Aluminium Dunkerque ramps up secondary furnace

Aluminium Dunkerque has inaugurated its Furnace 8 production line, which the metals producer says is its first unit entirely dedicated to aluminum recycling.

The French company says the new furnace will allow it to add up to 20,000 metric tons per year to its aluminum production capacity and calls the investment “a major step forward in its industrial decarbonization plan,” known as Low Carbon Aluminium (LowCAL).

“This ambitious project reflects the company’S commitment to circular economy principles, industrial sovereignty and the fight against climate change,” Aluminium Dunkerque says.

The new furnace has been designed to melt up to 7,000 metric tons per year of aluminum scrap sourced from the automotive, construction and packaging sectors.

Aluminium Dunkerque also says its Furnace 8 project is part of a broader approach to reindustrialization that can reduce the need for France to import high-carbon aluminum.

“Each year, France still exports nearly 500,000 metric tons of aluminum scrap that could be processed domestically,” Aluminium Dunkerque CEO Guillaume de Goÿs says.

“By enabling onsite processing, Aluminium Dunkerque strengthens national sovereignty in critical metals while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This project will avoid the emission of 25,000 metric tons of CO₂ and the consumption of 96 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. As a result, Aluminium Dunkerque will reduce its average CO₂ emissions from ingot production by 10 percent.”

With an output of 10 metric tons per hour, Aluminium Dunkerque says Furnace 8 has been designed to integrate “best available” technologies, including oxy-fuel (natural gas and oxygen) burners that reduce emissions from the melting process. 

The aluminum alloys produced by Aluminium Dunkerque are widely used in the automotive sector, with the company saying firms in that sector increasingly are focused on reducing carbon emissions throughout their supply chains.

“Thanks to this new furnace, the plant can now offer its customers an additional volume of recycled aluminum with an exceptionally low environmental impact, directly supporting the decarbonization of the industry,” the company adds.

Aluminium Dunkerque produces up to 300,000 metric tons annually of aluminum slabs and ingots with a wide range of alloy chemistries designed for high value-added applications in the automotive, defense, transport and packaging sectors, among others.