INDUSTRY NEWS
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ELYSIS CEO
TRANSPORT & HANDLING
RECYCLING
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CONTENTS 1
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LEADER
2
ELYSIS EXCLUSIVE 6 The ELYSIS era is coming
Volume 32 No. 3 – May/June 2019
COVER
Editorial Editor: Nadine Bloxsome Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855115 nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ELYSIS CEO
TRANSPORT & HANDLING
RECYCLING
Production Editor: Annie Baker www.aluminiumtoday.com May/June 2019—Vol.32 No.3
THE JOURNAL OF ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING
Sales
Sales Director: Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855117
A L U M I N I U M I N T E R N AT I O N A L T O D AY M AY/J U N E 2 0 1 9 V O L . 3 2 N O 3
Sales Manager: Nathan Jupp nathanjupp@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855027
NEWS
SOHAR ALUMINIUM PROFILE 8 Celebrating 10 Years of Achievements
SECONDARY 17 Reducing scrap 18 Recycling in the cloud
Advertisement Production Production Executive: Martin Lawrence Managing Director: Steve Diprose Chief Executive Officer: Paul Michael
RECYCLING 20 Aluminium cans as a source of end user’s
Circulation/subscriptions Elizabeth Barford Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Annual subscription: UK £245, all other countries £265. For two year subscription: UK £440, all other countries £480. Airmail prices on request. Single copies £45
Cover picture courtesy of GILLESPIE & POWERS, INC
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8
scrap
THE ALUMINA CHRONICLES 23 Aluminium recycling by consumers
Supporters of Aluminium International Today
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in the USA
ENERGY CONSUMPTION 30 IEA recommends China’s Al smelters
modulate energy ALUMINIUM INTERNATIONAL TODAY is published six times a year by Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email: aluminium@quartzltd.com Aluminium International Today (USO No; 022-344) is published bi-monthly by Quartz Business Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Aluminium International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Printed in the UK by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent, NP12 2YA, UK © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2019
TRANSPORT & HANDLING 32 Mecfor AGV TEAM: Tested for life + Q&A
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32
with Eloïse Harvey
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Quicker down the aisles at Dudley’s
36 38
Special cranes for loads of up to 100 tonnes A step forward in flexibility of Properzi lines
EVENT PREVIEW 45 Eurasian aluminium industry meets
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at ALUEXPO 2019
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2 COMMENT
Rusal and Braidy Industries to construct US aluminium rolling mill
There’s no ‘I’ in AGV TEAM A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be invited on a trip to Canada by the Québec Government, to visit the manufacturers and suppliers across the region. The schedule was tight and we managed to cram a lot in to five days; starting in Montreal and working our way up to finish in the Saguenay region. I was whisked away on plant tours, given the VIP treatment at supplier factories and able to meet and interview leading figures across the industry. It was a great visit and hopefully you will see the fruits of this labour across the Aluminium International Today portfolio...We start in this issue with an exclusive interview with Vincent Christ, CEO, ELYSIS and a focus on the new autonomous AGV TEAM from Mecfor. One of the most positive points to come out of the trip and something I witnessed first hand, was that suppliers and manufacturers across Québec are working together to take on major projects. Their expertise covers all elements of aluminium production, so it makes sense that they join forces to build a stronger, innovative industry. I look forward to seeing what is to come! Back to this issue and we also have a special focus on energy modulation and consumption across smelters in China, a look at secondary processing and recycling, as well as the transport and handling technologies that are making waves. Enjoy!
Rusal is making its first investment in the United States since Washington lifted sanctions against the Russian aluminium giant, teaming up with U.S. manufacturer Braidy Industries to build a mill in Kentucky, which will produce flat rolled aluminium products for the US automotive industry. The design capacity of the rolling mill will amount to 500 thousand tons of hot rolled band and 300 thousand tons of fully finished cold rolled products on an annual basis. It will be the widest US-based cold rolling mill with a width of 104 inches. The output from the mill will aid towards rebalancing the anticipated deficit of the auto body sheet in the US market. According to reports, the Braidy Atlas project will have the lowest CO2 emissions facility for end-
to-end manufacturing in North America. It will be the world’s largest low-carbon rolled aluminium producer, as well as the first new greenfield aluminium mill in 37 years to be constructed in the United States. RUSAL will supply aluminium (both in slab alloys and as a primary metal) for the new rolling mill from its new Taishet aluminium smelter that is currently under construction in Siberia. Delivering value added products (VAP) to the new Kentucky mill is consistent with RUSAL’s commitment to increase the share of its VAP offerings as part of the Company’s total production and sales. Historically, RUSAL has been the number two non-domestic supplier of prime aluminium to the United States. The Braidy Atlas project will be the first North American mill to
contract for RUSAL’s third-party certified ALLOW-brand of low-carbon aluminium. The demand for flat rolled products in North America has demonstrated the robust growth over the past five years and this will continue above average rates all over the world, especially in the automotive sector. The key driver of this demand growth is the Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations (CAFE) that cause an increase and immediate switch from the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to aluminium-based components. The chosen location of the mill that will be in close proximity to a large number of automotive supply manufacturers will ensure efficient transportation of the finished products.
Novelis: $4.5M investment Novelis, Inc., hosted a ribbon cutting celebration on 15th April to commemorate a $4.5 million investment at its facility in Warren, Ohio. The investment, announced in Nov. 2017, provides greater versatility for pretreatments, improves operational efficiency and reduces costs over time. “It is an exciting day for our facility as we complete this upgrade,” said Paul Nelson, Plant Manager. “We are committed to
shaping a sustainable world together, and this investment allows us to sustain our business here in Warren for many years to come.” Mayor William “Doug” Franklin and representatives from the offices of Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator Rob Portman attended the celebration. The Warren facility has 75 employees dedicated to applying coating to aluminium beverage cans and produces enough aluminium for more than one billion
beverage can lids each month. A leader in the aluminium beverage can sheet market, Novelis supplies some of the world’s most recognisable brands, including Coca-Cola, AB InBev and PepsiCo.
ELYSIS R&D Centre to open ELYSIS has announced the location for its new research and development facility in the Saguenay– Lac-Saint-Jean region in Québec, which will directly employ more than 25 experts when it is fully operational. The new ELYSIS Research and Development Center will be lo-
cated at Rio Tinto’s Complexe Jonquière, the site of the Arvida smelter, Vaudreuil refinery and Arvida Research and Development Centre. It is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2020. Vincent Christ, Chief Executive Officer Elysis, said: “With the de-
velopment of this research centre, we can proudly root our company in Québec, and in Saguenay–LacSaint-Jean in particular. Our team is enthusiastic about working collaboratively to refine our technology so we can help bring the aluminium industry to new levels and make it even more sustainable.”
nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com May/June 2019
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INDUSTRY NEWS 3 PEOPLE & PROJECTS
EGA starts production at UAE’s first alumina refinery
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), recently announced the start-up of the Al Taweelah alumina refinery, a strategic growth project that expands the industrial giant’s business upstream in the aluminium value chain. Once full ramp up is achieved, Al Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to produce some two million tonnes of alumina per year, replacing some imports and securing EGA’s competitive supply of this vital raw material. The UAE currently
imports all the alumina it needs. Al Taweelah alumina refinery cost approximately $3.3 billion to develop and is located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi. It is the first alumina refinery in the UAE and its start-up marks the beginning of alumina refining as a new industrial activity in the country. Abdulla Kalban, EGA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer said: “The start-up of Al Taweelah alumina refinery is transformative for EGA and the first of
two major milestones this year as we complete our strategic growth projects upstream in the aluminium value chain. Al Taweelah alumina refinery, and our bauxite mining project in Guinea where construction continues, secure our supply of raw materials at competitive prices and will strengthen EGA’s business for decades ahead. I want to thank every colleague who played a role in the safe and efficient completion of this important project.”
Hydro: Cyber attack update Hydro is progressing towards normal business operations and continued on-time delivery of customer orders, five weeks after being subjected to an extensive cyber-attack. Extruded Solutions, the largest business area in Hydro with more than 30,000 customers and operations in 40 countries, is now approaching normalised production levels, after enduring a severe impact from the cyber-attack on March 19th. Hydro Extrusion UK Ltd operates across seven locations in the UK and Ireland, delivering tailored aluminium components and solutions to a broad range of industries, from automotive and mass
transportation to building and construction, electronics, offshore and maritime. The company is still working to neutralise the effects of the cyber-attack, which impaired the ability of its manufacturing sites to connect to their production systems, thereby causing production challenges and temporary stoppages at several plants. Hydro temporarily switched to manual operations and alternative procedures, to limit the impact on customers. “There are still variations from plant to plant, but we are currently producing around 85 percent of our normal output with the help of workarounds and creative solu-
tions,” said Egil Hogna, Executive Vice President responsible for Hydro Extruded Solutions. “The most important thing for us now is to continue ramping up production in a safe and secure manner, gradually progressing towards business as usual as our IT systems are resuming normal operation. We are doing our utmost to minimise the impact on our customers, suppliers and other partners.” Dale Harston, Plant Manager at the Tibshelf plant in Derbyshire UK, added: “I appreciate the patience and support that our business partners are showing us as we continue to fully recover from this attack.”
GFG Alliance wins automotive bid Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has through its industrial business Liberty, won its bid to acquire two French vehicle components suppliers in Poitou in the region of Nouvelle Aquitaine. Following rulings by the courts of Administration in Lyon and Poitiers, Liberty has become the owner of Saint Jean Industries Poitou and Fonderie du Poitou Fonte, and in so doing has secured hundreds of jobs dependent on them. As a result of the rulings, GFG is now in a position to comAluminium International Today
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mence the implementation of a comprehensive recovery plan for the plants including, a refreshed orderbook, introduction of the LMOS (Liberty Manufacturing Operating System), investments in equipment and improvements in maintenance. The deal will secure the jobs of over 600 staff across both sites which produce a range of components for automotive engine assemblies. The businesses will henceforth be known as Liberty Engineering Poitou, incorporating Liberty Aluminium Tech-
nologies Poitou and Liberty Cast Products Poitou. The acquisitions are an extension of GFG’s strategy for enlarging and diversifying its presence in the French Industrial sector and further underline its role as a major industrial player in France. They also allow the Alliance to enact its strategy of acquiring assets that give it a platform to deliver growth in the future of Green Drive Trains, used in electric vehicles, which will require ever increasing amounts of aluminium.
Century Aluminum appoints Chief Operating Officer Jesse E. Gary has been appointed as the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, a newly created position. Mr. Gary will continue to serve as Century’s General Counsel; while Morgan Walbridge has been promoted to Deputy General Counsel and will oversee the legal department on a day-to-day basis. Alba: New Carbon Operations Manager Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has appointed Ahmed Shehabi as the new Manager for Carbon Operations. Ahmed started his career in Alba back in 1995 as an Operator in Kilns 3 where he quickly rose through the ranks of the Carbon department. He has held the roles of Supervisor, Superintendent and was appointed as acting Manager Carbon Operations in 2017. Aluminium Rheinfelden mourns death of founder Aluminium Rheinfelden announced the death of its founder and partner Dr Alois Franke at the age of 78, following a prolonged period of illness. Dr Franke had entrusted the management of the company at an earlier date to his daughter Erika Zender. “My father has rendered great services to Aluminium Rheinfelden, transforming the company into an internationally renowned solution provider for speciality alloys, semi-finished products and Soderberg pastes. For this we owe him our recognition and deep gratitude,” says managing director Erika Zender.
From L to R: Jesse E. Gary, Century Aluminum. Ahmed Shehabi, Alba. Dr Alois Franke, Aluminium Rheinfelden
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4 INDUSTRY NEWS
www.aluminiumtoday.com
2019 DIARY June 22 - 23
Casting operations at Hydro Husnes to be upgraded With a final decision now made, Hydro will invest NOK 150 million with the aim of starting operations in 2020. The newly developed in-house casting technology, ‘Low Pressure Casting’ (LPC) enables Hydro to provide materials with enhanced properties for various extrusion
segments, where Hydro is already a major material supplier. After the upgrade, Hydro Husnes will also be able to offer materials for forging. “Forge stock for products like suspension arms and knuckles is an attractive market for aluminium within the automotive industry,
which needs ever more aluminium to fill its need to lightweight cars and reduce emissions,” says Ola Sæter, Head of Hydro’s fully owned primary aluminium plants. Sæter says the demand growth for forge stock is high, and that Hydro is ready to take its share of this growth.
JLR testing use of recycled aluminium for use in future vehicles According to reports, JLR is developing the next phase of its aluminium closed loop strategy with an innovative recycling initiative to transform the vehicles of today into the cars of tomorrow. The ‘Reality’ project aims to recover aluminium from existing Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles and reform it into a new highgrade aluminium to create new vehicles. The process is currently being tested on early, pre-production Jaguar I-Pace prototypes which have had their batteries safely
removed. These batteries enter into their own second-life process which Jaguar Land Rover is developing while the scrap from the vehicles is sorted into various materials using high-tech sensors by Axion. Once separated, the aluminium scrap is melted and reformed. When operating at full capacity, Reality is expected to reduce the CO2 impact of production while reducing the amount of virgin aluminium required to produce vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover has already reduced its global
vehicle manufacturing operating CO2 by 46% per vehicle and remains committed to an on-going decarbonisation process. The pioneering project, co-funded by Innovate UK, is helping Jaguar Land Rover extend its closed loop aluminium economy. Between September 2013 and January 2019, around 300,000 tonnes of closed-loop scrap have been processed back into the brand’s lightweight aluminium intensive architecture, across all vehicle lines including XE.
Metal Exchange Corporation creates new JV company Metal Exchange Corporation (MEC) has announced a new joint venture with Novellini Industries, located in Mantova, Italy. The newly formed company called novALmec presents an impressive aluminium billet supply capability to the European market. Metal Exchange Corporation brings into the venture its worldwide procurement network in aluMay/June 2019
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minium scrap markets, four decades of expertise from its billet casting facilities in the US, and strong billet sales and marketing capability. Novellini is contributing its 22,000mt. foundry for the production of secondary aluminium billets, including its upstream scrap processing facility and a solid base load demand. The newly formed venture is expanding the casting facility to
33,000mt with the added production scheduled to come on stream early 2020. “The combined capability that the partners bring to novALmec along with the expanded capacity provides a strong supply offering to serve our current and potential customers,” said Friedhelm Grobler, Managing Director with Metal Exchange International-Zurich.
HARBOR’s 12th Aluminium Outlook Summit* The world’s largest and most strategic aluminium gathering. Held in Chicago, USA www.harboraluminumsummit.com
25 - 29 METEC/GIFA* The international trade fair quartet GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST is THE platform for meetings and business. www.gifa.com
July 10 - 12 ALUMINIUM China* In partnership with Lightweight Asia 2019. Held in Shanghai, China www.aluminiumchina.com
August 28 - 29 CRU’s Aluminum Market Update 2019* The event is designed to give meaningful insights, opportunities for market debate, and time to make connections with others in the industry. www.events.crugroup.com/ aluminummarketupdate
September 12 - 13 ALUMINUM USA* The leading exhibition and technical conference for aluminum products, technologies and investments in the United States. www.aluminum-us.com
23 - 25 International Aluminium 2019* Spend three days gaining latest insights and doing business with key companies at the 34th edition of the largest annual event in Europe dedicated to the aluminium market. www.metalbulletin.com/events/ international-aluminiumconference
*Pick up a free copy of Aluminium International Today at this event
For a full listing visit www. aluminiumtoday.com and click on Events Diary Aluminium International Today
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6 ELYSIS EXCLUSIVE
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The ELYSIS era is coming When a new, revolutionary way to make aluminium was announced in May 2018, all eyes were suddenly on the industry. Almost a year on, Nadine Bloxsome met with Vincent Christ, CEO, to find out more about the new research and development facility and what is next for the technology. “It’s pretty amazing to replace CO2 with Oxygen,” says Vincent Christ through a smile in an ELYSIS blue coloured meeting room in the shiny, new Montreal office. He’s right. It’s more than amazing; it seems down right impossible. Not only did the aluminium industry do a double take at this news on 10th May 2018, there was the added interest that Rio Tinto and Alcoa had formed a Joint Venture (JV) to announce the most significant innovation in aluminium manufacturing for more than a century. “The alliance is unique,” explains Vincent. “If you look at Rio Tinto and Alcoa together, they account for about 10% of the world production. So, when 10% of this global production gets together and forms a JV by pulling the key resources and everything into it, you mean business!” Apple is also a key partner with an investment of $13 million (CAD). It was mentioned at the time that the company helped facilitate the collaboration between Alcoa and Rio Tinto on the carbon-free smelting process. “Yes, the way this initially came together was through Apple, who were interested in de-carbonising their product,” Vincent confirms. “When they saw how the two industry players complimented each other, they suggested joining forces. Apple is a very important part of the story, because we need to set up a brand new supply chain. It is pointless to have the technology and then not be able to supply!” There is also significant support from the Canadian and Québec Governments, both of which are working to decarbonise industry in the region. While the aluminium industry in Québec accounts May/June 2019
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“THE IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS WE ARE FOCUSSED, WE HAVE A STRATEGY, WE HAVE A PLAN, WE HAVE THE PEOPLE, WE HAVE THE FUNDING AND NOW
”
IT IS UP TO US TO DELIVER.
for 20% of its industrial CO2 emissions, the Kitimat smelter in British Columbia is also a key contributor. Silencing the sceptics As with anything new, there were initial questions raised and challenges to overcome. “Not surprisingly you encounter scepticism because this has been discussed a number of times in history, but there is still no commercial solution available,” says Vincent. “All the while there are energy penalties in place, some think it is not going to be viable, whereas others are worried that metal purity might be an issue, but we don’t have these concerns.” With an overwhelming pressure on industries to address Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHGs), ELYSIS ticks the box for sustainable technology, as well as proving there is a business case. “There is a need in the aluminium industry for a breakthrough like this.” Vincent continues. “The way smelters have been built today is carbon intensive and the interesting counter balance to this is that ELYSIS has the ambition to significantly lower the capital cost, because of the absence of the whole carbon outfit, from the pitch silos to the
bake furnace – the whole chain is basically eliminated.” At the recent TMS conference in the USA, Chris Bayliss from the International Aluminium Institute highlighted the need to add an estimated 90 million tonnes of capacity over the next 20 years. So, where is this aluminium going to come from? “There is no market for greenfield projects, or at least a very small market, whereas there is 60 million tonnes being produced today, which means there are existing operations for retrofitting projects,” says Vincent. “The other plus point is that because of the absence of the carbon plant and the need for changing an anode every twenty-five days, we expect that the operating costs will also be lower by 15%.” Other industry opportunities As the aluminium industry leads the way with sustainable manufacturing, other industries are beginning to follow and the ELYSIS technology has even faced questions as to whether it could be applied to steel manufacturing. “It is an interesting question and with an aggressive timeline of five years, we are focusing on aluminium first!” says Vincent. “In the cement and steel Aluminium International Today
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VINCENT CHRIST, CEO, ELYSIS industries, it is likely that legislation will force a change over a business case. Whereas with aluminium, there is a good opportunity to scale-up to a commercial size with a business case on its own.”
“We could not have built something from scratch on this time limit, so the existing building at the site means we can move forward with construction over the next month.”
Research & Development Centre With the mention of the timeline already ticking away, at the beginning of April (shortly after this interview was conducted) ELYSIS announced the site for its new research and development facility in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region in Québec, which will directly employ more than 25 experts when it is fully operational. The new ELYSIS Research and Development Centre will be located at Rio Tinto’s Complexe Jonquière, the site of the Arvida smelter, Vaudreuil refinery and Arvida Research and Development Centre. It is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2020. The ELYSIS team will continue to work in close collaboration with the Alcoa Technical Centre (ATC) near Pittsburgh in the United States, where this patentprotected technology was invented and has been producing metal at different scales since 2009. The Alcoa Technical Centre provides support to ELYSIS on the proprietary anode and cathode materials that are essential to this advanced smelting process. “We’re currently in Year One, so we are aiming towards 2024,” continues Vincent. “This is another reason why the JV was created, to allow us the agility to move fast. The Research Centre will allow us to develop a pre-commercial size cell, which means the next step is commercial scale within the five-year timeframe.
Is ELYSIS digital ready? With Industry 4.0 integration underway across the aluminium value chain, ELYSIS will be entering an industry already poised to take on the challenges of digital manufacturing. “We had the luxury to go from a clean sheet,” explains Vincent. “Given the fact that you don’t have to change anodes every 25 days, the entire design is radically different. It is more like a closed box, which is designed for automation. “This is part of us working with Industry 4.0,” he continues. “There is not much that resembles the Hall-Héroult process, which was not designed for automation. The industry has to automate around Hall–Héroult cells where possible, but the original design is difficult to work with in this way. We won’t face this issue.”
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The future is coming… Since the first announcement in May 2018, the ELYSIS technology has been seen as something of a secret recipe. “I feel that ELYISIS is in the spotlight of media attention and I’ve received multiple invitations to attend conferences and talk about the company” mentions Vincent with a smile. ”It is flattering but it is not time to travel the world now, there is too much for me to do here.” So, just how much of the technology will be shared and how will ELYSIS work with a roll out?
“If you come up with a car engine that works on water, would you explain to the world how it works?” continues Vincent. “We are selling technology, but our knowhow is our asset. I have to think to myself, if I share something, does it benefit ELYSIS? If not, then there is no need to. It is that simple. “We will have a nice control room where you can see the cell, but all you will see is a box! There will be controlled access, because the know-how and the intellectual property is the asset of the company, which will be adequately protected.” The offices we are sitting in for this interview are currently empty, but you can already feel everything is in place and ready to go when it needs to be. “We currently have about 80 people working on it,” says Vincent. “We will have people in the Research Centre and then our two partners who will operate from their base until commercialisation. Then we will likely set ourselves up with bigger offices, with a dedicated sales force. The art of transferring technology is also key.” It seems everything has already been bubbling under the surface and we will start to see more announcements as the project pushes forward. It’s something the whole industry will be following closely, along with the rest of the industrial world, to see aluminium attempt a manufacturing first. “Everybody who works on ELYSIS doesn’t need an alarm clock in the morning, because they are all excited to go to work! We feel like we are working on something meaningful for the industry and the future. Even my sons now believe Dad is cool!” � May/June 2019
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8 SOHAR ALUMINIUM PROFILE
Celebrating 10 Years of Achievements
Business success is created by the combined efforts of those who work for any organization. It is therefore fitting as we mark Sohar Aluminium Company LLC’s (SA) 10th anniversary that we celebrate those who have worked so diligently to deliver success during the journey. One decade ago and blessed with a wealth of natural resources and petrochemicals, Oman embarked on a mission to create a thriving aluminium industry which would contribute to the economic development of the country. As SA has strived successfully to help diversify the Sultanate’s growing economy, we have also streamlined the import of raw products and made huge strides in the past ten years. As the journey continues, we can look forward to the future, the next chapter of our history, with genuine optimism. Production excellence and incremental improvements As a facility, the smelter has produced 3,706,691 metric tonnes of finished product since it started operations. By utilising cutting-edge technology during the production process, we have maximised productivity and plant performance, increasing the volume of aluminium we produce. This has had a growing, positive impact on employment opportunities and business development. In addition to its smelting facility, SA has a dedicated Power Plant with a total design capacity of 1,000 MW. The company also operates a dedicated port facility at the Port of Sohar which handles vessels with a capacity of around 75,000 metric tonnes and is custom built to receive raw materials. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified for the Casthouse, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certified for EHS Management Systems. May/June 2019
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Our smelter is recognised within the sector as one of the most modern smelters in the world. By consistently enhancing and optimising processes to produce quality aluminium in the most efficient and environmentally- conscious way, we have become benchmark smelter operators. The company continues to develop plans for metal production and power generation by utilising state-of-the-art technology and by constantly upgrading the skills of its employees.
and environmentally-conscious way possible. The aluminium industry is part of a dynamic and ever-changing market, where new challenges are constantly arising. In order to maintain our quality operations and competitive advantage, we use a systematic approach of lean manufacturing principles and capital improvement projects to significantly improve our productivity through waste minimisation efforts, higher process efficiency, standardised cycle time and reduced material costs.
A leader in the aluminium industry with a strong financial positioning Oman’s unique geo-economic location allowed us to attract some of the largest companies in the world and as a result, the last decade created a window of opportunity for SA to cement a position as a global leader within the industry. As the company responsible for the Sultanate of Oman’s first and only greenfield aluminium smelter, SA was a landmark industrial development project which has become a key contributor to Oman’s sustainable development ambitions and long-term prosperity. Our ambition has always been to have a positive impact on those around us and to create a successful business climate which inspires confidence amongst existing and future partners. From the outset, we focused heavily on bringing prosperity and sustainable growth to the Al Batinah region; to our neighbourhoods, then to our cities and for the benefit of the entire nation. At SA, we embody a culture of productivity effectiveness while always maintaining a quality-driven mindset. We have become a benchmark smelter through consistently enhancing and optimising our processes to ensure we are producing quality aluminium in the most efficient
Commitment to support downstream job creation Since supplying the first hot metal delivery to our first downstream customer in August 2008, the company has established successful relationships with other thirdparty downstream producing subsidiaries. Our partnerships with Oman Aluminium Processing Industries LLC (OAPIL), Oman Aluminium Rolling Company LLC (OARC) and Oman Aluminium Cast LLC (OAC) have formed an essential part of our overall strategy to promote and support the creation of a robust downstream aluminium industry in Oman. We are offering them proximity to raw materials, a significant value proposition that provides our downstream customers with a distinct energy cost advantage. This initiative is also in synergy with our intent to build beneficial relationships with local suppliers as well as customers from Oman and abroad in order to deliver sustainable In-Country Value (ICV) for Oman. At SA, we realise how important these contributions are to our domestic output which reflects on the socio-economic development of the region while creating further job opportunities. As the volume of liquid metal sold directly to the company’s downstream Aluminium International Today
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10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY 9
partners increases each year, the organisation continues to stimulate the Omani economy. In August 2018, we partnered with our latest downstream customer, Synergies Castings LLC, the leading manufacturer of aluminium alloy wheels in India, and SA will thereby meet its goal of supplying 60% of its hot metal production to its downstream customers while the rest is exported in the form of solid ingots and sows. Synergy Castings LLC will construct a USD 100 Million high-tech alloy wheel manufacturing plant situated in the Sohar Industrial Estate adjacent to our premises. This new facility will be a further positive simulant towards Oman’s economic growth. It will also help reduce the Sultanate’s requirement for wheel imports, and simultaneously create new forms of employment for highlyskilled talent and develop more training opportunities for Omanis. Building and developing local talents SA’s pride and most valuable asset is undoubtably its workforce, and we consider this as a community of staff which fully embodies our core values. Our board of directors made an early business decision to provide professional training for our entire workforce. This was essential to maintain high quality standards across the company, particularly since we are in a sector which is extremely safety conscious. This direction created an opportunity to recruit, train and develop an increased number of Omanis to operate, maintain, supervise and manage the business. As we are the only aluminium smelter operator in the country, the task of hiring local employees with prior exposure to the industry was extremely difficult. To Aluminium International Today
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overcome this, we invested in programs which provided educational options for Omanis in Engineering, Maintenance, Plant Operation and other fields of related expertise. The company also established in 2007 a training centre which was certified as a Training Institute by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2016. As our operations matured, we developed a dedicated and highly motivated workforce which shares our commitment to efficiency and excellence and strives to create a positive impact. We are especially proud of our role as employer of choice in Oman and the Al Batinah Governorate. Our Omanisation rate of 76% in 2019 is the company’s highest ever national employment figure distributed across all levels and functions. Together with a focus on local employment, capacity building, competitive benefits and employee engagement, SA continues to aspire and develop a united and engaged community. Contribution to social and economic development in the country Local economic development and the creation of In-Country Value (ICV) are central aspects of our economic considerations. The company continues to make a significant contribution to the national economy and has an important national impact on job creation and social development. Through hiring more Omanis and an intensive focus on increasing the local supply base while supporting Aluminium downstream factories by supplying hot metal, SA has had an increasing impact on the economic development of the surrounding regions by increasing income and improving lifestyles. This has not only impacted on Sohar’s economic development, it has also improved the national GDP of the Sultanate. Given the vital role that local vendors and Small or Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play in creating social growth and economic stimulation, SA is committed to developing partnerships with local Omani suppliers as a means of improving our supply chain and contributing to local economic development. Although several products, such as machinery, primary raw material including alumina, is sourced internationally, SA continues to grow its partnerships with local manufacturing companies as it focuses on identifying items and services that can be procured locally. The company’s procurement of local goods and services constitutes on average 58% of our total purchases (except raw material). Through our continued efforts to build our local supply chain, we have developed a strong network of nationally-based
suppliers who provide a variety of goods and services, from administrative items to specialised manpower. Local suppliers represent a significant opportunity to enhance the Omani metals and manufacturing sector while reducing costs and product delivery time. Committed to build a safety culture and preserve the integrity of the environment The company’s approach is to maximise shareholders and social value by responsible and sustainable operation of our business, while always maintaining a safety and quality-driven mind-set. As an organisation, SA adopts a policy of reliability to meet the highest customer expectations for product quality, while maintaining environment-friendly smelting operations. The organisation remains fully committed to protecting the environment, preventing pollution, and the responsible care of natural resources. Ultimately, SA is focused on playing a leading role in contributing to Oman’s development, while simultaneously minimising our environmental footprint. Maintaining a strong integrated Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Management System is critical to our success. In line with our customer and stakeholder expectations we continuously strives for zero harm to personnel and the environment. To meet this expectation SA is an ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 compliant company. In addition, we seek to fully integrate EHS into our core business, creating a culture that is recognised throughout the industry. To deal with the diverse and complex environmental issues associated with our operations, our comprehensive environmental management system helps facilitate the realisation of important EHS objectives and includes environmental performance standards. The Environmental Steering Committee chaired by senior management contributes to the continual improvement of our environmental performance. SA is equally committed to fostering a healthy working environment for all its employees. Our in-house occupational health and hygiene programme continuously strives to create the safest work places for our employees and contractors. Coupled with our inhouse programs our employee medical surveillance initiatives are a mandatory requirement whilst maintaining and delivering quality medical facilities to all who work at SA. SA Occupational health services include medical surveillance, health promotion and health education, occupational health visits and inspections, counselling, and biological monitoring. SA also implements May/June 2019
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10 SOHAR ALUMINIUM PROFILE
a comprehensive industrial hygiene programme, and it is an important part of the company’s occupational health and well-being provisions. A work place monitoring programme based on the company’s health risks and legal obligations, is implemented. Whilst maintaining a healthy workforce SA has incorporated the highest safety standards within each of its operations. Employees are constantly engaged to seek safer means of operating whilst constantly maintaining a culture where we care and look out for each other. The company is proud of our current standards and adherence to the safety systems on site. The company’s non-blame culture for reporting of incidents, accidents or unsafe conditions supports employees to actively report and seek areas of improvement. We are proud of our EHS systems and culture adopted by all employees and contractors. Together we stand strong to maintain a healthy, safe and environment-friendly workplace every day. Long lasting contribution to society and all parties of interest As an organisation, we remain fully committed to our mission to support sustainable development in Oman, particularly in the Al Batinah region. SA is a company rooted in community involvement; a responsible corporate organisation which is also a great place to work. We are proud of our continued May/June 2019
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growth, and we strive to fulfil our responsibility to the community. From day one, we concentrated effort on fostering the all-round development of the country. Our focus is, and always will be, on serving Oman with national pride. This is a defining feature of all our endeavours. SA identifies issues of concern within the community in collaboration with community leaders and its members. SA also engages regularly with the community through a special hotline, social media and direct engagement events, which identify areas of concern and address these in the best possible way. SA has taken a unique and consistent approach to directly engaging with the local community by sharing knowledge of the company’s best practices. We regularly communicate important messages about the environment, health and safety, while spreading awareness in a fun, entertaining way. SA is dedicated to contributing towards a robust Omani economy through investment and by supporting local communities. Social commitment is a key element of the company’s strategy to develop targeted sustainable programs which seek to improve the quality of life for those we come into contact with. This is achieved through responsible business conduct and voluntary outreach programs, which bring direct and tangible benefits to communities which reside alongside where the company operates. Our social responsibility initiatives are
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concentrated on strategically sustainable ventures. We follow a community-centric approach, which has had the effect of positively establishing our credentials as a people-friendly company. The company allocates 1.5% of annual profits towards corporate social responsibility projects. Most of this is invested in Jusoor, a non-profit social responsibility organisation, jointly founded by Sohar Aluminium Company LLC, Vale Oman Pelletizing Company LLC and Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company S.A.O.C. in 2011. Jusoor contributes to and supports social and economic development initiatives in Al Batinah. The organization focuses on four key pillars: Entrepreneurship, Education for Work, Health and Environment and Culture and Sport. Growth and innovation We recently unveiled our new Business Strategy which incorporates a new strategic objective called Innovation and Growth. The previous interpretation of the strategy represented a strong fort and part of the Omani heritage with the principles of strength, confidence and integrity. These are all attributes that we stand by and we will continue to cherish. However, now it is time for development and growth, and it is time for us to evolve from building our strong roots into reaching for the skies and looking towards a very bright future. Aluminium International Today
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We are now at a very exciting phase where we transition from ensuring stable operations towards growth and sustainability. This is all due to the trust that our shareholders have put in us, and the trust we have in our people. Through this objective we are planning to lead by leveraging on breakthrough innovations in aluminium smelting as well as from alternative power generation aiming for long-term sustainability. Conclusion For the past ten years, our staff have been our strength, and we have always come together as one, no matter what challenges we faced. Integrity, honesty, respect, trust, empowerment and teamwork are essential components of our DNA, and we are confident these values will continue to carry us further along our journey and create even more success. Since we were established as a company, we celebrated several significant milestones and many record-breaking achievements in all different areas. Above all, we are resilient in the face of challenge, and as a company we always aim to be the best. Since its inception, the company has proved to be one of the industrial pillars in Sohar, and one of the drivers of sustainable development in the Sultanate, placing Oman on the global aluminium industry map. Ten years after its opening, the company plays an important role in the future of the aluminium industry in the Gulf region, contributing to creating investment opportunities that have boosted the industry’s contribution to Oman’s GDP. We thank all our employees for their hard work, our shareholders for their trust in us, and the government agencies and our business partners for their constant support. We are always striving to improve, develop and grow the business to ensure stable and sustainable operations for future generations to serve our beloved Oman and its loyal people under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Sohar Aluminium was formed in September 2004 to undertake a landmark Greenfield aluminium smelter project in the Sultanate of Oman. Inaugurated in 2009, Sohar Aluminium is jointly owned by Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C., Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) and Rio Tinto. �
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Reducing scrap Pre-shredder reduces scrap in foundry to manageable sizes and optimises intralogistics process. In the light alloy foundry at the BMW Group’s plant in Landshut, all scrap products such as punching waste and sprue systems are recycled and then remelted. For this purpose, the diecast parts were previously collected in containers without being shredded and were removed from the basement of the foundry with considerable use of manpower. In the course of a renewal of the casting cells in the foundry hall, the work processes were optimised and more efficient processes set up. Erdwich Zerkleinerungs-Systeme GmbH was awarded the contract to design a plant that enabled the collection and shredding of the foundry’s aluminium waste directly from the press. For this task, the recycling expert adapted the RM 1350 pre-shredder to the local conditions. Onsite shredding means that the containers with scrap parts and punching waste have to be transported far less frequently to a large container, which contributes to a significant increase in operating efficiency. In cooperation with the technical department of the BMW Group, Erdwich also developed a sophisticated safety system for monitoring the condition of the machine. The light alloy foundry at the BMW Group plant in Landshut is one of the most modern foundries in the world. Every year, around five million aluminium casting components, such as engine components or structural components for the vehicle body, are produced there using five different casting processes, with a total weight of 84,000 tons. As in all areas of the company, the aluminium foundry works with maximum efficiency in order to keep the scrap rate as low as possible. In the past, the regularly Aluminium International Today
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occurring scrap was collected in containers without being shredded, removed from the basement and then returned to the melting process. The cast aluminium parts had dimensions of up to 2,000 x 1,400 mm and therefore took up a lot of space in the collection containers. This, in turn, meant that the containers had to be emptied frequently, which required a great deal of time and manpower. In the course of reconstruction measures in the foundry hall, during which the casting cells were replaced one after the other, it was planned to optimise the recycling process. New plant achieves significant increase in efficiency Erdwich Zerkleinerungs-Systeme GmbH from Igling in Upper Bavaria, which has decades of experience in the construction of recycling plants, got the order to plan and commission the metal shredder. This was particularly beneficial for the project in Landshut, as Richard Adelwarth, project manager at Erdwich ZerkleinerungsSysteme GmbH, reports: “When we visited the site, it quickly became clear that the solution required in the tender would not have the desired effect. We therefore carried out many trials and consulted another company in the industry, with whom we regularly work on larger projects in order to be able to offer an optimum solution.” Erdwich finally made a machine available with which a typical production process was executed. The recycling experts designed a machine based on the RM 1350 preshredder. This machine is characterised by fast and easy maintenance, long service life, optimum shredding and high throughput. To date, seven systems with
soundproof enclosures have been installed for the eight casting cells and punch presses in the plant. “Loading takes place in free fall, that means the moulds, which are to be returned to the melting process, now fall from the pressing plant directly into the hopper of the pre-shredder and then into a container measuring 1,400 x 1,400 x 900mm,” explains Adelwarth. When the container is full, it is transported outside, emptied into a large container; and this in turn is brought to the smelter. The shredding process has reduced the volume of cast parts by 50 to 60 percent, which means that the disposal containers have to be emptied far less frequently and thus require less time and manpower. Sophisticated safety system developed together with BMW Group technicians The pre-shredders were adapted to the special conditions prevailing on site. The drives of the machines, for example, had to be mounted on one side instead of the usual two. The reason for this was the columns of the building, which were located in the area of the installation site and therefore required a narrower design. In addition, the crushing tools themselves and their arrangement within the cutting chamber were adapted to the local conditions. Over and above this, the standard version of the RM 1350 already has a safety system. This includes a PLC control system with automatic reverse and cut-out control, so that the machine is protected from damage in the event of overload or bulky solid parts. In addition, each shaft is equipped with an energy-optimised frequency converter, which ensures that the two cutting gear shafts are May/June 2019
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driven separately. This enables optimum adaptation to the shredding process. Together with the technical department of the BMW Group, the safety system was extended by new features. “Both the filling level of the removal box located in the basement and the monitoring of the shredder itself are now displayed transparently, so that a quick response can be made if necessary,” explains Adelwarth.
Further optimisation potential available As soon as all casting cells have been replaced, a conveyor belt system could be installed in a further expansion stage in order to further optimise the disposal process. Thereby, the shredded rejects would no longer to be collected in containers that have to be removed and emptied by hand - instead, the rejects would be transported directly into the
large container via a conveyor belt. In this way, scrap products and punching waste from all casting cells can be disposed of simultaneously and without additional logistical effort. For the current expansion stage, all necessary alterations were quickly implemented so that Erdwich was able to meet the requirements placed on the machines. As a result, the work processes were considerably accelerated. �
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Recycling in the cloud Web-based data provides actionable information to improve efficiencies, reduce operating costs, and inform wider-reaching strategic decisions.
TOMRA Sorting Recycling has launched a cloud-based data platform, TOMRA Insight, which unlocks valuable new opportunities for sorting equipment users. This data can transform sorting from an operational process into a strategic management tool for factbased decision-making at every step of the value and production chain. TOMRA Insight turns sorting machines into connected devices that generate process data. The new platform collects this data in the cloud and turns it into actionable information accessible through a web interface. The secure cloudbased data transmission and storage package, respecting all privacy requirements, is provided in partnership with the industryleading cloud computing service Microsoft Azure. The monitoring and reporting functions of this new on-demand platform will complement, not replace, existing process control systems. TOMRA Insight operates nearly in realtime and can be accessed via a secure connection and user-friendly interface on desktops and mobile devices anywhere at any time. As an immediate benefit, machine-users will have the freedom to remotely analyse performance metrics and to proactively manage machines for performance optimisation and preventive maintenance. May/June 2019
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Access to digital metrics will help equipment operators optimise sorting performance by analysing data such as throughput, material and size distribution, acceptance and rejection rates, and much more. This information can help reduce downtime, direct efforts and interventions towards relevant actions, maximise throughput, sort to target quality, improve the efficiency of machine operators and internal service
personnel, and reduce operating costs. Data analytics also has the potential, through personal reports and alarms, to help manage proactive and conditionbased maintenance, parts ordering, and servicing. Felix Flemming, Vice President and Head of Digital at TOMRA Sorting, commented: “We are proud to launch a functional and secure interface that will unlock the power of big data for our clients and enable them to monitor and optimise their sorting processes. Operational data from machines across the globe will also help us improve service and maintenance programs, predict parts’ lifetimes, and develop better machine set-ups, technologies and applications.” Insight will be subjected to continuous technical advancement. In future, advanced data analytics will further optimise processes by enabling the long-term aggregation of data, cross-machine and crossplant analysis and benchmarking, and better integration into other lines of business. As a gateway and accelerator for sorting optimisation, TOMRA Insight will ultimately connect customers to an industry-wide movement. And as a digital hub for learning, improvement, best practice, and new developments in sorting technology, TOMRA will give customers access to a broader knowledge-base than ever before. � Aluminium International Today
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20 RECYCLING
Aluminium cans as a source of end user’s 1 scrap By Anna Sapota*
The aluminium can is one of the products which are a source of aluminium scrap. It is also one of the sources which originate directly from the consumer and not from the production process. Obtaining such scrap means that large quantities of used aluminium are returned to the production cycle and the life-cycle of the aluminium can is closed. In order to properly understand the issue, let us begin with a global look at the aluminium market, and the scale at which used beverage cans (‘UBC’) are used as a secondary source of aluminium. Approximately 37 per cent of total aluminium production in the world is secondary aluminium, which has been remelted (i.e. recycled). Over the course of 100 years, the industrial use of aluminium increased from approx. 6,000 tonnes in 1900 to approx. 95 million tonnes in 2013, of which secondary aluminium constitutes approximately 37 per cent2. At this point, a question arises: why do we want to, or should, use secondary aluminium? For the purpose of this text, I will focus on the important reasons why secondary aluminium is used to produce metal sheets for the manufacture of aluminium beverage cans. There are several reasons why using secondary aluminium is worthwhile: technical, economic, environmental, and legal (legislative). These benefits are off-set by one key limitation: ultimately, it is up to the manufacturer to whether to use secondary or virgin materials to make aluminum sheets.
With regards to technical limitations, there are two issues to consider: the possibility to melt the scrap (in this case, UBC) into the aluminium alloy required to manufacture a specific product, as well as the quality of this scrap. As for the first question, what matters is the composition of the alloy as well as the possibility of preserving its physicochemical properties when melting. From this perspective, we can consider the alloy used for the manufacture of aluminium cans, i.e. series 3XXX and 5XXX, to be recycling-friendly. It is clear that the physical properties are both a strength and a weakness of aluminium as a raw material. On the one hand, once it is extracted and melted, aluminium becomes a permanent material3. On the other, every alloy has its own properties and can be repurposed to differing degrees. As for the quality of scrap, it is necessary to consider contamination, including organic contamination, the addition of other elements, as well as humidity. The higher the contamination, the higher the expenditure of energy and cost associated with treating the material, and adding primary aluminium into the melted material in order to maintain the properties of the end product. With regards to economic questions, the first ones to consider are the availability and the price of the material. Depending on availability and the difference between the prices of UBC and primary aluminium, the demand for aluminium sheets with a high content of secondary aluminium varies. The availability of UBC in the
market, which at present can be described as global, depends on a number of factors. On the one hand, one can point to consumer habits as well as household waste management systems in specific countries (this is the waste stream in which UBC are found). On the other, due to the globalisation of the market, international legislation plays a major part: the availability of UBC in the market can be increased or decreased by the presence, or lack, of barriers in the form of duties or taxes associated with the international UBC trade, regulations on the transboundary movement of waste and the limitations imposed by them. At the same time, the price of primary aluminium at the LME and the associated price of secondary aluminium will be the key determinant for customers. Another economic factor is customer demand as well as customers’ marketing strategies. One cannot ignore the fact that the customer’s approach and their possible request to use recycled aluminium can be the economic factor driving the use of UBC in the manufacture of aluminium. Such a request can be a consequence of the customer’s own policy for minimising the environmental impact of their business operations, or of the expectations of the end consumer who expects that certain environmental demands will be fulfilled by the supplier of the purchased goods. With regards to environmental questions, several aspects need to be considered: production waste in the melting of secondary aluminium (solid
*Vice-President for Organisational and Legal Affairs, CP Recycling Organizacja Odzysku Opakowañ S.A. May/June 2019
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waste in the form of dross/salt slag), emissions with a potentially high level of organic particles, the melting technology, and the associated quality requirements. The necessity to check, dispose of or reuse the resulting waste impacts the attractiveness of secondary aluminium as a raw material. Most importantly, however, one should consider the fact that using secondary aluminium and remelting it requires only 5-8 per cent of the energy expenditure required for melting primary aluminium4. As a result, the primary environmental impact of a product made from secondary aluminium is significantly smaller than that of a product from primary aluminium with respect to the production of aluminium sheets for the manufacture of aluminium cans). In recent years, the legal (or legislative) aspect of using secondary raw materials has come into more prominence. The idea of a circular economy, which is being implemented more and more extensively in the EU member states and other countries, is a factor in favour of recycling. As a result, formal level legal acts are being created to encourage, or even enforce, the use of secondary aluminium. More importantly, they
address not only the requirements imposed on businesses/manufacturers but also those imposed on consumers, which serves to increase the awareness of the positive effects of recycling is to help increase available material quantity and quality (implementation and improvement of separate collection of recyclable waste). At the same time, the legal restrictions on the use of plastics in packaging can lead to an increased interest in packaging made from other materials, which is where the use of aluminium as a permanent material has an enormous potential. Moving on to a more detailed analysis of the UBC market and the role of specific entities within the supply chain, one should provide some information on the can market itself. It is estimated that currently over 300 billion cans are consumed each year, of which nearly one third are used in the US, 55 billion in Europe, 21 billion in Brazil, while in Poland 4-5 billion5. The can manufacturing market looks similar6. This needs to be overlaid with global recycling levels. Thus, the global recycling level is approx. 75 per cent, but results vary from over a dozen per cent in countries with poorly organised collection systems, to 97 per cent in Brazil. Against this background, Europe looks rather good with over 70 per cent level of aluminium can recycling, while Poland looks even better with over 80 per cent in 20167. This differentiation shows how much depends on the specific waste management system and the scope of responsibility taken on by the individual stakeholders in a given market. The entire waste management system - in this case, mostly household waste - impacts the management of UBC. As an example of stakeholders’ initiative and positive influence on the waste management system we can look to the Polish UBC collection system. In Poland for 20 years there have been two manufacturers of aluminium beverage cans who feel responsible for their product and its recycling or reuse. Thus, already in 1995 the CANPACK Group (one of these producers) initiated a recycling programme for UBC8 which became a separate collection system for aluminium packaging. The KOBA S.A. [Inc.] company was incorporated; today, as CP Recykling Organizacja Odzysku Opakowan S.A. [Inc.], it organises the collection and recycling of UBC via a
network of recovery facilities across Poland. Other manufacturer of aluminium beverage cans operate in a similar manner, enabling a system for separate collection, treatment, and recycling of the abovementioned 80 per cent of UBC in Poland. In consequence, for over 20 years the aluminium can industry has not only delivered a product to market but also provided the opportunity to recycle the cans after use. It is worthwhile to note two aspects of this activity - firstly, creating a real opportunity to return the UBC in a separate manner; secondly, increasing consumer awareness about the aluminium can and its recyclability. With regards to the former, the used can’s value played a key part, i.e. a can was more valuable when collected separately than when returned with other metal (or even other types of aluminium scrap). With regards to the latter, the broadly understood industry (including manufacturers of aluminium sheet and canned beverages) has invested in programmes and activities to increase consumer awareness about aluminium cans, the properties of aluminium, and recycling possibilities. One example is the “Every Can Counts” programme9 in Europe, which for two years has also been operating in Poland. Applying only these two types of activities and two (very different) ways of stimulating the market translates to a high level of recycling of UBC in Poland as well as a good quality of the obtained UBC. To summarise the above remarks, the question which needs to be answered is about the role of UBC as a source of aluminium. On the one hand, it is a recycling-friendly alloy and reprocessing it does not pose a technological challenge. On the other, UBC comes with risks associated with its origin, i.e. quality challenges, stability, quantity of obtained material as well as remelting it into not simply any aluminium product, but again into a beverage can, which enables to take full advantage of the primary alloy and minimise the impact on the environment. For this to be achieved, one needs to establish the following objectives: achieve a high level of consumer awareness about the properties of aluminium as a permanent material and the possibility to recycle the beverage can multiple times; consequently, achieve a 100% level of UBC recycling, closing the product lifecycle within the economy10. �
1.This article has been prepared on the basis of a presentation of
3.European Aluminum Association, Aluminum Recycling in
7.Data of the recal foundation: www.recal.pl.
the same title given by the author on March 27, 2019, during the
Europe. The Road to High Quality Products, 2004, p. 7.
8. ACRS – Aluminium Can Recycling System.
15th International Aluminium Recycling Congress.
4. European Aluminium Association, Aluminum Recycling in
9. www.everycancounts.pl
2.Idem; G. Liu, D.B. Müller, Mapping the Global Journey of
Europe. The Road to High Quality Products, 2004, p. 13.
10. In an efficient waste management system, the aluminium
Anthropogenic Aluminium: A Trade-Linked Multilevel Material
5. Source: Global Data.
beverage can is able to complete a full life-cycle within 60 days.
Flow Analysis, Environmental Science & Technology, 2013, 47, pp.
6. US: over 100 billion cans per year, Europe: 64 billion, Brazil: 21
11873-11881.
billion, Poland: 5 billion.
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Aluminium recycling by consumers in the USA Consumers in the United States are a key part of the aluminium industry. Literally. Without the recycling efforts of average consumers, new sources of the raw ingredients for aluminium production would need to be secured annually. Costs would increase throughout the industry. But while recycling is important today, the potential for further improvements in the recycling of aluminium products is substantial. Costs could be reduced even further. As a side benefit, environmental aspects could be enhanced. Consumers in the United States utilise a variety of aluminium products in their dayto-day lives. “The most common [products used by consumers] are aluminium beverage cans (Fig 1) and transportation vehicles (cars, trucks, boats, trains, and airplanes),” stated Ms. Meg Morris, Past President of MassRecycle, a statewide nonprofit coalition dedicated to increasing recycling and waste reduction in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “Other household goods include rain gutters and aluminium lawn furniture. It’s also used in other household products, like foil trays [as well as] more and more electronic devices, but beverage cans and vehicles are what are most common.” During the last few decades, Americans have been encouraged to recycle a variety of products. Today, most of the aluminium recycling done by consumers involves aluminium cans. According to Mr. Scott Mouw, Senior Director of Strategy and Research of The Recycling Partnership, “data indicates that the average American home generates about 20 pounds of aluminium cans per year, although there can be significant differences between low can and high can generators.” The recycling rates of aluminium cans by consumers, though, has decreased in recent years. In Year 2016 (the most recent year for statistics on consumer recycling rates), 49.4% of all aluminium cans were recycled by consumers, according to a report issued by The Aluminum Association. But that rate is substantially less than Aluminium International Today
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Fig 1. Bales of aluminium cans await recycling in the United States. Photograph is provided courtesy of The Recycling Partnership.
what it was in the three previous years. In 2015, 54.5% of all aluminium cans were recycled by consumers. In 2014, the rate was 56.7%. In 2013, the rate was 54.9%. No one is exactly sure why the recycling rates of aluminium cans have decreased in recent years. “Like most recycled commodities, aluminium prices have declined in recent years,” according to a statement from The Aluminum Association. “This drop in scrap price may have prompted sellers to hold onto the metal longer, waiting for prices to recover. When coupled with an even sharper decline in the allin price for aluminium (London Metal Exchange + U.S. Midwest Premium), scrap consumers may have also had more incentive to purchase and substitute other metal sources (primary or other secondary aluminium) into their stream. The rate provides a snapshot of how well municipal recycling programs are performing nationwide though it can still be impacted by year-to-year fluctuations in metal flows and commodity prices.” While consumer recycling rates for aluminium cans has waned, the recycling
rates of aluminium products by other segments has been substantially higher. “It’s important to understand that in most other markets (industrial markets rather than consumer markets) the recycling rates tend to be in the 90 percent+ range,” stated Mr. Matt Meenan, Senior Director of Public Affairs of The Aluminum Association. Mr. Meenan also noted that aluminium recycling rates by consumers are significantly higher than for other types of products, like glass and plastic containers. “Aluminium cans remain by far the most recycled beverage package in the United States with a 10 to 20 point recycling rate advantage against glass and plastic,” according to The Aluminum Association. Scrap aluminium metal is seen in Fig 2 at the Constellium facility in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Constellium is a global manufacturer of aluminium products with operations in the United States. Fig 3 shows scrap aluminium metal being melted prior to ingot casting at the same facility. Two of the problems for aluminium recycling by consumers are convenience and accessibility. May/June 2019
01/05/2019 15:21:32
24 THE ALUMINA CHRONICLES
Fig 2. Scrap aluminium metal at the Constellium facility in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Photograph provided courtesy of Constellium
Ms. Morris of MassRecycle noted that in many communities “curbside singlestream recycling [programs] only [collect aluminium] beverage cans and foil.” She explained that in many communities, “all other aluminium household products… [have to] be taken to a local municipal drop-off centre and/or a scrap metal yard.” “As we build/rehab more multifamily housing, we don't necessarily build recycling collection infrastructure into the building sites,” noted Ms. Morris. “Many [apartment] buildings, condos, etc. have limited or no recycling collection bins. In that case, the resident must return them to the store or haul them to another collection point, making it
more difficult especially in areas of high population density and reliance on public transportation.” “All aluminium [products] can be and should be recycled as it is considered a sustainable metal in that it does not lose any of its properties through the recycling process,” stated Ms. Morris. “[Aluminium]…can be repeatedly recycled into new products.” There are several techniques utilised in the United States to encourage consumer recycling. Fund-raising by local charities is one method used in many communities. The charities have the incentive to collect, typically, aluminium cans that can be sold
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to recycling centres. This provides a source of funding for the charities. Consumers feel good about helping the environment and, at the same time, helping their local charities. Educational efforts also seem to increase aluminium recycling among consumers. Informing people about what items can be recycled is a key part of those educational efforts. “Some consumers are unsure about the recyclability of aluminium aerosol cans,” stated Mr. Scott McCarty, Director of Strategic Communications at Ball Beverage Packaging North & Central America. “More education around that topic will help…[Aerosol cans] can absolutely be recycled when empty.” Sometimes, unfortunately, people only listen to part of the educational efforts. “Once we’ve told people that aluminium is easily recycled, they put everything that they even think is aluminium into their curbside bins,” stated Ms. Morris of MassRecycle. The problem is that sometimes, those products are not easily recycled or are not being recycled by the recycling processing centres in specific communities. One technique that seems to increase the rate of aluminium recycling by consumers is through governmental regulations. In this case, governmental regulations that appeal to the financial interests of consumers. Ten American states (plus Guam) have what are sometimes called “container deposit laws” or “bottle bills”. These are laws that mandate that retailers charge consumers a deposit fee in addition to the cost of a specific product. The deposits range from 2 cents to 15 cents, depending on the locale, the type of product, and
Fig 3. Scrap aluminium metal being melted prior to ingot casting. Photograph provided courtesy of Constellium
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Fig 4. Sheets of aluminium at Ball Beverage Packaging in Golden, Colorado. Photograph courtesy of Ball Corporation
the size of container. The consumer is able to get their deposit back by returning the specific container when no longer needed by the consumer. To give you a perspective of the impact of these laws, consider that while “representing just a quarter of all consumption, more than 40 percent of the aluminium cans recycled in the United States come from the 10 container deposit states,” explained Mr. Meenan of The Aluminum Association. These “bottle bills” have primarily focused on aluminium and glass containers, though some states include other types of containers in their laws. One might wonder if these “bottle bills” are so successful in increasing consumer recycling rates, why haven’t all of the American states and commonwealths implemented such laws. In some cases, there is opposition from people who do not want further governmental intrusions in their lives. In other cases, there is opposition from retailers who do not want to be burdened with additional responsibilities. But there has also been opposition within the aluminium recycling industry. Specifically, among some entities that process recyclable products. Ms. Morris of MassRecycle noted that in “the recycling processing industry, there is a preference for disbanding the bottle bills and allowing people to put… [aluminium cans] in their recycling bins. Why? Because…aluminium is the most financially viable of all the recyclables currently and the recycling industry rightfully uses this aluminium revenue stream to offset the cost of managing the other recyclables which have low revenue or even a cost.” May/June 2019
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Sheets of aluminium are seen at Ball Beverage Packaging in Golden, Colorado (Fig 4). These sheets are then transformed into aluminium cans by Ball for use by beverage companies (Fig 5). Aluminium recycling by consumers is critical within the aluminium industry. Recycling of aluminium is one of those efforts within the industry that has little downside. If recycling levels by consumers were to increase, costs could be reduced further, natural resources could be sustained for longer periods of time, and as costs decrease, new uses for aluminium could be developed. According to Ms. Morris of MassRecycle, “recycling aluminium saves electricity and natural resources (bauxite ore). Recycling aluminium saves between 90-95% of the energy that would be needed to make the same aluminium from virgin bauxite ore. A pound of aluminium cans…saves about 7 kWh of energy. Experts agree that recycling one aluminium can saves enough energy to keep a television on for about three hours.” The Recycling Partnership concurs with MassRecycle. “It takes a tremendous amount of energy to create aluminium from raw ore; making aluminium from recycled material takes about 90% less energy,” stated Mr. Mouw of The Recycling Partnership. “Because of those energy benefits, aluminium recycling demands the use of far fewer fossil fuels and thus contributes substantially to the reduction of greenhouse gases.” Manufacturers of consumer aluminium products are also among those that strongly encourage recycling of their products. “Ball Corporation is the largest producer
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Fig 5. The aluminium sheets are then transformed into aluminium cans by Ball. Photograph courtesy of Ball Corporation.
of aluminium beverage packaging in the world,” according to Mr. McCarty of Ball Beverage Packaging. “That includes aluminium cans, bottles, and ends. Ball also is a leading manufacturer of aluminium aerosol cans and aluminium slugs.” “All of Ball’s aluminium products – both beverage and aerosol – are infinitely recyclable by consumers,” stated Mr. McCarty. “Aluminium cans are the most valuable containers in the recycling stream, often subsidising the recycling of other packages with little or no value.” “We make aluminium beverage cans for the most recognised beverage brands in the world,” stated Mr. Claude Marbach, Chief Executive Officer of Ardagh Metal - North America. “Ardagh manufactures aluminium beverage cans for leading consumer beverage brands across such categories as soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, spirits and sparkling water. We have operations across the globe, including eight manufacturing locations in the United States.” “Ardagh secures aluminium from leading aluminium sheet manufacturers,” Mr. Marbach continued. “We receive the sheets of the aluminium of which we then convert to beverage cans for our customers. The aluminium sheet producers have, on average, more than 70% recycled content in the sheets they provide converters.” “All of our aluminium beverage cans are recyclable,” explained Mr. Marbach. “In fact, aluminium beverage cans are 100% infinitely recyclable, as recycled cans can appear back on store shelves in their original form within 60 days.” One of the largest users of aluminium in the consumer market is Anheuser-Busch. Aluminium International Today
01/05/2019 15:21:37
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28 THE ALUMINA CHRONICLES
Fig 6. The photograph is provided courtesy of Ardagh Metal – North America.
“We utilise aluminium containers in multiple sizes, shapes, and configurations,” stated Mr. Tim Popp, Vice President of Sales at Metal Container Corporation, a can manufacturing subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch. “Our primary containers are standard 12 and 16 oz. cans. Sleek and 25 oz. cans represent our faster growing profile segments. Finally, we utilise both pry and twist top aluminium bottles.” According to the website of AnheuserBusch, Metal Container Corporation “supplies more than 45 percent of Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. beer cans and 55 percent of its domestic lids. The operation also produces cans and lids for major U.S. soft drink companies including PepsiCo [and] Coca-Cola.” “We recognise there is a huge opportunity to help protect the environment and inspire others to do so as well,” continued Mr. Popp. “One of our key sustainability goals is to have 100% of packaging be made from a majority of recycled content or returnable by 2025.” In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, finished cans are being prepped for delivery to a customer of Ardagh Metal – North America. The company reports that about 70% of the content of the aluminium sheets used to manufacture these cans comes from recycled aluminium. (Fig 6) A number of businesses in the aluminium industry actively participate in recycling efforts within their operations as well as in the communities where their facilities are situated. “Constellium works internally with our employees to encourage recycling within our operations,” stated Ms. Delphine Dahan-Kocher, Vice President May/June 2019
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– Public Affairs and Communications, North America for Constellium, a global manufacturer of aluminium products. “We recycle not only aluminium products, but also glass, plastic, and other products. In addition, we promote recycling by consumers through several industrysupported organisations.” “Our employees and plants around the world collect postconsumer aluminium beverage cans as part of an annual companywide recycling program and as part of local community engagement efforts,” explained Mr. McCarty of Ball Beverage Packaging. “For instance, our plants in Findlay, Ohio, and Rome, Georgia, coordinate community can recycling drives and use proceeds to award recycling scholarships to local students. In the regions in which we operate, we also work with various non-profit organisations…to increase awareness of the benefits of recycling and consumer participation in recycling efforts in their communities.” Leaders within the aluminium industry see great potential for additional recycling by consumers. According to a statement from The Aluminum Association, “in 2016, 44.5 billion cans – $760 million worth of aluminium – ended up in a landfill, a major loss to the economy and the environment…The energy saved by recycling 100 percent of aluminium cans could power 4 million homes for a full year.” “While aluminium beverage cans are the most recycled beverage package, we can do better,” stated Mr. McCarty. “In the United States, for example, there
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are still too many Americans who don’t have automatic curbside recycling. This is part of why Ball supports The Recycling Partnership.” “Curbside recycling programs are effective at collecting cans,” Mr. McCarty continued. “The latest available recycling rate (2016) for aluminium beverage cans in the U.S. is 49.4% per the Aluminum Association and the Can Manufacturing Institute. That can be much higher; some countries around the world, such as Brazil, have a 95+% rate.” The Recycling Partnership agrees on the possibilities of increasing the levels of recycling aluminium products by consumers. “There are very strong indications that improvements to both access and behaviour could substantially improve the national aluminium recycling rate,” noted Mr. Mouw of The Recycling Partnership. “We need to keep working to provide access to recycling that is on par with access to trash, so that it is just as convenient to recycle a can as to throw it away,” stated Mr. Mouw. “Right now, only about 53% of Americans have that kind of access at their homes. Access can and should also be increased at awayfrom-home locations, such as workplaces, restaurants, parks, and convenience stores.” Others, including a number of manufacturers and distributors as well as the Can Manufacturers Institute, agree that greater consumer access to recycling is critical. “Returning aluminium to the economy also helps create jobs and business opportunity, and provides a vital, energyefficient feedstock to manufacturers,” continued Mr. Mouw. “Recycling cans, along with other materials, also helps reduce our dependence on landfills and the need to site more of them in the future.” Among the benefits to increasing consumer recycling of aluminium products are “lower greenhouse gas emissions [and] reduced energy usage,” stated Ms. Sherrie Rosenblatt, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Can Manufacturers Institute. One problem noted today that might grow to be a bigger impediment to aluminium recycling in the future is that some aluminium cans in the marketplace are wrapped in plastic “shrink sleeve” packaging. Mr. Mouw noted that “that [packaging] can be detrimental to the recycling process. This could become a significant issue if more cans are shrinksleeved.” Municipal governments throughout the United States are an important part of recycling by consumers. Aluminium International Today
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An example of the continued efforts to expand access to recycling is now in the process of being implemented in Florida. The City of Sarasota expanded its recycling efforts for aluminium and other products in that Florida municipality on April 1st. New carts were delivered to residences throughout Sarasota in March (Fig 7) to encourage even greater participation in recycling by local residents through a new single-stream recycling collection service. The Recycling Partnership provided a $100,000.00 grant to Sarasota to help reduce the costs of this expanded recycling program. Five other communities in the United States also received grants as part of the non-profit organisation’s Coastal and Waterway Community Recycling Grant Program. “This grant will be a big boost in helping us to promote recycling and make it easier for people to do their part in protecting our environment,” said Ms. Stevie Freeman-Montes, Sustainability Manager
Fig 7. The City of Sarasota provided new recycling carts to residents throughout this Florida community. The photograph is provided courtesy of the City of Sarasota.
for the City of Sarasota. “Recycling is especially critical in a coastal community like Sarasota.” Officials in government, business, and the non-profit sectors all agree that consumer recycling rates of aluminium products can and need to be increased in the United States. All see great benefits to
higher recycling rates. Access, convenience, and education are three of the key elements that will determine the success of the efforts to increase consumer recycling rates of aluminium products in this important North American nation. �
Do you have questions about the aluminium industry? Governmental regulations? Company operations? Your questions may be used in a future news column. Contact Richard McDonough at aluminachronicles@gmail.com. © 2019 Richard McDonough
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30 ENERGY CONSUMPTION
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IEA recommends China’s smelters modulate energy The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its February 2019 paper ‘China Energy System Transformation’, recommends that China’s primary aluminium smelters modulate energy consumption to provide the grid with demand side response (DSR) energy flexibility. The paper, which ‘assesses the benefit of optimised operations and advanced flexibility options’, sets out the significant operational value that DSR programmes can potentially deliver to a largely decarbonised Chinese power system in 2035. China is adopting renewable energy generation faster than any other country and since 2017 Chinese policy makers have recognised DSR as a key system flexibility measure. The IEA report includes an entire chapter on understanding the value of DSR deployment in a sustainable development scenario (SDS), and the role the EnPot modulation technology for aluminium smelters can play in it. The report goes on to recommend; “specific government interventions may be necessary to enroll particular largerscale load resources (e.g. aluminium smelters), including the design of financial incentives for retrofits and/or participation requirements.” What does this mean for the rest of the world? It could be argued that the word ‘China’ be dropped out of the IEA report so it reads ‘Energy System Transformation’, as apart from a few countries blessed with large amounts of Hydro Generation e.g. New Zealand, Norway and Iceland, the rest of the world’s energy systems are similar to China’s mixed generation grid. Aluminium International Today first covered energy modulation in the September 2016 issue (Opening the Window of Opportunity), followed it up in September 2017 with ‘A balancing Act’, and in October 2018 published the ‘The role of aluminium smelters in decarbonising our future’. It was the later article that apparently caught the attention of the IEA. There are compelling arguments for why May/June 2019
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aluminium smelters will both need and want to modulate energy consumption in the future. Exponential curve Under all SDS’s; the amount of energy storage required to maintain grid security and stability, increases exponentially the closer a grid gets to 100% renewable, until it’s a 1:1 ratio or greater, depending on how much hydro storage there is in any particular grid. Some experts argue that even with a 1:1 ratio of energy storage to generation, we still won’t be able to reach 100% renewable electricity in certain grids. They point to the steepness of the renewablepenetration-to-storage-curve as it gets closer to 100%, and say it will makes it impossible for some grids to decommission all thermal coal generation. Especially if they want to avoid curtailments in a deep winter scenario, where there can be periods of up to three weeks with little sun and no wind. While battery storage may be good for four hours, it can’t bridge the gap up to three weeks. Currently the only storage mechanism we have that can achieve this is pump-hydro. Pump-hydro requires building more dams and flooding more valleys, which is an expensive and unpopular proposition, especially when you consider much of it may only be required on an intermittent basis. DSR becomes more valuable Large industrial users who can turn down, rather than turn off, will be in the ideal
position to liberate and sell high-value power back to the grid during times of low generation. There will be additional benefits to those who can also increase their energy consumption at times when there is an excess of low cost or negatively priced electricity in the grid, which is also an inherent feature of renewable energy grids. As some of the largest energy users in any grid, Al smelters are in an ideal position to capitalise on the need for grid flexibility. Retro-fitting an Al smelter with modulation technology is estimated to be at least 1/10th of the capital cost of building either new generation or new energy storage. Significantly, modulating Al smelters are able to bridge the three-week gap that batteries cannot. Grids will increasingly need the type of DSR that modulating Al smelters can offer. Beyond baseload There is now almost universal consensus that rapid response, dynamic power sources are the future of power generation and that baseload is now the “dinosaur of the energy debate”. This brings us back to the IEA China recommendations. Their prediction is that large scale DSR will be necessary under any Sustainable Development Scenarios. Is it time for aluminium smelting to embrace the future and move beyond providing baseload, to providing something proving to be far more valuable – flexibility? � Aluminium International Today
03/05/2019 14:13:25
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32 TRANSPORT & HANDLING
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Mecfor AGV TEAM: Tested for life By Daniel Néron, Eng.* In mid-August 2018, Mecfor launched its newest and most innovative piece of equipment: The AGV TEAM, an electrical auto guided vehicle dedicated for aluminium smelters operations, mainly in the electrolysis sector for hauling metal ladles and shortly, anode trays. Not only does the AGV TEAM fit into the trendy Industry 4.0, but it aims to reduce the ecological footprint of aluminium producers; an energy-intensive industry. Accessible technology To make this possible, Mecfor selected Amerden as its AGV Technological partner for numerous reasons, one being that they offer the best chemistry between AGV designer, manufacturer and integrator, working with the well-known Kollmorgen applications. With over 20,000 AGV units in operation worldwide, Mecfor thought that the off the shelf type solutions offered by Kollmorgen (NDC8) is simply the best option. We are confident that the technology, hardware, software and components have been proven to be reliable, safe and stable. Kollmorgen has shown to be the world leader of AGV solutions; their actual extended integrator network gives access to an array of resources and experts all over the globe. Therefore, Mecfor/Amerden is presenting a trustworthy solution that
relies on quality of equipment, support, accessible expertise, all having one objective: The peace of mind of customers. Safety and reliability: Our priorities at all times Guiding and safety components chosen were tested under real life operations for months – mounted on Mecfor’s conventional haulers operating 24/7 in an AP30+ environment. Additional shielding, dust protection, component modifications were installed/performed to provide optimal results of overall guiding and safety components. The AGV TEAM is compliant with the ANSI/ITSDF B56.52012 Safety Standard for Driverless, Automatic Guided Industrial Vehicles and Automated Functions of Manned Industrial Vehicles, on which Amerden is an active participant on the Standards Committee. The equipment is also compliant with the European standard BS EN 1525:1998 Safety of industrial trucks Driverless trucks and their systems. The AGV TEAM uses a laser navigation system based on target triangulation to keep the vehicle on course. The onboard odometry sensors contribute in obtaining a tracking accuracy of ±5mm. The AGV TEAM possesses a non-contact sensor mounted on the front and on the rear of the chassis. These sensors replicate
a virtual bumper ensuring that the AGV makes a controlled stop before coming in contact with any obstacle. There are two safety detection zones perimeter. Despite the great challenges found in an aluminium smelter, Mecfor AGV TEAM can operate completely autonomous fashion incorporating high safety standards at all time. The guidance system and safety parameters were key concerns in the design of the equipment. Design and power The vehicle can carry load of up to 34MT powered by two electric motors of 9kW and wheel arrangement ensuring stable operation on uneven floor. The AGV TEAM is equipped with a smart battery management system (BMS) that allows for opportunity charging with an automatic plug-in system. Since early 2019, Mecfor has been working on the deployment of a technological showcase in a Quebec Aluminium smelter with the objective of implementing a fully and completely autonomous metal hauling route, operating continuously 24/7. Prior to deliver the equipment at the smelter, a safety machine review has been conducted by a third party to make sure nothing was left out. The whole implementation process of the technological showcase is an eye opener; in contrary to conventional hauler equipment, AGVs deployment plan needs to be worked and refined hand in hand with all parties from the end-user to the automation specialist. This is the approach Mecfor envisions and promotes. Fluent and open co-operation is the key to success from the very beginning of the project. As we are writing this article, the AGV TEAM is being commissioned and is hauling metal by itself. The next step is to fully integrate the software layers with the plant orders to have the vehicle operating on a continuous basis while making sure that all modules are properly functioning. With a short turnaround for the deployment, we can proudly say that we’re on schedule. Putting Mecfor AGV TEAM prototype in full service is a learning curve that will benefit all AGVs’ projects conversion for the next decade. �
*Vice President, Operations and AGV Sales Engineer, Mecfor Inc. Aluminium International Today
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During a recent visit to Québec, Nadine Bloxsome* was treated to a showcase of Mecfor’s latest AGV TEAM in action. Here, she speaks to Éloïse Harvey** about the company’s development in its electrical autonomous vehicles for the aluminium industry.
Q: How important is it for Mecfor to
be technology/automation focused? A: Over the past two years, we invested about 1.4 million (CAD) of our own equity money into developing this equipment, fabricating it, testing it, making sure that it functions well, so obviously if we didn’t think it was the path to the future, we wouldn’t have done something like that. Of course, the Canadian and Québec Governments have also participated with subsidiaries and loans for the development, which adds on top of the money that Mecfor invested. We believe it is very important to be ready with a new technology when the clients are ready for it. We started hearing about AGVs from some clients years ago and that’s why we decided to be ahead of the curve and develop on our own power.
Q: How are you working with the industry to integrate electrical autonomous vehicles? A: Our Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are a new technology - going from diesel to electrical, so that was one step and then going autonomous is another step, so it was two technologies at the same time for us. We believe that the electrical platform is the way to the future as well, so if some clients do not believe in going fully autonomous, then there is the electrical
platform that we are also working right now, looking at electrifying our various vehicles like the casthouse machines, bath tapping trucks or haulers. So, for the clients that do not want to go fully autonomous, the development we have done now will serve to integrate the technology platform for the electrification into Mecfor vehicles. This also fits with the Government’s approach to electrifying vehicles here in Quebec bringing our industry towards a greener approach, with less GES emissions. This is also very positive and isn’t just for this industry. It can be applied to other heavy-duty environments and used in other industries as well. However, we are starting with the aluminium industry, which we know really well. We can develop both the autonomous and electrical vehicles and then take these two platforms to other heavy industries. As a matter of fact, Mecfor’s ability for technological transfer from one industry to another is one characteristic of our company growth.
Q: How long before the aluminium industry will see the autonomous vehicles in action? A: It is a question of months before this technology will be fully implemented. Q: What does it mean for the vehicles being replaced? A: That’s a good question! Some clients are not in as much of a hurry to go autonomous. If one client wants to move to autonomous and the other vehicles are still in good shape, we could find other clients that have an older fleet and want to buy a few more years. That would be an option. Q:
How is Mecfor rolling out this technology? A: At the end of this year we will have all but one plant in North America operating on Mecfor vehicles – that’s over 100 vehicles operating and some of them have been partners for more than 20 years, renewing their fleet over and over. We hope to be able to have the same presence with our new technology over the years.
Q: What has the reaction been? A: It’s a particular choice for any clients – Q: they might want to only have a portion of A: the plant that is going autonomous. We cannot push our clients, but it is our clients pulling on us, which makes us want to accelerate the development.
What’s next? There’s a lot of interest from all occidental smelters at the moment, but one of our objectives is to move this particular technology to the casthouse as well. �
*Editor, Aluminium International Today **B. Eng. & Mgmt, President, Mecfor Inc Aluminium International Today
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Quicker down the aisles at Dudley’s Threefold increase in storage capacity and faster placing and picking with Combilift.
Dudley’s Aluminium has considerably improved the productivity and efficiency of its materials handling at its manufacturing facility and storage unit with the recent delivery of a second Combilift multidirectional forklift. The Cardiff based company specialises in the fabrication of architectural aluminium and offers full in-house design and production of, for example, aluminium curtain walling, windows and shop fronts, which are used in prestigious projects in the education, health and commercial sectors across the UK. Recent growth in business necessitated a rethink of handling and storage procedures for incoming raw materials and finished products as Assistant Production Manager
Geraint Bowden explains: “We realised we needed to streamline this aspect of our business, and together with advice from Combilift and racking suppliers Wickens, we designed a new storage facility based around the capabilities of a Combilift fitted with guide rollers for guided aisle operation.” Stillages of incoming extrusions from suppliers such as Kawneer had previously been stacked on top of each other, making the retrieval of any specific stillage a time consuming procedure. With around 700m² of storage space and 6m high racking, the new facility can accommodate 336 stillages, each stored in a logged bay, making placing, locating and picking individual stillages much quicker and
more productive. “What used to take 15 or 20 minutes can now be done in just a minute or two, so this is a much better use of man hours,” said Geraint. Dudley’s Aluminium originally switched to the multidirectional concept when it acquired its first Combilift C3000 thirteen years ago from its materials handling supplier Grant Handling. It replaced a combination of a counterbalance truck and an electric sideloader. Having clocked up thousands of hours since, it is still on the go, having “worked its socks off” according to Geraint. The advantages of the company’s first Combilift - manouevrability, tight turning circle and versatility, are all evident in the new C3000, but the guide rollers also enable it to operate in aisle widths of just 2.1m in the new storage unit. Driver Matthew Webster said it took only a day or so to get 100% accustomed to the guided aisles, which make for quick and easy travel as well as reducing the risk of any damage to product. Both LPG powered trucks work as universal pieces of equipment, in the fabrication workshop, inside and out and for offloading and loading HGVs. They handle the 4m to 6.6m stillages – up to 40 a day - as well as palletised loads of windows and, with added fork extensions, they also lift longer packs of curtain walling weighing up to around 2 tonnes. “We don’t occupy a massive site here,” said Geraint, “so maximum storage density was crucial. The advice and recommendations from David Vuagniaux of Combilift and the layouts the company provided enabled us to triple the amount of available storage, and the ability of the trucks to work in tight spaces around HGVs in the yard avoids bottlenecks. Our first truck has definitely earned its keep and I have no doubt that the new one will too.” � Contact www.combilift.com www.dudleys.uk.com
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+353 47 80500
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MASS PRODUCER OF CUSTOMISED HANDLING SOLUTIONS Improved storage capacity | Safer product handling | Increased productivity
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36 TRANSPORT & HANDLING
Special cranes for loads of up to 100 tonnes Vollert currently delivers a total of 11 fully automated cranes to the mega rolling plant project of the Chinese Zhongwang Group. The new aluminium rolling plant of Zhongwang in Yingkou is a system of unparalleled opportunities. In 2015 and 2016, Vollert already equipped two mega rolling plants of the group with fully automated material flow systems. A third now follows. The factory for rolled products becomes one of the largest in the world, at an annual output of 1.3 million tons. The sizes are accordingly: 11 automatic cranes with crane track lengths of up to 800m, 6 shuttle and tunnelling vehicles, 12 driving and lifting carts and four sword lifting cart pairs (CTC) ensure movement. The entire material flow technology, including the control, comes from Vollert. Up to 10 cold rollers are planned for the factory in the final development. A flatstorage was chosen deliberately, instead of high-bay warehouse, for storage of the coils. Fast cranes with travelling speeds up to 4 m/s – for loads up to 33 t – and flat storages linked in parallel permit short cycles and high cycle rates nevertheless. All processes take place fully automated from storage of the ingots and supply of
the pusher furnace to supply and removal of the warm rolls with subsequent coil flat storage, transport to the cold rolls by tunnel shuttle, the subsequent cleaning line, up to packaging. “That we are building factory 3 now is a great show of our customer’s trust,” reports Oliver Wolschinski, Vice President at Vollert. “Zhongwang Group know what they are getting from us. The technology and the intralogistics concept have proven their worth in the two predecessor projects from the last three years.” Specialist for crane systems For the LogiMAT, Vollert uses specific examples to point out the options of special crane systems in different applications. The intralogistics specialist installed several hundred cranes and manipulators and has a broad know-how - no matter if it is about the transport of coils, long goods, sheet panels, wide bundles, paper rolls, automotive parts or construction materials. The cranes lift, turn and stack fully or partially
automated loads of up to 100 tonnes quickly, and without damage, and thus link all work stations within production. “Due to the large number of our product, we are able to present bridge, portal or half-portal systems, stacker cranes and fully automatic multipleaxis crane systems with spans of up to 50 m” explains Andreas Pyzalski, Senior Sales Manager at Vollert. The experts customise the designs and load handling equipment to the available space and the transported goods, and move aluminium coils with temperatures up to 500°C, as well as oversized steel structures, even under difficult ambient conditions. This includes, for example, ex-protection areas in painting plants. Vollert also offers the entire automation of the crane systems. With individual load handling systems, Vollert special cranes move, turn and stack many different loads at up to 100 tonnes, and at speeds of up to 4 m/s. The intralogistics specialist is already installing sev- eral hundred cranes and manipulators for replacement in many different industries around the world. �
Picture material Source: Vollert
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always the durable solution Cost effective heavy duty mobile equipment for aluminium industries . . .
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Hall 5 G04
GLAMA Maschinenbau GmbH Headquarters: HornstraĂ&#x;e 19 D-45964 Gladbeck / Germany Fon: +49 (0) 2043 9738 0 Fax: +49 (0) 2043 9738 50 email: info@glama.de
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38 TRANSPORT & HANDLING
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A step forward in flexibility of Properzi lines For an aluminium smelter it is always difficult to balance the production of semis with the market instability. Billets, rod, ingots and other products suffer fluctuations in both price and demand. Continuus-Properzi, who supplied the vast majority of aluminium rod lines to the smelters worldwide, has recently developed a combination line able to produce two distinct products: rod and ingots…from the same line! One high production rod caster (1015 ton/hour) solidifies a continuous bar that can enter into the rolling mill for the production of wire rod or can be sheared by the rotary shear to produce 10 kg
ingots having a length of 700 mm. The resulting Properzi ingots are far superior to those produced with a traditional open-top system. The Properzi ingots are continuously cooled, stacked (Fig 1) and strapped in bundles of one ton approximately. The shifting from rod to ingot production, and vice-versa, is easily done and doesn’t require major changes. As shown in the Lay-out example (Fig 2), the ingot line is located near the rod line with the important advantage of optimizing the use of space in the cast house. The necessary area is almost half of the area required to install two
UNLOADING AREA OF PROPERZI BUNDLES OF INGOTS
BUNDLE STRAPPING STATION
Fig 1
separate lines, one for rod production and a separate one for ingot production. Furthermore, since the caster is the same for both products (produced in campaigns), it is not necessary to install two separate furnace sets. This provides important savings in terms of total investment and space. Pure aluminium ingots, but mainly primary foundry alloys (Al-Si) ingots, are the alternative product for a different market. Two “Combo-Lines”, as they are called, are currently in the commissioning phase and are expected to be in full production within the second quarter 2019. �
Fig 2
UNLOADING AREA OF PROPERZI BUNDLES OF INGOTS
INGOT LINE PRODUCTION
INGOT COOLING TUNNEL
INGOT STACKING ROBOT
May/June 2019
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ROLLING MILL TRAIN
ROD LINE PRODUCTION
Aluminium International Today
09/05/2019 09:17:35
— Millmate Thickness Gauging systems Gapless gauging for aluminium strip
The Box Gauge measures aluminium strip thickness with a gapless sensor – excitation and receiver in one single unit. The compact and robust design, together with insensitivity to alloy variations and harsh rolling mill environments, enables accurate measurements in any position, even interstand in a tandem mill. Thus the MTG Box Gauge is ideal for use with all types of AGC, for control of thickness as well as for reducing thickness errors. abb.com/thicknessgauging
40 EXTRUSION
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Expanding extrusion capacity The company will build a dedicated 8,000 sq m hall on its Singen campus for an expected start of production in mid-2020. Constellium anticipates approximately 50 new jobs will be created to support this new activity. “Extrusions are the foundation of our Automotive Structures product portfolio,” commented Paul Warton, president of Constellium’s Automotive Structures and Industry Business Unit. “As our business continues to grow, Singen has become a diverse provider of complex, high-strength extrusions of all sizes, shapes, strengths and gauges for our automotive programs, as well as our rail, transportation and industrial customers. This new press increases not only capacity, but advances
May/June 2019
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our efficiency and capability.” With more than 100 years of service to the aluminium industry, the Singen facility is a pillar of Constellium’s manufacturing strategy, featuring the latest equipment for producing extrusions on five presses. The plant is the main extrusions supplier for Constellium’s Automotive Structures business in Europe, with dedicated presses to produce the aluminium profiles used to manufacture Crash Management Systems, Side Impact Beams and structural components. It also fabricates large profile extrusions for rail, power rail and bus applications, as well as other transportation and industry markets. Singen is home to a 100 MN press, which is the largest in Western Europe.
Constellium recently announced that it is expanding its plant in Singen, Germany, with an additional aluminium extrusion press to supply automotive customers in Europe.
Beyond extremely large and wide sections, Constellium Singen is the only extrusion plant in the world to produce aluminium/ steel co-extrusions for energy power supply to metro power rail systems. With high-grade cold mills and an integrated hot/cold rolling line, Constellium Singen is also a provider of Automotive Body Sheet and other customised rolled products. The plant produces aluminium sheets and coils with advanced functional surfaces for a range of applications, from architectural and interior design to vehicle decoration and cosmetic packaging. In addition, the facility is able to produce very thin material for closures and flexible packaging markets. �
Aluminium International Today
03/05/2019 14:19:44
ADVERTORIAL
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STAS recently delivered its 250th ACD (Aluminium Compact Degasser) to an Indian customer - almost 25 years after the delivery of the company’s flagship product.
Left: Members of the original ACD project in the early 1990s. Right: Staff from STAS proudly posing in front of the 250th ACD in Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
This automated equipment, now a flagship product of STAS, is used for the processing of aluminium alloys produced by casting centers, smelters, extruders and other types of producers around the world. More precisely, it makes it possible to remove the hydrogen from liquid aluminium and thus increase the metallurgical performance of the metal. This historic delivery marks STAS's status as a world leading manufacturer of innovative industrial equipment for the aluminium sector. Times have changed in the world of aluminium since the days of the first degasser that was installed in the Saguenay - Lac St-Jean region, (Quebec,
In its improved version adapted to the needs of our time, this equipment ensures unequaled performance to producers seeking a real added value in their aluminium: low maintenance costs, self-diagnostic capabilities, high degree of quality of the metal, management safety and environmental concerns through the possible integration of a Flux Feeder Device (FFD) that removes chlorine. The Salt-ACD, as it is known in the industry, is based on the utilisation of salt fluxes in replacement of chlorine gas. This unique technology used in combination with the Rotary Flux Injector (RFI) for furnace preparation and/or the Treatment of Aluminum in Crucible (TAC) for aluminum pre treatment eliminates the use of chlorine in cast houses. The technology developed jointly by Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA) and STAS has been successfully implemented and operated in numerous plants. It supports the objective of eliminating chlorine from the cast house for health, safety and environmental reasons.
Canada) in the early 90s, where the family business is located. The number of aluminum smelters has greatly increased; the available technologies are numerous and diversified and traditional production markets are no longer the same.
Over the years, the dedicated and innovative work performed by our workers has allowed our customers to produce millions of tons of aluminium of superior quality, and STAS to produce 250 machines of the same type (different configurations possible from 2 to 10 rotors), most of which are exported outside Canada.
However, with this historic delivery, the identity of STAS as a sustainable company capable of ensuring its durability beyond the ages and generations is confirmed and honors two initial objectives that the company had set itself when it started to do business 30 years ago: to produce reliable, innovative and robust equipment and guarantee customer satisfaction. With this order, these goals are once again achieved.
On the eve of our 30th Anniversary (1989-2019), ‘’a growing number of early customers approach us to replace their original degasser by a newer, more technologically-advanced version. In a way, this allows them to underscore the incessant quest to improve their equipment and processes, which males us proud’’, says, Dominic Vézina, Marketing & Communications Manager at STAS. For STAS workers, the priorities
41
are the same decades after. Overall, everyone wins. The collaboration between the parties and the coordinated use of knowledge around aluminium production have made possible the commercialisation of this equipment around the world. In a context of strong global demand for this light metal, but also increasing competitiveness between producers and suppliers, this success is a motivating factor for the future of the aluminium sector in Saguenay-Lac StJean, Quebec, Canada and beyond. Parenthesis for those less familiar with history ... The ACD was born from the Alcan Compact Degasser Program, which began in 1994 and is a partnership with the Alcan Research and Development Center, which is at the origin of the technology, and STAS, the manufacturer responsible for it commercialisation and development. Since the first version in 1994 until today, the product has been evolving in terms of configuration and performance to better meet the requirements of the global market. STAS’ ACDs are now in operation in more than 35 countries and are still in demand. The exceptional success of this product in the global market is due to the excellence of its employees, partners and regional subcontractors. ‘’The order of the 250th degasser now being confirmed, we will keep the course to reach the 300th in the next decade. We are now undergoing an important transformation at STAS, and we want to leave our footprint. Successes like this one leaves us confident we can surpass ourselves more than we ever did to this date’, declares Vézina. Congratulations to all those who are directly or indirectly involved in the success of this equipment!
Features of an ACD, together with a FFD or Flux Feeder Device that replaces chlorine with the use of salt flux.
+1-418-696-0074 | info@stas.com | stas.com STAS - Copy.indd 1
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Esecutivi_A3_with Scorecard_2017_07_18_A3 esecutivi 27/12/17 15:52 Pagina 32
DANIELI ALUMINIUM COLD ROLLING ROLLING MILL MILL TECHNOLOGY FOR ADVANCED STRIP AND FOIL PRODUCTION
Danieli’s 4 and 6-high DiamondFlex mills for strip and foil production incorporate the best mechanical and automation solutions to deal with the specific challenges of high-productivity aluminium rolling. As of March 2016 Fata Hunter is part of the Danieli Team.
> > > > >
4 and 6-high DiamondFlex mills Single stand and tandem mills Aluminium foil mills DAN-ECO2 ecological systems DAN-PURITY filters
Latest references out of total 228 cold and foil mills KUMZ RUSSIA Cold rolling mill plant featuring a 6-high Diamond mill for the production of coils for the aerospace sector. 2800 mm wide strip production: the widest 6-high mill in the world.
Aluminium casters, rolling mills, stretchers, processing and finishing lines
LUOYANG WANJI MACHINED ALUMINIUM CHINA 6-high cold rolling mill featuring “Opty-Six” technology and ”H-System” process control, including mass flow and feed-forward. Max. strip width 1,900 mm; finished thickness down to 0.2 mm.
Danieli Headquarters 33042 Buttrio (Udine) Italy Tel (39) 0432.1958111
ALERIS DUFFEL BELGIUM Complete cold rolling plant featuring a 6-high Diamond mill designed for EDT rolling for specific automotive applications.
DANIELI TEAM A CENTURY OF PARTNERSHIP EXPERIENCE
OARC - OMAN ALUMINIUM ROLLING COMPANY OMAN World-class 4-high cold rolling mill for 390 and 1050x2150 mm Al light gauge. Part of a turnkey complex producing 140,000 tpy of multi-purpose Al sheets supplied by Fata EPC (Danieli Group).
www.danieli.com
Esecutivi_A3_with Scorecard_2017_07_18_A3 esecutivi 27/12/17 15:52 Pagina 32
DANIELI ALUMINIUM COLD ROLLING ROLLING MILL MILL TECHNOLOGY FOR ADVANCED STRIP AND FOIL PRODUCTION
Danieli’s 4 and 6-high DiamondFlex mills for strip and foil production incorporate the best mechanical and automation solutions to deal with the specific challenges of high-productivity aluminium rolling. As of March 2016 Fata Hunter is part of the Danieli Team.
> > > > >
4 and 6-high DiamondFlex mills Single stand and tandem mills Aluminium foil mills DAN-ECO2 ecological systems DAN-PURITY filters
Latest references out of total 228 cold and foil mills KUMZ RUSSIA Cold rolling mill plant featuring a 6-high Diamond mill for the production of coils for the aerospace sector. 2800 mm wide strip production: the widest 6-high mill in the world.
Aluminium casters, rolling mills, stretchers, processing and finishing lines
LUOYANG WANJI MACHINED ALUMINIUM CHINA 6-high cold rolling mill featuring “Opty-Six” technology and ”H-System” process control, including mass flow and feed-forward. Max. strip width 1,900 mm; finished thickness down to 0.2 mm.
Danieli Headquarters 33042 Buttrio (Udine) Italy Tel (39) 0432.1958111
ALERIS DUFFEL BELGIUM Complete cold rolling plant featuring a 6-high Diamond mill designed for EDT rolling for specific automotive applications.
DANIELI TEAM A CENTURY OF PARTNERSHIP EXPERIENCE
OARC - OMAN ALUMINIUM ROLLING COMPANY OMAN World-class 4-high cold rolling mill for 390 and 1050x2150 mm Al light gauge. Part of a turnkey complex producing 140,000 tpy of multi-purpose Al sheets supplied by Fata EPC (Danieli Group).
www.danieli.com
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF PRODUCTIVITY
Pressta Eisele is the number one supplier of high speed and precision saws for the aluminum industry worldwide. We manufacture from simple single station saws to fully automatic cutting lines with loading magazines and handling stations anything a modern production needs to keep up with the steadily increasing market demands.
www.pressta-eisele.de
ALUEXPO PREVIEW 45 5
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Eurasian aluminium industry meets at ALUEXPO 2019 Having 28 years of experience in organising fairs in the metallurgy industry, Hannover Messe Ankiros Fairs will organise the 6th International Aluminium Technology, Machinery and Products Trade Fair ALUEXPO 2019 on 10-12 October 2019 in Istanbul Expo Center. Being the second biggest of Europe and the leading Aluminium Fair of Eurasia; one of the reasons of ALUEXPO Fair’s success is the visitors’ profile. According to the survey in 2017, 70% of visitors are managers or purchasers. As a natural result, there was a lot of successful business arrangements were signed during the fair. Most being aluminium producers and suppliers there will be visitors from construction, automotive, white goods, defense, machinery production, transportation, railway systems, packaging, energy, kitchen utensils, conductors and wiring industries in ALUEXPO. ALUEXPO allows directing sales and marketing effort accurately and costing effectively in these growing industries. ALUEXPO 2019 is supported by TALSAD- Turkish Aluminium Industrialists’ Association which is the preeminent association of the aluminium industry, and UCTEA – Chamber of Metallurgical and Materials Engineers. While aluminium products like sections, plates, foils, ingots, bars, finished and semifinished aluminium products with aluminium door, window and facade coating systems and aluminium products for different industries will be shown in 9th hall where particularly Turkish aluminium producers will take place, aluminium products and aluminium production technologies will be introduced in 10-11th halls the leaders of international suppliers of global metallurgy industry take place. All requirements, ranging from primary aluminium exhibited by the leading producers of our country and the world to any kind of semi-finished aluminium product, aluminium building systems as well as facing and roofing materials, machines, equipment, raw materials and consumable materials produced by the latest technologies that are used in this industry, will meet with buyers in ALUEXPO. Aluminium International Today
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Aluminium industry experts meet at the 9th Aluminium Symposium The 9th Aluminium Symposium will be held at the same time and place with ALUEXPO2019 with the cooperation of TALSAD, TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center and TMMOB Chamber of Metallurgical and Materials Engineers. The 9th Aluminium Symposium will bring together all aluminium production technologies and every dimension of the aluminium industry through an academic platform. The industry will have a chance to examine the economical, technological, scientific fields of the aluminium industry and will be able to inform about recent developments. The Symposium aims to create a vision for Turkey’s existing and future status in global aluminium industry. ALUEXPO fairs keep growing Being the melting pot of the global aluminium world, ALUEXPO 2019 will bring together the leading experts of the industry, foreign companies
which want to take advantage of the potential opportunities of Turkey for new investments, as well as domestic companies which want to cooperate with different countries together. It will be an important opportunity for the ones who want to discover the trade world of aluminium whose usage is increasing day by day with the effect of new technologies and which creates a significant trade potential and to be informed about the developments in the industry. � For detailed information please visit: www.aluexpo.com May/June 2019
03/05/2019 14:20:56
Alusalt : Rapid payback salt slag reprocessing plant.
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SAFETY
SECONDARY
INDUSTRY 4.0
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CHINESE LANGUAGE SUPPLEMENT
SPECIAL CHINESE SUPPLEMENT I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H A L U M I N I U M C H I N A 1 0 - 1 2 J U LY 2 0 1 9
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48 安全
可防止爆炸的 Wise Chem 可通过员工培训和工程控制防止铝行业 中的爆炸。培训员工涉及教他们在使用熔 融金属时执行的正确程序。在我们工厂中 安装工程控制装置有两个主要原因。第一 个原因是防止员工违反正确程序。安装工 程控制的第二个原因是防止发生熔融金 属爆炸。本文将探讨使用控制装置防止熔 融金属爆炸的重要性。具体讲，使用 Wise Chem 涂料如何能够帮助防止熔融金属爆 炸。当中国市场开始购买国外制造的机械 时，其已开始了解 Wise Chem 涂料的重 要性。机械制造商要求在安装新设备时， 根据他们的特定需要应用 Wise Chem 涂料。一些中国铝业公司索要了有关为什 么应使用 Wise Chem 的文件。在答复中， 他们的外国供应商提供了美国铝业协会 的“熔融铝处理指导原则”第 4 版。该出版 物于 39 年前首次出版，被认为是铝行业 2019 年 5 月/6 月
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需要对 Wise Chem 进行预防性维护 和定期重新涂漆，以防止熔融金属爆炸。 如前所述，科学家确定，在与熔融金属接 触时，Wise Chem 会产生穿透熔融金属 的气体。每次涂层执行此功能时，其都会 有一点磨损。当与熔融金属接触时，Wise Chem 会变成棕色。随着时间推移，涂层会 磨损掉，从而露出裸露基体。科学家确定 Wise Chem 涂料可防止熔融金属爆炸， 可产生爆炸的最小裸露面积为 5 cm x 5 而其他涂料不能吗？为什么？ 科学家确定，在与液态铝接触时，W i s e cm（钢）和 10 cm x 10 cm（混凝土）。如果 Chem 会产生气体，这些气体可向上穿透 没有对 Wise Chem 表面进行修复和重 熔融金属，从而使被困的水分逃逸出去。 新涂漆，则可能导致爆炸。 铝业公司应分两步处理 Wise Chem 的 美国铝业协会对数百种涂料进行了测试， 他们发现 Wise Chem 涂料可提供其他涂 维护和重新涂层。在预铸检查清单中，应 料所不能提供的保护。这就是为什么过去 快速检查模具上的 Wise Chem，查看是 40 年内在防止熔融金属爆炸方面 Wise 否有任何裸露区域。如果裸露区域大于产 Chem 涂料已成为业界最佳安全实践的 生爆炸的最小面积，则应使用 Wise Chem 快速对该区域进行涂漆。在大多数情况 原因。 最佳安全实践基准。第 28 节“浇铸坑和 设备的防护涂料”将 Wise Chem 涂料表 述为“能够在 DC 浇铸过程中防止进入浇 铸坑内的漏液爆炸”。本文应使中国铝业 制造商在选择 Wise Chem 涂料时充满信 心。
Aluminium International Today
01/05/2019 14:34:07
维
m
安全 49
维护和重新涂层 下，可使用 Wise Chem 修复套件在浇铸 间隔时间内完成此修复。当员工进入浇铸 坑去除底部的任何固化金属时，应至少每 月进行一次浇铸坑壁检查。该过程的第二 步是按计划定期进行 Wise Chem 的重新 涂漆。人们常常会问如果修复了涂层为什 么还要根据需要重新涂漆。应仅在面积大 到足以产生爆炸的裸露区域进行修复。必 须快速进行修复，以防止出现任何生产中 断。有许多较小的裸露区域最终会越变越 大，从而需要修复。随着需要维修的小区 域数量增加，最终将会影响生产。公司应 制定预算，并且应计划每 18-24 个月对浇 铸坑进行一次完全重新涂层，以及对钢模 具每 12-16 个月进行一次完全重新涂层。 如果发生渗出并且大量熔融金属与 Wise Chem 接触，则可缩短这些持续时间。在第 三次重新涂层时，应将浇铸坑的所有 Wise Aluminium International Today
Alex safety.zh-CN.indd 2
Chem 剥掉，露出裸露基材。在此之前，应 使现有 Wise Chem 表面变粗糙或对其刮 划，以便使新的 Wise Chem 能够与表面 进行机械结合。 中国在 2018 年发生了两次灾难性爆 炸。山西省和江苏省发生了爆炸。在每一 种情况下，浇铸厂都被摧毁，许多员工死 亡。有关这两次爆炸的政府调查报告列出 了不同的根本原因。山西爆炸是在 20 模 具浇铸台发生的。一个模具不工作，其被 石棉堵塞。负责监视浇铸的员工在浇铸期 间离开了工作站。第 20 号模具中的石棉“ 松动”了，从而使熔融金属逸出到浇铸坑 中。然后突然释放出来的金属导致其余模 具渗出到浇铸坑中，从而发生爆炸。 江苏爆炸是在一个浇铸坑中发生的，在 那里铸座通过四 (4) 根钢缆降下并抬升。 在浇铸过程中，其中一根钢缆出现“异常”
，导致钢绞线或钢丝断裂。这导致浇铸台（ 支撑其余所有 19 个铸坯）不稳定并发生 倾斜，从而导致其他钢缆和铸座发生更大 幅度的倾斜。最终大量铝液“被瞬间倒入 冷却水中”，从而发生爆炸。 其中任何一份政府报告均未提到在浇 铸厂使用了 Wise Chem。如果正确应用和 维护了 Wise Chem，可能就不会发生这些 爆炸。世界各地发生的众多类似事件进一 步支持以下说法：如果是在安装了 Wise Chem 的铝工厂，则这些爆炸不会发生。 如果在有熔融铝的任何地方进行了正 确的 Wise Chem 应用、维护和重新涂层， 则未来可防止诸如山西和江苏爆炸等灾 难的发生。�
2019 年 5 月/6 月
01/05/2019 14:34:12
50 电子书回收
www.aluminiumtoday.com
电子书有助于回收机构 符合中国新的国家标准
可下载文档能够令回收机构放心，他们可获得技术解决方案来符合严格的最新材料纯度水平要求 TOMRA Sorting Recycling发布了一本电 子书，其中就如何符合有关向中国发送可 回收材料的严格新规则提出了建议。该电 子书旨在解决有关2017年7月引入世界 贸易组织并于2018年3月1日全面实施的 中国“国门利剑”标准的广泛问题，该标准 要求进入中国的可回收材料需达到更高 的纯度。预计到今年年底，该标准将扩大 到共计包括16种材料，到2019年底，将再 增加16种材料。 “国门利剑”要求更多到达中国的可回 收材料必须具有超过99.5%的纯度水平， 这在回收行业中产生了巨大的冲击波。这 远远高于先前接受的90-95%纯度水平， 其将产生深远的影响：中国是世界上最大 的回收材料进口国。 TOMRA 的电子书解释了对于努力符合 此新标准的企业而言，添加更多手动分拣 系统为什么不是一种可持续的选择，以及 基于传感器的机械解决方案在财务上为 什么更加智能。 名为“National Sword - No Need for Fear!”的出版物- 可在 https://leads. tomra.com/ebook/press/ 上在线获得并 可免费下载。 出口可回收材料现在成本更高 TOMRA的电子书从现实检查开始，其警 告说废料和回收机构寻找替代的单一国 2019 年 5 月/6 月
Secondary Tomra.zh-CN.indd 1
费用。 应对这一新挑战的方法是通过去除更 多杂质来提高可回收材料的质量。 使用现有回收设备提高纯度水平的一 个短期方法是减慢皮带速度，以及在最终 分拣阶段添加手动分拣系统。这种方法可 能似乎很有吸引力，因为它几乎不需要初 始投资，但随时间的推移，这会大幅增加 运营成本。添加两到三个分拣系统会使年 处理成本轻松提高82,000欧元（100,000 美元）或更多，而更慢的处理速度将降低 生产率和收益。 家/地区来出口废弃物将不切实际。回收机 构可能会发现他们必须将废弃物分散出 口到多个国家/地区，这将增加销售成本。 预计运输成本也会增加，因为向中国运输 废弃物的船只通常能够装载消费品返程， 这具有成本效益，但前往其他国家/地区的 船只通常因为空船返程而需要支付额外
设备升级最有意义 更好的解决方案是通过在现有回收配置 中添加现代化技术或通过构建新设施来 升级回收电路。这将减少所需的分拣系统 数量，从而实现更高效的劳动力利用率， 以降低间接费用和长期运营成本。通过提 高生产率可快速收回在新设备上的投资 成本。 该电子书承认，一些设备升级需要完整 电路附加装置和更多空间，但可在具有 最低空间要求和低安装成本的电路中的 设备上添加其他技术。例如，可将TOMRA 的新型激光物体检测(LOD)系统安装在 与AUTOSORT和FINDER系统相同的平台 上，以便检测黑色塑料、橡胶和玻璃等材 料。LOD系统还可去除印刷电路板(PCB) Aluminium International Today
01/05/2019 14:46:44
普锐特冶金技术空气轴承板形仪，杭州五星铝业有限公司，鼎胜集团
您完美的合作伙伴 铝轧制技术 普锐特冶金技术拥有超过90年的铝行业 经验，是您提供铝轧机解决方案的最佳 供应商。 • • • • •
集成热轧、冷轧和铝箔轧机 轧机改造和设备升级 专业的板形测量和过程控制技术 全面的备件和服务支持 广泛的工艺专业知识以确保您的工厂 得到全面优化
欢迎莅临中国国际铝工业展览会 2019年7月10-12日 | 上海 W1号馆1J01 普锐特冶金技术展位
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“在鼎盛近期投资的项目上，普锐特冶金技术帮助我们降低 了投资，改进了产品质量，强化了我们的竞争力优势，从而 使我们在市场上保持盈利。”
董清良 杭州五星铝业有限公司，副总经理
52 电子书回收
而TOMRA的激光技术可将当前电路纯度 水平提高4%，从而使废料回收商能够符 合中国的纯度要求，同时不会显著增加能 耗和成本。 对于z u r i k 和z o r b a 有色金属产品， 废料机构可通过TOMRA X-TRACT和 COMBISENSE机器的组合技术达到“国 门 利 剑”纯 度 水 平 。通 过 使 z o r b a 经 过 X射线透射装置将铝与重金属分离，XTRACT能够达到98-99%的铝纯度。然后 COMBISENSE从剩余重金属中分选出有 价值的铜、黄铜和灰色金属碎片。 TOMRA的增强型LIBS（激光诱导击穿光 谱）分选技术为这些机器提供了补充，该 技术采用的激光能够监测整个皮带宽度， 从而消除了将材料分离到单个通道中这 一复杂且高昂的需求。在分离不同的铝锻 造合金时，这可使分选准确度达到99%的 纯度（或更高），每小时的生产量高达3至 7吨。 TOMRA分拣回收部高级副总裁兼主管 Tom Eng评论道： “可以理解的是， ‘国门 利剑’已成为许多回收机构非常关注的一
个问题，尤其是那些尚未达到此类高纯度 水平的回收机构。TOMRA的电子书解决了 这一难题，并且表明已经存在必要的技术 解决方案。投资新技术将使企业能够遵守 更严格的新法规，无论这些法规来自中国 还是世界其他地方。此外，客户将因更高
质量的产品而向回收企业支付更高的价 格。 ”�
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01/05/2019 14:46:46
54 工业4.0
向铝行业的数字化实时供应链 迈进 铝行业的供应链管理和可见性亟待进行 技术变革。当今，智能冶炼厂和智能（更智 能）供应链似乎成为大多数工业大会的议 程，但该行业仍极大依赖电子表格和分散 的计划、采购及物流管理方式。 凭借自动驾驶卡车和铁路技术，陆上物 流已取得了长足的发展，但极大依靠海上 贸易的行业却在落后。约90%的世界贸易 由国际海运业承运。海运仍是最节能的原 材料运输方式，但极易发生意外事件，从 而导致延误和可能大面积的供应链中断。 从不同地点间的生产计划，到通过不同 运输方式的原材料采购和运输，当前供应 链的采购和管理方案仍主要采用人工方 式，并且是分离的。由于海上物流的不可 预测性和脆弱性，为避免可能的缺货情况 和生产中断，作为供应链一部分采购原材 料的公司依赖大量营运资金，而这些资金 在较大的库存缓冲中成为呆滞资金。 凭借最新的技术进步，有关供应链的这 种管理和思维方式将在未来几年内彻底 改变。数字化以及区块链、物联网和人工 智能等流行词正在成为我们日常媒体消 费的一部分，但它们对我们行业的意义和 真正含义是什么？ 连接性和技术应使所有货主都能够通 2019 年 5 月/6 月
Industry 4.0 Klaveness.zh-CN.indd 1
过做出更明智的决策来降低物流成本和 风险。该行业需要从容易出错的手动流程 转变为实时决策制定流程，并由与库存和 物流相关且已更新的全面信息提供支持。 电子表格是非常强大的通用工具，但它 们不适用于实时决策制定。规划和管理公 司的全球运输和原材料需求是一项重大 任务，具有非常重要的意义。数字化供应 链应提供全面的端到端可视性，从而使所 有利益相关者都能够及早采取预防措施， 降低燃料、货运、滞期和存储产生的总物 流成本。
益相关者之间还定期交换电子邮件和电 话来共享运营信息，例如货物和派船电， 或者船 ETA 通知。因此，管理人员通常被 迫执行将来自各种来源的信息拼凑起来 这种耗时且容易出错的任务，而到完成 时，通常已来不及采取主动措施来避免代 价高昂的事件，例如滞期、最后一分钟现 货装运，以及低或高库存情况。 最初的开眼界案例研究逐渐发展成为 了实现数字化物流平台这一愿景，该平台 能够通过将手动流程和电子表格替换为 实时协作和可执行的洞察力，从而改变行 业中利益相关者的交互方式。
开眼界案例研究 一家挪威科技公司Klaveness Digital专注 “CARGO”项目 于从传统供应链转变到数字化实时供应 通过与铝行业中所选的一些公司密切合 链，该公司诞生于拥有70年历史的海运公 作，Klaveness启动了“CARGO”项目，试图 司Torvald Klaveness。三年前，Klaveness 找到一个应对客户挑战和痛点的解决方 对位于中东和阿拉伯湾的铝冶炼厂开展 案。Klaveness与所涉及的公司一同精心绘 了一项案例研究，结果表明，通过改进协 制并评估了从初始供应规划一直到卸货 作、提高透明度以及访问实时数据可实现 港原材料交付的关键工作流程。客户研讨 巨大节约。 会明确指出，使与采购、运输和库存管理 该案例研究表明，铝行业中的许多公司 相关的手动流程实现数字化和自动化将 - 从采矿公司到精炼厂和冶炼厂 - 使用电 为这些公司及其利益相关者创造巨大价 子表格管理他们的运输和库存情况，并且 值，从而降低燃料、货运、滞期和存储产生 通常还结合有复杂的 ERP 系统。此外，利 的总物流成本。
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01/05/2019 15:33:26
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56 工业4.0 从实验到专用技术公司 在与铝行业中的客户一同测试此概念 后，Klaveness成立了一家专门技术公司， 带头开发由软件工程师、数据科学家、运 输和物流专家组成的物流平台。该公司的 初衷是开发一个平台，该平台将跨所有码 头和商品为用户提供与他们库存情况直 接关联的已计划物流和持续物流的完整 概览 - 始终利用可执行的信息进行更新， 从而使他们能够及早采取预防措施，以便 能够对不可预见的事件作出反应，以及避 免代价高昂的连锁效应。以虚拟方式表示 价值链，具有从规划到生产的端到端可见 性，可利用先进的卫星跟踪和算法来确保 决策者获得最新信息。 Klaveness Digital的CargoValue等平台 不仅可在内部利益相关者间，而且还可在 业内参与者间实现实时协作。数字化平台 将使用户在一个地方就相同运输计划和 库存进行协作。与电子表格不同，所有更 改都会立即在每个人的设备上进行更新， 从而使用户对信息的准确性更有信心。已 计划和正在进行的装运与目的地库存水
2019 年 5 月/6 月
Industry 4.0 Klaveness.zh-CN.indd 2
www.aluminiumtoday.com
平相关联，从而能够更准确地表示运营间 的库存水平预计将如何发展。可通过应用 程序编程接口 (API) 集成现有业务系统。 每个相关人员都能实时查看最新更新，从 而使利益相关者能够快速重新调整计划， 而无需将时间花费在手动更新上。 铝行业的供应链未来 随着自动化、数据收集和分析技术的快速 发展，铝行业的供应链未来具有广阔的发 展前景。 无缝协作，不仅在每个公司内，而且还 在外部利益相关者间，例如供应商、代理 商、经纪公司和不同运输方式。在真正互 连的实时供应链的刺激下将产生新的商 业模式和新的商品采购及货运方式。 未来的数字化供应链将使弹性和响应 性提升到新的高度，从而使公司能够在供 应链情况发生变化时实时对中断作出反 应并进行预测和调整。以虚拟方式表示所 有货运和库存，最终通过货物的共享和交 换实现有关物流的全新思维方式，从而可 能对我们今天所知的供应链实现去中介
化。 每次用户与该系统交互时，CargoValue 等平台和解决方案就会变得更加智能，从 而为用户提供有关计划和调度过程的宝 贵见解。自适应学习和数据分析将减少在 重复任务上所花费的时间，从而使用户能 够将时间用在可创造价值的机会上。 在选择正确的技术解决方案以支持未 来供应链的过程中，数据安全性和可靠性 将是关键方面。转型并不是一项轻而易举 的任务，也不仅仅是一个选择正确技术的 事情。这将需要在组织中同时进行流程和 文化变革。这不是一项一夜就能完成的任 务，但我们行业中的所有参与者都需要开 始看看他们当前的流程并抓住技术带来 的机遇。制定路线图并首先确定可轻松实 现的目标。 该行业迫不及待地希望供应链可实现 未来完美状态。�
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Traditional & Technical Ceramic Manufacturing & Supply Chain Supported by
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ALUDIUM PREMIUM ALUMINIUM CO-ENGINEERING WITH SURFACES AND FORMABILITY Leading producer of aluminium coils and sheets Wide range of alloys and tempers Bright and exclusive surfaces 50 years of experience in formability Dedicated R&D team Reliable short lead times Made in Europe MARKETS
Aludium is a trusted supplier in the following sectors ARCHITECTURAL • ENERGY & INSULATION • TRANSPORTATION PACKAGING • EQUIPMENT & DEVICES
info@aludium.com | www.aludium.com
1874•ALUD Corporate adv 87x128mm.indd 1
Aluminum Market Update
30/01/2019 11:28
Organized by
August 28-29, 2019 • Atlanta, USA Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway
An exclusive gathering of aluminum executives, to debate the latest market outlooks and meet to do business
Speakers include: Craig Lewis, Director of Strategy, Constellium Pierre Labat, Vice President, Global Automotive, Novelis Inc. Jesse E. Gary, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Century Aluminum Charlie Murrah, Executive Vice President, Metals, Southwire Company Ryan Roush, Chief Commercial Officer, JW Aluminum Company
3 easy ways to book Online at: www.aluminummarketupdate.com Email: conferences@crugroup.com Call: + 44 (0) 20 7903 2444
For more information, or to book your place, visit: www.aluminummarketupdate.com
#CRUaluminum
Gillespie & Powers, Inc. DESIGN • SUPPLY • INSTALLATION • MAINTENANCE • REPAIR
DELACQUERING
We do things the other companies WON’T …
So we can do things the others CAN’T.
9550 True Drive St. Louis, MO 63132 USA Tel: 314-423-9460 Fax: 314-428-4431 www.gillespiepowers.com
The sisters The similarity is striking. The sisters both work for Hydro, both are producing aluminium and both see exciting opportunities in the future. In the workplace they complement each other. Julia is technically oriented, Lisa more commercial. One of them makes sure the plant has all the raw materials it needs; the other ensures aluminium of the correct quality is shipped to the customers. The metal they produce will make your next car safer, lighter and greener.
We are aluminium Read more at hydro.com