A “green” industry

Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now the time has come for new practices that have a positive influence on the world. That’s why companies are increasingly taking action to improve on sustainability and reduce their emissions. The adoption of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria is the way towards a greener and more environmentally friendly industry.

The industrial sector is highly energy intensive and traditional metallurgy is one of the most carbon-intense activities. In Greece, MYTILINEOS, a leading global industrial company with a strong presence in all five continents, owns the largest vertically integrated alumina and aluminium production and trading plant in the European Union and at the same time has become a role model for the transition of the industry.

The history of MYTILINEOS goes back to the early 20th century. As a Group, it was founded in Greece in 1990, having evolved from an old family-run metallurgy business operating already since 1908. Today, the company operates in the Metallurgy sector, in the Sustainable Engineering Solutions sector, in the Production & Trading of Power & Gas and in the Renewable & Storage Development sector.

Especially in the Metallurgy sector MYTILINEOS is among the global leaders. Aluminium of Greece is not only the largest vertically integrated alumina and aluminium producer in the European Union, but also one of Greece’s healthiest growing industrial companies. It stands in top-tier of Alumina and Aluminium operations, scoring in the lowest quartile of the global cost curve, with a culture of continuous improvement in terms of cost optimizations and efficiency

Delphi – Distomon, part of the Metallurgy BU, is the second largest bauxite producer in Greece and in Europe, with an annual production of 650,000 tons of bauxite exclusively from underground mines. Last but not least, on October 2018 MYTILINEOS announced the acquisition of EP.AL.ME., a company that operates in industrial production, processing and trading of metals, mostly aluminium alloys and derivative products. The acquisition boosted the efforts that MYTILINEOS puts in reducing the energy required in all stages of the production process, through the recycling of aluminium products (scrap) whose use has been completed. Recycled and recovered aluminium processing has a large emissions advantage over primary aluminium production, using only 5% of the energy needed in primary.

Although metallurgy is a carbon-intense activity, MYTILINEOS differs significantly and has a strong decarbonization track record over the last few years. In recent years, the Metallurgy BU of the company has already achieved over 40% reduction of its CO2 emissions and its primary aluminium production is practically a fully electrified process.

Over the last few years, MYTILINEOS through the Metallurgy BU has taken important steps for the decarbonization of aluminium production. Firstly, it has invested in a high-efficiency combined heat & power facility and other energy efficiency and technology changes. Secondly, the Metallurgy BU has switched from carbon intensive fuels to lower emission fuels in its industrial processes and lastly through the acquisition of EP.AL.ME., the company has boosted its presence in secondary aluminium production.

But the Metallurgy BU still aims and is determined to maximize its positive contribution to the EU and global effort against climate change. Part of the company’s recent commitments to minimize its carbon footprint is the new target of the Metallurgy BU to reduce its absolute emissions by 65% and its relative emissions by 75%. This ambitious goal will allow the company to achieve an emission of just 3 tons of CO2 per ton of aluminium produced. This commitment will be realized through the exclusive use of energy from RES, the use of new technologies and energy efficiency levers but also through the growth of its secondary aluminium production.

With these actions MYTILINEOS has taken another step forward and will become a global benchmark on Green Metallurgy. The Metallurgy BU is setting the example that even the most challenging industries can become green and be a part of a new environmentally friendly world.

Consistent with its long-term strategic planning, MYTILINEOS will gradually become a more “green industry”, with a significantly smaller environmental footprint and substantial savings in natural resources.