The record year 2022 does not distract the aluminum producer from Ranshofen from working intensively on the future. It seems clear that this will be without gas. However, there are currently no alternatives to AMAG (yet).
Record sales, record profit after tax – even though AMAG boss Gerald Mayer speaks of a “very turbulent year” when he looks at 2022, it will also go down as the most successful in the aluminum producer’s history. From aviation to the automotive industry to the packaging industry: aluminum is in demand. “But you can’t count on it getting better, better, better every year,” says Mayer, tempering expectations. Uncertainties, such as energy supply and supply chains, are weighing on the mood.
On the logistics front, 2022 saw “wild ups and downs,” says Mayer. The result: 15 million euros in additional costs. Energy also became more expensive. AMAG paid almost 80 million euros for this last year, which used to be about 20 to 25 million euros per year.
A new substation is being built
AMAG covers one third of the energy consumption in Ranshofen with electricity, currently two thirds with natural gas. “We will need gas for many years to come,” Mayer is sure. Together with network operator APG, a new substation is currently being built to enable a greater demand for electricity.
Finally – similar to Voestalpine, which wants to use electric arc furnaces instead of blast furnaces by 2027 – the use of electric heaters is planned. Hydrogen is also a problem. All future music. Firstly, the photovoltaic installations on the roofs of the factory buildings must be doubled.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
