Emirates Global Aluminium clinches win at Middle East National Business Awards 2025 for technological advancements

It has implemented continuous improvement programmes, driving $24m in savings and over 330,000 employee-led improvements across EGA’s operations in 2024.

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is the world’s largest ‘premium aluminium’ producer and the biggest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas. EGA is owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and Investment Corporation of Dubai, and is the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates.

EGA was recognised at the prestigious Middle East National Business Awards 2025 as the winner of the Manufacturing - United Arab Emirates category for its success in transforming the aluminium industry through cutting-edge, in-house technological advancements that have positioned the country as a global innovation hub.

As part of this commitment, EGA has successfully developed and commercialised three proprietary smelting technologies—DX, DX+, and DX+ Ultra—internationally licensed and operational across its sites. These ventures not only generate significant revenue but also place the UAE as a leader in industrial technology export.

EX, its most advanced smelting technology yet, is also currently underway. With pilot cells under construction, it combines Internet of Things sensors, artificial intelligence analytics, and real-time data to create a self-optimising, low-emission production system.

Another in-house development is its Pot Control System (PCS), which integrates smart software with advanced control systems to enhance energy efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, including lower anode effects and perfluorocarbon emissions.

The company has also rolled out nearly 40 digital applications within two years as part of its Industry 4.0 transformation. These applications have generated over $25m in value in 2022 alone. A dedicated digital team and more than 230 upskilled employees are preparing EGA’s workforce for a future of intelligent operations.

Meanwhile, EGA has embodied its continuous improvement culture in two flagship initiatives. The first is its Suggestion Scheme, one of the world’s longest-running programmes of its kind. Over 560,000 ideas have been submitted through this initiative, with more than 330,000 implemented.

This is complemented by Tamayaz. It empowers cross-functional teams, guided by Lean experts, to tackle complex challenges using root-cause analysis. Together, these programmes saved over $24m in 2024. EGA’s CEO personally chairs the innovation judging panel, reinforcing leadership’s commitment to grassroots innovation.

The company also takes pride in its sustainability achievements, becoming the first to produce commercial aluminium using solar power with CelestiAL aluminium and helping customers cut emissions by hundreds of thousands of tonnes annually. It has since enhanced CelestiAL with up to 16% recycled content, reducing its embedded carbon by up to 66%.

Moreover, it has achieved significant emission reductions, such as 24% NOx from UAE power operations, 1.6% sulphur oxides from smelting, and 2.1% GHGs from smelting and casting.

“EGA’s integrated strategy of technology leadership, operational excellence, and sustainability not only sets benchmarks in the aluminium sector — it advances the UAE’s position as a global hub of industrial innovation. We believe this makes EGA a deserving recipient of the Middle East National Business Award,” the company said.

Middle East National Business Awards honours remarkable initiatives and projects of locally established companies across diverse industries in the Middle East region, celebrating their contributions to their respective markets.

The Middle East National Business Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in your organisation's growth, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].