Aurubis AG: 160 years of Aurubis: Metals for Europe’s industrial future

160 years of Aurubis: Metals for Europe’s industrial future

• Aurubis stands for almost 160 years of industrial history marked by transformation, innovative power, and responsibility
• From a Hamburg copper fabricator to an international multimetal company and the largest copper recycler in the world
• Aurubis CEO Dr. Toralf Haag: “Our transformation did not happen by chance; it has been fueled by innovative power and the courage to consistently redefine industrial pathways.”

Hamburg, April 28, 2026 — Aurubis AG, a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and the largest copper recycler worldwide, is celebrating its 160th birthday this year. While its roots reach even further back into the 18th century, the founding of Norddeutsche Affinerie Hamburg in 1866 marks the beginning of the company’s modern history. Since then, Aurubis has guided key stages of industrial development — from early industrialization, electrification and globalization to digitalization and the energy transition.

“What started as a copper smelter in Hamburg almost 160 years ago has grown into a multimetal enterprise with a global footprint and the largest copper recycler in the world — carried by our employees’ know-how, dedication and openness to change for many generations,” Aurubis AG CEO Dr. Toralf Haag says. “This transformation did not happen by chance; it has been fueled by innovative power and the courage to consistently redefine industrial pathways. This combination of legacy, people and progress is precisely what makes Aurubis strong for the future.”

The history of Aurubis can also be read as a history of industrial megatrends. The metals produced by Aurubis were essential for expanding the railways and electricity grids, for industrial manufacturing and urban infrastructure, and later for the globalization of the economy and society.

An affiliation that still holds true today. Whether it is high-power data centers for AI applications, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, or the expansion of European power grids — all these systems are built on a reliable supply of metals. For decades, Aurubis has played its part, producing and refining metals and increasingly returning them to the loop. As a multimetal company, Aurubis extracts over 20 metals and elements from exceptionally complex materials. Metals and elements crucial for a wide range of industrial applications.

Since its founding, Aurubis has produced around 32 million tons of copper in total. A number that highlights the industrial dimension of this achievement:
This is enough copper to encircle the globe roughly 160 times with high-voltage copper cable — a figure that coincides strikingly with the anniversary and a symbol of Aurubis’ industrial power and continuity across the generations.

Aurubis sees itself as an industrial enterprise focused on the future and a responsible corporate citizen. Resource efficiency, the circular economy, and technological advancement are not short-term trends; they are integral elements of our business model. The company combines primary production with recycling, contributing to safeguarding raw materials and industrial supply security — and uses additional resources sustainably, such as by supplying carbon-free industrial heat to up to 28,000 Hamburg households. The development of the sites reflects this direction: Aurubis is also celebrating 110 years of the Aurubis Lünen site this year. The plant was acquired by Aurubis in 1999 and exemplifies the ongoing enhancement of industrial expertise and the expansion of the Group’s recycling activities.

Today Aurubis is represented in over 20 countries on three continents with our global production and sales sites and employs around 7,200 people worldwide. They are the cornerstone of the company’s success. Their knowledge, experience and identification with Aurubis shape the company’s development and secure its competitiveness.

At this 160-year milestone, Aurubis is doing more than just reflecting on its story; it is consciously positioning itself in the larger industrial context: as a company with a legacy, a robust business model, and a pivotal role to play in a world in which metals will remain essential to technological and social advancement.

Aurubis — Metals for Progress

Aurubis AG is a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide. The company processes complex metal concentrates, scrap metals, organic and inorganic metal-bearing recycling materials, and industrial residues into metals of the highest quality. Aurubis produces more than 1 million tons of copper cathodes annually, and from them a variety of products such as wire rod, continuous cast shapes, profiles, and flat rolled products made of copper and copper alloys. Aurubis produces a number of other metals as well, including precious metals, selenium, lead, nickel, tin and zinc. The portfolio also includes additional products such as sulfuric acid and iron silicate.

Sustainability is a fundamental part of the Aurubis strategy. “Aurubis responsibly transforms raw materials into value” — following this maxim, the company integrates sustainable conduct and business activities into the corporate culture. This involves a careful approach to natural resources, responsible social and ecological conduct in everyday business, and sensible, healthy growth.

Aurubis has around 7,200 employees, production sites in Europe and the US, and an extensive distribution network around the world.

Aurubis shares are part of the Prime Standard Segment of the German Stock Exchange and are listed in the MDAX, the Global Challenges Index (GCX), and the STOXX Europe 600.

More information at www.aurubis.com