As a multi-metal company, Aurubis AG wants to be part of the solution to the enormous challenges now facing the economy, industry and society. “Our metals and products enable energy-efficient, renewable technologies. Aurubis is a key success factor for the energy transition in Europe,” explains CEO Roland Harings.
Aurubis has solutions for these challenges, as the example of the fast-growing recycling of lithium-ion batteries shows. The batteries contain nickel, cobalt, lithium and copper. The Aurubis Supervisory Board approved an investment of €70 million at the Olen site in Belgium, which will allow increased processing of nickel-bearing input materials.
Aurubis is building a pilot battery recycling plant at the Hamburg plant. If the tests prove successful, the company will invest in an industrial-scale plant, for which Aurubis expects a preliminary investment of €200 million.
“We have set ourselves the goal that by 2030, half of every copper cathode will be made of recycled metal. All future investment projects at Aurubis must contribute to this,” the CEO emphasised.
Aurubis continues to focus on its newly aligned “Metals for progress. Driving Sustainable Growth” strategy and is investing heavily worldwide. In early summer, construction will begin on the first multi-metal recycling plant in the USA, an investment of €300 million. From 2024, Aurubis Richmond (Georgia) will process 90,000 tonnes of recycling materials annually. Roland Harings sees “huge potential” in the USA. wire / Hall 12 / C32