Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: 9 December 2024 – Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s largest industrial company outside oil and gas, has officially broken ground on the construction of 10 pilot reduction cells for EX, its next-generation smelting technology. The pilot, located at Al Taweelah, aims to showcase the most advanced Industry 4.0 capabilities within the aluminium industry, building on EGA’s leadership in R&D and digital transformation.
EX technology is designed to produce more aluminium with less energy and lower emissions. It integrates advanced Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, allowing for real-time data collection and enhanced applications of Industry 4.0 techniques.
EGA plans to apply its existing Industry 4.0 use cases to EX technology while developing new digital capabilities that focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data analytics. With more sensors and data, AI will be utilized for autonomous control of pots, cranes, and vehicles, optimizing potline processes, reducing disruptions, and improving overall efficiency. Machine learning will enable continuous process improvements and more precise task planning, helping to achieve EX technology’s full theoretical performance.
EGA’s existing Industry 4.0 use cases include pot failure prediction, dynamic shift life prediction, and AI-powered vision-enabled smart cranes.
The first hot metal from the pilot reduction cells is expected in the first half of 2025. EGA aims to have EX ready for large-scale industrialization, including advanced Industry 4.0 capabilities, by 2028.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, commented: “For over 30 years, EGA has been a leader in aluminium smelting innovation. The construction of our EX pilot reduction cells is not just a technological milestone; it is the foundation for a future of smart solutions that enhance efficiency and sustainability. Our goal is to create an autonomous, self-optimizing production system, which could become the most efficient in the world. This innovation is central to our growth strategy and commitment to shaping a sustainable future for the aluminium industry.”
EGA launched its digital transformation in 2021 to enhance operations, business processes, customer and employee experiences, and to create new revenue streams. So far, EGA has implemented more than 80 Industry 4.0 use cases, unlocking approximately $100 million in value.
EGA has also established important digital foundations, including one of the region’s first hybrid cloud platforms for digital manufacturing in partnership with Microsoft and the first 100% renewable energy-powered industrial data centers in the region, located at Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah, reducing emissions from EGA’s computing.
The EX smelting technology’s core design was completed in June 2024, with detailed engineering work ongoing for installation at Al Taweelah. The EX reduction cells are larger than EGA’s recently industrialized DX+ Ultra technology, enabling higher amperage and better current efficiency. DX+ Ultra is already one of the most efficient smelting technologies in the global aluminium industry.
EGA’s EX technology is expected to increase production capacity by up to 22% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of aluminium produced by approximately 5% for the high-productivity variant and 12% for the low-energy variant.
In 2016, EGA became the first UAE industrial company to license its core process technology internationally, entering into a deal with Aluminium Bahrain to use DX+ Ultra technology in Potline 6 of their expansion project.
