Abu dhabi: Homaid Al Shimmari, Chairman of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), started-up the final reduction cell in the company's next generation smelting technology pilot project in Al Taweelah: The pilot is a key step in readying EX smelting technology for large-scale industrialisation, making the project an important foundation of EGA's future growth and the further strengthening of EGA's position as the technology provider of choice in the global aluminium industry.
According to Emirates News Agency, EX is EGA's 10th generation smelting technology and produces more aluminium with less energy and lower emissions. Homaid Al Shimmari stated that EX technology enhances EGA's ability to remain at the forefront of the global aluminium industry. The aim is to apply this technology in a planned facility in Oklahoma, marking the first new primary aluminium production plant to be built in the United States since 1980. The technology will be tested using alumina refined from bauxite sourced from multiple locations to further prove its potential for global deployment.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, noted that the pilot of the new EX technology is a strategic project for EGA, continuing its history of industry leadership through technology innovation. The performance of EX reduction cells during start-up and in the first weeks of production has exceeded expectations, showcasing the potential achievements of this technology. He expressed gratitude to the team who developed the new technology and built the pilot in Al Taweelah.
EGA has developed its own aluminium smelting technology in the UAE for over 30 years. All EGA smelter expansions since the 1990s have utilized EGA technology, and the company has retrofitted all its older potlines. EGA's technology development has significantly reduced the amount of electricity required to produce each tonne of aluminium by 37.5 percent since 1980.
EGA was the first UAE industrial company to license its core process technology internationally, beginning with a deal with Aluminium Bahrain in 2016 for the use of EGA's DX+ Ultra technology in the Bahraini company's Potline 6 expansion project. The EX pilot in Al Taweelah will also demonstrate advanced Industry 4.0 capabilities in the global aluminium industry.
EGA launched its digital transformation in 2021 to enhance cost competitiveness, agility, flexibility, and improve safety and sustainability. Since then, EGA has implemented more than 80 Industry 4.0 use cases, generating approximately $100 million in financial impact. In January 2025, EGA became the first industrial company in the UAE and the first aluminium company globally to be designated an Industry 4.0 global lighthouse by the World Economic Forum. Construction of the 10 pilot pots began in late 2024, and the first reduction cell was energised in mid-June 2024.