Speira, an aluminum roller and recycler located in Hamburg, Germany, is investing €6.4 million in a new “transparent” melting furnace from GHI. The unit, known internally as “Furnace 6,” replaces the oldest model in the plant, which dates back to the 1970s — a project that was successfully handled without any accidents during ongoing foundry operations.
“This new furnace is of great importance to us. It increases the performance and output of the foundry in Hamburg and helps us to optimize the metal flows and recycling options at Speira,” said Alexander Dörsel, head of the Specialties business unit at Speira. “By introducing state-of-the-art process control and further improving energy efficiency, we are setting new standards for our customers.”
With a melting capacity of 60 tons per batch, the new furnace enables an increase in aluminum production of 7,500 tons per year. The use of an electromagnetic stirrer and state-of-the-art burner technology will improve energy efficiency by 15 percent as well as significantly reduced CO2 emissions.
Innovative sensor and camera technology provide real-time insights into all furnace processes, and the data obtained in this way enables continuous optimization of the operation and burner control, adapted to the mix of scrap and primary metal used. Based on the constant monitoring of the melt and supported by artificial intelligence, the operator is given the ideal times for alloying or dross removal, for example. The measured parameters also allow the hydraulic components to be used with less wear and tear and enable targeted predictive maintenance, thus reducing downtimes and further improving plant efficiency.
About the Company
Speira is a leading European aluminum rolling and recycling company, comprising a total of 11 recycling and production sites in Germany and Norway plus its own research and development. Speira recycles up to 650,000 tons of aluminum per year and produces around one million tons of advanced rolled products. Besides Hamburg with about 675 employees, the plants include the Alunorf joint venture, the world’s largest aluminum rolling mill, and Grevenbroich, the world’s largest refining plant. With approximately 5,400 employees, Speira is proud to supply some of the best-known industrial companies in the global sectors of automotive, packaging, printing, engineering, building and construction. For more information, visit www.speira.com.