Aurubis Enhances Recycling Efficiency with €40M Investment in On-Site Oxygen Production at Lünen Plant

Aurubis Enhances Recycling Efficiency with €40M Investment in On-Site Oxygen Production at Lünen Plant

(IN BRIEF) Aurubis is investing €40 million to build an on-site air separation unit at its Lünen recycling plant in North Rhine-Westphalia, enabling the independent production of high-purity oxygen and nitrogen. This unit will boost production efficiency, reduce dependency on external suppliers, and lower CO2 emissions by up to 8,500 tons annually by eliminating the need for thousands of liquid oxygen deliveries. This initiative strengthens Aurubis’s position as a key recycling hub and supports its commitment to sustainability.

(PRESS RELEASE) LÜNEN, 14-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Aurubis has announced the construction of a new €40 million air separation unit (ASU) at its recycling site in Lünen, North Rhine-Westphalia. This new facility, planned in partnership with Messer Industriegase GmbH, will allow Aurubis to produce nearly 100% pure oxygen and nitrogen directly on-site, enhancing efficiency and reducing reliance on external suppliers. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, the ASU will improve copper production quality while also providing substantial environmental benefits.

The on-site production of oxygen will eliminate the need for up to 3,000 annual truck deliveries of liquid oxygen, which will cut CO2 emissions by up to 8,500 tons annually—equivalent to the emissions from around 1,800 German households. As COO Inge Hofkens highlighted, this development not only reinforces Aurubis’s commitment to sustainable practices but also strengthens the Lünen site as a key recycling hub for Europe.

Aurubis Lünen Plant Manager Verena von Weiss underscored that producing these essential gases in-house will shield the plant from market fluctuations and delivery delays, ensuring more stable and efficient operations. This project is part of Aurubis’s broader strategy to support Germany’s circular economy and enhance its role in producing recycled metals critical to Europe’s energy transition.

Aurubis – Metals for Progress
Aurubis AG is a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide. The company processes complex metal concentrates, scrap metals, organic and inorganic metal-bearing recycling materials, and industrial residues into metals
of the highest quality. Aurubis produces more than 1 million tons of copper cathodes annually, and from them a variety of products such as wire rod, continuous cast shapes, profiles, and flat rolled products made of copper and copper alloys. Aurubis produces a number of other metals as well, including precious metals, selenium, lead, nickel, tin and zinc. The portfolio also includes additional products such as sulfuric acid and iron silicate.

Sustainability is a fundamental part of the Aurubis strategy. “Aurubis responsibly transforms raw materials into value” — following this maxim, the company integrates sustainable conduct and business activities into the corporate culture. This involves a careful approach
to natural resources, responsible social and ecological conduct in everyday business, and sensible, healthy growth.

Aurubis has around 7,000 employees, production sites in Europe and the US, and an extensive distribution network around the world.

Aurubis shares are part of the Prime Standard Segment of the German Stock Exchange and are listed in the MDAX, the Global Challenges Index (GCX), and the STOXX Europe 600.

More information at www.aurubis.com

Media Contacts:

Corporate Communications

Angela Seidler
Vice President
Investor Relations &
Corporate Communications
Phone +49 40 7883-3178
a.seidler@aurubis.com

Christoph Tesch
Head of Corporate
Communications
Phone +49 40 7883-2178
c.tesch@aurubis.com

Meino Hauschildt
Communications Manager
Phone + 49 40 7883-3037
me.hauschildt@aurubis.com

SOURCE: Aurubis AG