use for longer. As commissioning progresses and scrap supply chains develop, EGA aims to play an increasingly central role in decarbonising aluminium production while supporting the country’s industrial growth and circular economy goals.
