Norwegian aluminum producer Norsk Hydro has started the expansion construction of its aluminum recycling plant in Rackwitz, Germany, with an investment of EUR 40 million. With the expansion, HyForge forge stock can be produced by using postconsumer aluminum. Forge stock, an aluminum billet, has a smaller diameter than traditional billets and higher surface quality.

Hydro said that this expansion could help the company to reach a target to double its use of postconsumer aluminum scrap by 2025 to more than 500,000 tons per year and to raise its annual recycling EBITDA by a range of NOK 700 million to 1.1 billion by 2025.

The new facility was expected to be put into operation by the end of the first quarter of 2023.