'Special alumina' production begins at Eti Alüminyum

ANNUAL CAPACITY OF 40,000 TONS

‘Special Alumina’ Production Commences at Eti Alüminyum

Eti Alüminyum, Turkey’s sole primary aluminium producer, continues its significant investments to reduce Turkey’s foreign dependency and offer domestic solutions to strategic sectors. Prioritizing the domestic production of imported goods and conducting extensive R&D to this end, Eti Alüminyum has completed its investment in ‘special alumina.’ This material, which does not melt even at 2,000 degrees Celsius, has a wide range of applications, including ceramics, the defense industry, and the production of thermal insulation materials. The newly operational facility has an annual capacity of 40,000 tons.

Operating under the umbrella of Cengiz Holding and meeting 10% of Turkey’s aluminium needs, Eti Alüminyum’s ‘special alumina’ plant is now active. Previously sourced exclusively through imports, ‘special alumina’ can now be produced in Turkey thanks to Eti Alüminyum’s investment. In addition to supplying special alumina products required by the refractory, ceramic, polishing, thermal insulation, paint, and glass sectors, Eti Alüminyum has added a new line of qualified alumina products critical to the defense industry. With this investment, the company will be able to produce high-purity products with super-fine grain sizes.

‘Will Initially Meet 50% of the Domestic Market’

Emphasizing the importance of domestic raw material production, Eti Alüminyum General Manager Mehmet Arkan stated: “We are delighted to begin production at our ‘special alumina’ facility, a project we embarked upon in 2016 with the goal of becoming a supplier, following an extensive period of R&D. In the special alumina sector, which has an annual market of 25,000 tons in Turkey and is being produced domestically for the first time, we are starting with an initial annual production of 14,000 tons. We plan to meet 50% of the existing market with this and export the remainder. Once the new mills become operational, we will increase our production to 40,000 tons, reaching a volume that can satisfy the entire market.”

Arkan noted that special alumina products hold strategic importance in the defense industry, adding: “In line with the increasing domestic production moves in the defense industry in recent years, the need for alumina products with high technical specifications has grown further. With this project, we have realized the domestic production of ‘special alumina’ products used particularly in ballistic applications, which feature super-fine grain sizes, high alpha content, low specific surface area, and high purity. As Eti Alüminyum, we are aware of our duty regarding raw material supply security with this production, which represents a revolution for the defense industry.”

4 DIFFERENT SPECIAL ALUMINA TYPES TO FOLLOW

Aiming to produce various special aluminas for the diverse needs of different sectors, Eti Alüminyum is continuing R&D for the production of ‘low-soda alumina,’ ‘reactive alumina,’ ‘bimodal,’ and ‘multimodal alumina’ products. While contributing significantly to closing Turkey’s current account deficit with its new products, Eti Alüminyum also supports regional employment through its new investments.

ABOUT ETİ ALÜMİNYUM:

Founded in 1967 and commencing production in 1973, Eti Alüminyum has been operating under Cengiz Holding, one of the leading industrial groups, since 2005. Following its acquisition from the Privatization Administration, investments exceeding $700 million have been made into the facilities to accelerate renewal, capacity expansion, and technological upgrades. Thanks to these investments, Eti Alüminyum now operates Turkey’s only integrated facility capable of production from mine to end-product, producing 82,000 tons of aluminium annually. The company's products are used in a wide range of applications, from window profiles to aircraft, and from tourism to the defense industry.