Together with Hilde Merete Aasheim, the head of Primary Metal, and Oliver Bell, the head of Rolled Products, he will be present at the trade fair for & nbsp; Hydro's customers at the company's booth. & nbsp; Svein Richard Brandtzæg, who in graduated in inorganic chemistry, speaks more enthusiastically than any other manager about the properties and benefits of aluminum.

"From energy-neutral buildings to fuel-saving vehicles to cell phones and tablets - aluminum plays an important role, yes a much more important role than many of us are aware of," he says. & nbsp;

A series of investments

At Aluminum 2014, Hydro highlights the latest investments in aluminum casting and rolling. The project to build a third sheet metal production line in Grevenbroich, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2016, is proceeding according to schedule. & Nbsp; This increases the capacity from 50,000 to 200,000 tonnes per year.

"This investment is an important strategic step at a time when lightweight vehicle construction is becoming increasingly important to reduce the ecological footprint," says Brandtzæg. & nbsp;

Hydro is also currently investing large sums in casting and recycling in order to remain the industry leader. The investment in the new customizable and flexible molding technology (AFM) in the foundries in Årdal and Høyanger in Norway is an important step for the business with rolled ingots, because the automobile manufacturers in Europe can now be supplied with the latest alloys.

Furthermore, & nbsp; an investment of 45 million euros in a new recycling line for tin scrap & nbsp; in the Rheinwerk Neuss the company's competitive position in this segment. & nbsp; Thanks to the new plant, the recycling capacity in the Rheinwerk increases to 100,000 tons per year. & nbsp;

A long-term partner

Hydro can look back on 109 years of business this quarter. Brandtzæg says the company's history testifies to Hydro's long-term determination and ability to constantly innovate.

"With more than 100 years of experience developing natural resources into products that help build a modern and sustainable society, Hydro can rightly say that we are one of the few really long-term and reliable aluminum suppliers," he says . & nbsp;

Brandtzæg emphasizes that in order to be fit for the future as a company, the prerequisite is to work on solving the climate challenges. & nbsp;

Brandtzæg says: “The production of primary aluminum requires a lot of energy. But the many positive properties of the metal in the application phase, combined with the fact that it can be recycled an infinite number of times, give aluminum a convincing climate function when it comes to complete life cycles. So convincing indeed that Hydro has set itself the goal of being carbon neutral by 2020. This is good news for us, for our customers and above all for the climate. ”