IB2 Secures €100 Million Investment to Advance Sustainable Alumina Technology

IB2, a company in the aluminium industry, has received a €100 million investment from a group of financial and industrial investors to further develop its sustainable alumina technology. The funding will be used to enhance IB2's process for producing more environmentally friendly alumina.

The investment, obtained over the past 12 months, includes support from Glencore, a global commodities manufacturing company. Robin Scheiner, Head of Glencore's aluminium business, noted, "As the demand for bauxite and alumina continues to grow, we believe IB2's technology has the potential to contribute to meeting the aluminium industry's needs in a sustainable way."

IB2 was co-founded by Yves Occello and Romain Girbal and has developed a technological process aimed at reducing the environmental impact of alumina production. The technology converts low-grade bauxite into high-grade ore, optimizing alumina production while minimizing environmental damage. The process reduces red mud production by 67%, decreases water and caustic soda usage by more than 80%, and produces tobermorite, an environmentally friendly by-product used in green cement production.

Romain Girbal, co-founder of IB2, stated that the €100 million investment will help the company accelerate its market growth and strengthen its position in the alumina sector. "Having Glencore on our side will also allow us to speed up the deployment of our technology on a global scale," Girbal said.

This development could also have implications for other heavy industries. By demonstrating that significant environmental improvements are achievable, IB2’s advancements may inspire similar initiatives across other sectors, potentially leading to positive environmental changes in various industrial operations.