Upgrade for “low grades”

Speira is upgrading its plants in Grevenbroich and Töging with two new furnaces each, replacing the previous units with state-of-the-art systems. With the four tiltable rotary furnaces, the aluminum recycler is reinforcing its capacities specifically for the recycling of so-called “low grades”, i.e. heavily contaminated scrap and dross produced during the melting process. “We take a holistic view of our contribution to a functioning circular economy. That’s why we don’t just look at the pure, easy-to-recycle scraps, but also at the more difficult lower grades and by-products. Wherever aluminum is in it, we want to get the maximum out of it and put it back into the cycle,” explains Ralf Köring, Head of Recycling Services, which are provided for Speira’s other business areas as well as for external customers, for example in the automotive and packaging industries.

Speira is investing around eleven million euros in the four furnaces. This includes charging machines, suction hoods, thermal afterburners, piping and other infrastructure. State-of-the-art burner technology and automatic charging will enable a higher metal yield. Work on the new units will be even easier and safer for employees: the individual components are easily accessible for maintenance, the molten metal can be tapped with the furnace doors closed, and wheel loader and forklift traffic in front of the furnaces is minimized thanks to the charging machines. Naturally, the selected model meets the highest environmental standards for new systems, the new suction and burner technology saves CO2, and “H2 ready”, the furnaces can also be operated with hydrogen in the future.

In terms of energy efficiency, the new furnaces are a threefold improvement. Firstly, because of the increased throughput: each tonne of recycled aluminum saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce one tonne of primary aluminum. Secondly, because of the modern burner and afterburner technology: these ensure optimum energy yield from the natural gas used. At the same time, the adhering impurities of the low-grade scraps are used as combustibles in the melting process, and the input spectrum for these grades in particular is even greater in the new furnaces. And thirdly, because of the optimized furnace design: even less heat is lost thanks to the automatic charging process and tapping with closed furnace doors.

The four furnaces will be delivered and installed one after the other. Production is scheduled to start in May 2025 (first furnace Grevenbroich), October 2025 (first furnace Töging), May 2026 (second furnace Grevenbroich) and October 2026 (second furnace Töging).

Media contact:

Mauritz Faenger-Montag, Head of External Communications
T +49 2181 66-4918
E mauritz.faenger-montag@speira.com