Emirates Global Aluminium has inaugurated the final reduction cell as part of its experimental project for a next-generation smart smelting technology at the Al Taweela site. This move serves as a preliminary step towards broader implementation in the future.
This pilot project is a fundamental element for the company’s future growth, solidifying its leading position globally in smelting technologies. The EX technology, known as the tenth generation of smelting techniques developed by the company, aims to enhance aluminum production while reducing energy consumption and emissions.
Hamid Al Shamsi, Chairman of Emirates Global Aluminium, stated that the EX technology bolsters the company’s status as a pioneer in the aluminum industry worldwide. He expressed optimism about implementing this technology at the company’s upcoming facility in Oklahoma, which will mark the first new primary aluminum production site in the United States since 1980.
He elaborated that tests would be conducted using alumina refined from bauxite sourced from various countries to demonstrate the technology’s flexibility and its global applicability.
Abdul Nasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, emphasized that the new EX technology pilot marks a strategic advancement for the company and represents a significant achievement in their long history of technological innovation. He noted that the performance of the EX technology reduction cells during the initial weeks of operation exceeded expectations, reflecting the substantial potential of the technology.
The development of ten experimental cells for this technology began in late 2024, with the first cell commencing operations in mid-June. Emirates Global Aluminium has been developing its own aluminum smelting technologies domestically for over 30 years and has integrated them through all phases of its smelter expansions since the 1990s, upgrading all old production lines to achieve optimal efficiency.
Since starting technology development in 1980, the company has successfully reduced the electricity required to produce a ton of aluminum by 37.5%. In 2016, Emirates Global Aluminium became the first Emirati industrial firm to license its aluminum smelting technologies internationally through an agreement with Bahrain Aluminum to use DX+ Ultra technology in the expansion of its sixth smelting line.
The company is now focusing on integrating the latest advancements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution within the pilot project. It launched a digital transformation initiative in 2021 to enhance its competitiveness, lower production costs, address challenges, and improve safety and sustainability. This has led to the implementation of over 80 applications of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, achieving nearly $100 million in financial impact.