Alro, prepared for new EU carbon footprint regulations
The Romanian aluminium producer from Slatina has reduced its carbon footprint below the European average, and the outlook is optimistic for it, especially in the context of new European regulations targeting imports of carbon-intensive goods, according to Alro representatives present at the Aluminium 2024 fair in Dusseldorf.
The Aluminium 2024 event, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany, October 8-10, brought together 819 exhibitors and partners from 50 countries, aluminium producers and processors as well as recycling experts, including Alro, one of the largest vertically integrated aluminium producers in Europe by production capacity.
After participating at the fair in Dusseldorf, one of the representatives of the aluminium producing company from Slatina, Vimetco Trading general manager Florin Verboncu, showed that the trend of customers is to turn more towards European aluminium producers in the context that the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will become mandatory as of 2026.
"Demand is going well. The trend is that next year customers, who until now were buying from exotic sources, Malaysia, India, the Middle East, are moving even closer to European producers. Why? First of all, they are afraid of CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), a mechanism that will be mandatory for implementation from January 1, 2026, and taxes will be paid. We have already started discussions with clients in the early stages of the project. Basically, it is a protectionist measure in the sense that it will somehow restrict the European import market from imports from cheap and polluting areas," said the representative of the Romanian aluminium producer.
Verboncu points out that Alro has a lower carbon footprint than the European average and this can be further reduced by increasing the amount of waste processed.