They face a massive fire event at an Alicante aluminum facility
Rising costs and fluctuating raw material prices have put pressure on many businesses, including aluminum producers. At the heart of this situation is a multinational plant located in Alicante, Spain, with another production site in the south of France. The company expects that this year’s performance will surpass last year’s revenue, which stood around 560 million euros, supported in part by the Alicante facility contributing roughly 150 million euros.
As the group reported, EBITDA rose across its network in the latest financial year, moving from about 35 million to around 50 million euros. Yet management has acknowledged early signs that ongoing uncertainty is affecting customers and could influence demand as the year progresses.
This viewpoint came from the director of Aludium in Alicante during a Thursday event celebrating the company’s growth and the introduction of a new laminating line, L2, at the facility that replaced the older line that was damaged by a fire in April 2021. The rolling mill remains central to production, and any disruption there could impact the facility’s capacity to process aluminum at the intake stage.
Despite the severity of the incident, Aludium’s leadership emphasized resilience. The company estimates a potential loss of up to 60 million euros if the fire had caused a more prolonged interruption. However, thanks to a rapid response from on-site teams and collaboration with its customer Alumasa in Badajoz, production continued to move forward. The Alicante site completed a renewal of machinery while the fire was being contained.
On the other hand, the new laminating mill involved a 12.5 million euro investment. This upgrade is projected to increase annual output by about 6,000 tons, reduce waste by around 12 percent, and boost overall plant efficiency. The result should be lower operating costs and a smoother production cycle.
From conceiving the project to delivering finished products, the Alicante plant specializes in converting thin aluminum coils into lightweight plates used in multiple applications. The current mix of orders leans heavily toward construction materials such as facade cladding and blinds. The facility is also recognized as a leading supplier of sheets for beverage bottle caps and an important producer of aluminum used in cosmetic packaging.
The leadership highlighted Siemens as a key partner in commissioning the new rolling mill within a 12 month timeframe. The first fully usable coils began emerging from the machine in the previous April. A digital twin project, explained by Siemens Business Director Manuel Campayo, enables a virtual model of the equipment to simulate responses before actual changes are made. The system houses about 1500 sensors and processes signals in a millisecond, enhancing precision and product quality.
new ovens
Looking ahead to next year, Aludium plans additional investment at the Alicante site totaling around 12 million euros. José Ignacio Juan outlined plans to construct several new ovens to complete the existing foundry and strengthen scrap recycling capabilities. This strategy aims to reduce reliance on externally sourced aluminum and increases the percentage of material sourced in-house, currently around 80 percent. The expansion is framed as a template for the site’s ongoing growth.
The event drew hundreds of employees, partners and local officials, including the city’s mayor. The gathering underscored the long-term commitment to the Alicante facility and to maintaining a robust supply chain for aluminum products used in construction, packaging and cosmetics across Europe. [Aludium]