Eti Aluminum to Localize Catalyst Used in the Petrochemical Industry
Eti Aluminum, operating as a global brand under Cengiz Holding, continues to achieve firsts in Turkey through its R&D efforts. The company has produced a catalyst used for separating petroleum products in refineries and petrochemical facilities for the first time in Turkey, which process crude oil into final products. If the test results of the produced catalyst are positive, Eti Aluminum will begin catalyst production with an investment of 15 million Euros.
A production target of 3,000 tons per year has been set. Mehmet Arkan, General Manager of Eti Aluminum, stated that they are focusing on R&D studies to reduce Turkey's dependency on imports. He added, "Our investments, technological innovations, and innovative products contribute to the Turkish economy while also supporting our country's strategic position through the value we create. With our family of 1,600, we produce 82,000 tons of aluminum annually, meeting 10% of Turkey's needs. We prevent at least $300 million in imports each year. We work to localize products that can only be supplied through imports by supporting our productions with R&D studies. We do this entirely with technical equipment produced in our own laboratories and workshops, using our own engineers. Currently, one focus of our R&D Department is the catalysts used to separate petrochemical products. Once the pilot phase of the catalyst is completed and we decide to proceed with production, we will start with 1,000 tons and aim to reach an annual production of 3,000 tons within a few years."
On the new rolling mill project, which will be realized with an investment of 3 billion TL, Arkan indicated that they prioritize supply security for Turkey in the defense industry: "In recent years, aluminum rolling product imports in Turkey have reached 170,000 tons. This translates to an outflow of foreign currency of over $600 million. We are continuing our work to establish a rolling mill facility to produce rolled products used as raw materials in aircraft fuselages and armor materials for the defense industry. We aim to receive our first products from this new rolling mill, which is considered the locomotive of the country's economy in the aluminum sector, in 2026. The facility will initially start with a production capacity of 100,000 tons, which could increase to 200-250,000 tons."
Arkan also touched upon ongoing R&D projects, stating, "We prioritize domestic raw material production in our studies. In this regard, we will commission our 'special alumina' production line, whose foundations were laid last year, at the beginning of 2025. With a melting point that does not even decrease at 2,000 degrees and its lightweight and flexible nature, special alumina is in demand by many sectors and was developed by our engineers. This line will have a production capacity of 40,000 tons, and we will start receiving our first products at the beginning of the new year. The special alumina, produced for the first time in Turkey, will be used as raw material in various sectors, including the defense industry."
Mehmet Arkan stated that they are continuing pilot production to recover lithium from bauxite by-products. Emphasizing that lithium is one of the most important minerals for electric vehicle batteries, Arkan continued, "At Cengiz Holding's facilities, we refer to waste products as 'by-products.' For us, our waste is also a valuable raw material, and we aim to reintegrate it into the economy. Bauxite is the raw material for aluminum. Worldwide, the aluminum industry extracts aluminum from bauxite and sends the remainder to the waste pool. Through our R&D studies, we have seen that we can recover lithium from these by-products. Turkey has an annual need for around 200 tons of lithium carbonate. We will be the first company in the world to recover lithium from bauxite waste. In this regard, we have submitted our patent application. We have completed the initial production phase and shared the results with the TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM). With positive feedback, our pilot production has begun. Our goal is to recover 250 tons of lithium from the by-product in full capacity operation next year. We are also continuing our efforts to recover rare earth elements."