Alcoa Corporation recently announced that it has entered into a supply agreement to provide low-carbon EcoLumTM aluminium to Speira, a global aluminium rolling and recycling company. Alcoa’s EcoLumTM brand is part of the Company’s SustanaTM family of low-carbon products, the most comprehensive in the aluminium industry.
“We’re proud to supply Speira with low-carbon aluminium and assist our customer in their pursuit to continuously produce high-quality products with the environment in mind,” said Kelly Thomas, Alcoa’s Executive Vice President, and Chief Commercial Officer.
Alcoa is seeing increased demand for its Sustana aluminium products, particularly in the European market. In addition to EcoLum, the Sustana line also includes EcoDuraTM aluminium, which includes at least 50 percent recycled content, and EcoSourceTM, the world’s only low-carbon, smelter grade alumina brand.
“In 2022, we expect to see year-over-year sales of both EcoLum and EcoDura increase more than three-fold,” Thomas said. “From mine to metal, our integrated approach to sustainability across the value chain provides an inherent advantage for Alcoa and our customers.”
Speira is a leading producer and recycler of advanced rolled aluminium products, serving the automotive, packaging, printing, engineering, and building and construction industries. It operates seven manufacturing facilities in Germany and Norway.
“In Speira, we share the passion of reducing the carbon footprint of our products and driving the decarbonization of our business,” said Reinhild Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations at Speira. “The partnership with Alcoa and the decision to purchase EcoLum is a natural and important step on this path.”
EcoLum is produced at hydroelectric-powered aluminium smelters and has no more than 4.0 metric tons of CO2e emissions for every ton of metal produced, including both direct and indirect emissions (scope 1 and scope 2) across the entire production chain, including bauxite mining and alumina refining.
This carbon footprint is approximately three and a half times better than the global average and is a key enabler to allow downstream manufacturers to reduce their emissions profile. Both Alcoa and Speira are members of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, a robust system that validates responsible production practices.
More than 80 percent of Alcoa’s smelting operations are powered by renewable energy, and its alumina refining system has the world’s lowest average carbon dioxide intensity. In addition, the Company has a technology roadmap that has the potential to further decarbonize its operations and support its net zero 2050 ambition.
