EGA restarts Al Taweelah Alumina Refinery in Abu Dhabi

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), recognised globally as the largest producer of premium aluminium, has officially announced the restart of alumina production at its Al Taweelah alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi.

The announcement, made on 10 July 2026, marks a critical step in restoring the facility's output following a temporary halt. Production at the refinery was previously suspended on 28 March due to Iranian attacks on the Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi. However, the facility successfully began producing hydrate, which serves as the essential precursor product to alumina, on 24 June.

The company expects alumina production to ramp up to 50 per cent of the plant's total capacity within a matter of days. Looking further ahead, EGA projects that it will possess the technical capability to return to full alumina production by the end of this year. The exact timing for this complete production ramp-up at the Al Taweelah alumina refinery will be determined by supply chain dynamics and the ongoing optimisation of EGA's broader alumina sourcing strategy. It is important to note that the ramp-up of primary aluminium production at the adjacent Al Taweelah smelter does not strictly depend on a full ramp-up at the alumina refinery itself.

Strategic Importance and Executive Perspective

Alumina is the fundamental feedstock required for aluminium smelters. Before the recent disruption, the Al Taweelah alumina refinery played a crucial role in EGA's supply chain. In 2025, the facility produced 2.4 million tonnes of alumina, which successfully met 46 per cent of EGA's total alumina needs. The refinery originally began production in April 2019, standing as the first alumina refinery in the United Arab Emirates and only the second across the entire Middle East. This strategic project significantly reduces the nation's reliance on imported alumina.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, noted the significance of this operational resumption. He stated: "First alumina production from Al Taweelah alumina refinery is another big milestone in our journey to restore EGA's Al Taweelah site to its position as one of the most important aluminium production complexes in the world. The dedication and agility of the team at Al Taweelah alumina refinery has enabled us to reach this milestone safely and quickly."

The refinery is strategically located directly next to the Al Taweelah smelter. Alumina is efficiently transferred to storage facilities and subsequently into the smelter via an extensive system of conveyor belts.

Emirates Global Aluminium's Global Standing

The successful restart of the Al Taweelah alumina refinery highlights EGA's resilience as an industrial powerhouse. Founded originally as Dubai Aluminium in 1975, EGA has grown into the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside of the oil and gas sector. The organisation is equally owned by the Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai.

EGA operates as a fully integrated aluminium producer, managing operations that span from alumina refining to the casting of primary aluminium and subsequent recycling. The company's vast infrastructure includes smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah, alongside recycling plants in Al Taweelah and the United States, as well as a speciality foundry in Germany. In 2025 alone, EGA successfully sold 2.84 million tonnes of cast metal, with value-added products accounting for 81 per cent of these sales.

A Commitment to Sustainable Industry

Beyond its immense scale, EGA has continually focused on technological advancement and sustainable operations. In 2017, EGA became the first company headquartered in the Middle East to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, a global programme designed to foster greater sustainability within the industry. The company has also utilised its own proprietary technology for every smelter expansion since the 1990s and has retrofitted all of its older production lines. Furthermore, in 2021, EGA achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first company globally to produce aluminium commercially using solar power.

The Al Taweelah site itself is a testament to the vast scale of EGA's operations. Covering six square kilometres, the facility is five times larger than Al Maryah Island. The ongoing restoration of operations at this massive industrial complex ensures that EGA remains a vital economic contributor, supporting a broader sector that sustains more than 56,000 jobs across the UAE.