Aurubis Opens Advanced Recycling Plant in Belgium
Aurubis, a leading multimetal producer, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art recycling plant at its Olen site in Belgium. The facility, named the Bleed Treatment Olen Beerse (BOB) plant, is a hydrometallurgical installation designed to recover valuable metals such as nickel and copper from electrolyte streams generated during metal production at Aurubis’ Belgian sites in Olen and Beerse. Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele and Olen’s Mayor Kris Gebruers attended the opening ceremony, marking a significant milestone in Aurubis’ strategic roadmap.
The new facility represents a €85 million investment and has created over 30 jobs. It fully complies with the highest environmental standards in Europe, underscoring Aurubis’ commitment to sustainability and innovation. Inge Hofkens, COO of Multimetal Recycling at Aurubis, stated, “With this facility, we are taking recycling to the next level, as it allows us to optimally process valuable metals from dynamic and continuously changing input materials. We continuously strive to use resources more responsibly and further contribute to the European circular economy.”
The BOB plant is a key component of Aurubis’ strategy to maximize synergies within its international smelter network. By leveraging cutting-edge hydrometallurgical processes, the facility keeps strategically important metals within Europe’s supply chain, reducing reliance on external sources. Managing Director of Aurubis Olen, Hans Van de Water, emphasized the significance of the project, stating, “Today marks a significant point in our company's history. The new recycling plant now enables us to cover the full production cycle in-house.”
The Flemish Minister-President praised the project’s innovative and sustainable character, highlighting its contribution to employment and Flanders’ ambition to lead in industrial innovation. “This investment shows how Flanders is positioning itself as an attractive region for entrepreneurship and sustainability on the global stage,” Diependaele said.
Aurubis’ Olen site employs approximately 700 people, while the Beerse site has a workforce of around 500. Together, the facilities have recently been recognized as the “2024 Most Sustainable Company” in the Circular Economy category by the Trends Impact Awards. The BOB plant complements another recent investment in Belgium, the ASPA (Advanced Sludge Processing by Aurubis) facility, which opened at the Beerse site in September.
Aurubis’ commitment to advancing sustainability and innovation in metal recycling positions it as a leader in the European circular economy. The new recycling plant strengthens its role in producing high-performance materials while adhering to stringent environmental standards.
