UAE Global Aluminium and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden), industrial companies outside the UAE's largest oil and gas sector, will extend an agreement to collaborate on greener aluminium smelting technologies in their quest for more sustainable production.

They said in a joint statement that the two companies will explore cooperation in developing new aluminum smelting technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement extends an initial agreement signed in 2018. EGA and Ma'aden also plan to collaborate on the management of the aluminium value chain and by-products from the aluminium recycling process.

EGA CEO Abdulnasserbin Kalban said the new agreement allows for potential collaboration between the two companies in technology and other developments to support sustainable development. “Only by working together can companies accelerate successful responses to major challenges.” EGA is one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, with smelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The company is developing its own technology to decarbonize operations and reduce emissions, and its aluminum is shipped to more than 50 countries.

EGA generates about AED 20 billion (US$ 5.44 billion) in economic activity annually and supports more than 60,000 jobs in the UAE. In February, the company revealed plans to build an aluminium recycling plant with an annual capacity of 150,000 tonnes for greener operations.

Ma'aden operates one of the world's largest aluminium plants in Ras Al Khair on Saudi Arabia's east coast. Ma'aden's mine-to-market aluminium business includes the AlBa'itha mine and a refinery, smelter, rolling and export facility at Ras Al Khair. It supplies billet, ingot, slab and flat aluminum products to customers around the world, including automakers and consumer brands. Keywords: engineering construction, engineering news

"Aluminum is one of the most important metals in the world for many global industries entering into a future focused on the environment and sustainable development," said Riyadh Al Nassar, Senior Vice President, Aluminum Operations at Ma'aden. "This partnership aims to Strengthening the collaboration between Ma'aden and EGA, including for more sustainable aluminium production."Editor/XingWentao