UAE giant EGA moves on Italy’s Eco Green

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is ready to take an 80% stake in the Italian recycling company Eco Green.

Eco Green specialises in aluminium scrap collection, sorting and casting, and dross processing. EGA is the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas.

The acquisition, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, marks the latest milestone in EGA’s global expansion and accelerates the company’s growth in aluminium recycling across Europe.

Italian expansion

Eco Green’s plant in Villafranca di Verona in northeast Italy collects, sorts and distributes approximately 23 000 tonnes of aluminium scrap annually. A portion of the sorted scrap feeds Eco Green’s nearby facility in Nogara di Verona, which casts more than 20 000 tonnes of secondary sows per year.

Eco Green is advancing an expansion plan in the in Nogara di Verona facility that will add 15 000 tonnes per year of recycled aluminium capacity. The project is due to be completed later this year.

Founded by the Scappini family in 1993, the company employs 70 people and its current management team is expected to continue following completion of the transaction. It serves more than 60 customers across Europe, primarily in the aluminium processing and semi-fabrication industries and has established a sourcing network of more than 350 suppliers.

Recycling growth

The acquisition of Eco Green will bring EGA’s recycling capacity to more than 400 000 tonnes per year across the UAE, Europe and the United States, with an additional 200 000 tonnes of capacity under development in Europe and the US. EGA markets its recycled aluminium globally under the brand RevivAL.

EGA ceo Abdulnasser Bin Kalban says the company is making rapid progress in building a global aluminium recycling business alongside its primary aluminium production.

‘Eco Green will bring EGA reach and expertise in the European aluminium scrap market, making this a significant step forward in supplying the recycling operations we are building across the continent to contribute to Europe’s green future,’ he adds. ‘Eco Green will also add recycled aluminium production in northeast Italy, which we can further develop as part of EGA.’

Potential

Luca Scappini, ceo of Eco Green, says: ‘Becoming part of the world’s largest producer of “premium aluminium” will unlock Eco Green’s growth potential, enabling us to further enhance our plants and expand our scrap supply and customer networks across Europe.’

EGA exports over 600 000 tonnes of primary aluminium annually from the UAE to Europe each year. In May 2024 it acquired the German specialty foundry Leichtmetall. In December, it announced plans increase EGA Leichtmetall’s recycling capacity more than six-fold, adding 110 000 tonnes per year of scrap sorting capacity and 153 000 tonnes per year of melting and casting capacity.

Analysts expect global demand for recycled aluminium to double by 2040, accounting for around 60% of growth in global aluminium supply by 2030, and around 70% between 2030 and 2040.