New Site Strengthens the Circular Economy and Raw Material Supply for the Aluminum Industry

“A competitive industry in Europe needs a secure supply of raw materials and efficient circular systems. Aluminum has a particular advantage in this regard because it can be recycled again and again,” said Philipp Schlüter, Chairman of the Executive Board of TRIMET Aluminium SE. “With the new site in Hamm, we are expanding our capacity to process aluminum scrap for high-quality applications. This strengthens our raw material base and creates an important foundation for continuing to supply our customers reliably with aluminum materials containing high levels of recycled content.”

At the new site, TRIMET is taking over processing steps that were previously carried out primarily by external partners. At the heart of the plant is a modern sorting system that uses laser-based LIBS technology to analyze aluminum scrap and automatically assign it to different material fractions. The system can spectroscopically analyze up to 150 pieces per second and detect even low concentrations of alloying elements such as silicon, copper, iron, and magnesium. The scrap is then separated using air jets. A scrap baler compacts the sorted material into bales suitable for transport and melting.

The site is designed to process up to 40,000 metric tons of aluminum scrap per year. More precise sorting enables TRIMET to allocate recycled raw materials more specifically to different alloys. Integrating the plant into the production planning of the company’s aluminum smelters, casthouses, and recycling plants increases flexibility in raw material supply and helps reduce the use of primary raw materials.

“The successful transformation of our industry also depends on our ability to keep valuable raw materials in circulation. Aluminum is ideally suited to this because it can be used again and again,” said Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. “Recycling makes us more independent, conserves resources, and strengthens North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial hub. The plant in Hamm demonstrates what is possible: moving from planning to operation in just over a year. It shows that progress can be swift when business, municipal government, and state government work together toward a common goal.”

According to TRIMET, close cooperation with the responsible authorities was a key factor in the rapid completion of the new plant. 

“Completing a site of this scale in just over a year is anything but a given,” said Philipp Schlüter. “I would therefore like to extend my particular thanks to the City of Hamm and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Their constructive cooperation and swift permitting procedures made a significant contribution to the rapid implementation of our plans. This sends a strong signal that industrial investment in Germany is possible when companies, public authorities, and policymakers work together toward a common goal.”

With the commissioning of the Hamm site, TRIMET is continuing to expand its recycling activities. The precise processing of different types of aluminum scrap improves the quality of the available recycling streams and increases the potential to manufacture high-quality aluminum materials with rising levels of recycled content. At the same time, the materials specialist is strengthening resource efficiency and security of supply at its production sites.

As an innovative, medium-sized family business, TRIMET develops, produces, recycles, casts, and markets modern lightweight aluminum products at eight locations. More than 2,500 employees work together with the company’s customers to make cars more fuel-efficient, aircraft lighter, wind turbines and power systems more efficient, buildings more modern, and packaging more environmentally friendly. TRIMET is committed to social and environmental responsibility. The company contributes to building a sustainable economy. Its production and business activities are guided by the principle of sustainability as defined by the United Nations in its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.