Glencore Nordenham Commissions New Fluidised Bed Furnace

Glencore Nordenham

Nordenham, Germany

21. April 2026

Major project completed ahead of schedule

At the Glencore site in Nordenham, the new fluidised bed furnace at the zinc smelter has successfully been brought into operation. This marks the completion of one of the largest technical projects of recent years: the comprehensive modernization of the roasting plant.

The shutdown, originally planned to last until the end of April, was shortened by one week thanks to the smooth progress of the project.

“The safe completion of the project clearly demonstrates what the team in Nordenham can achieve together – across departments and under significant time pressure,” said Adam Purkis, Managing Director of Glencore Nordenham. “With the new fluidised bed furnace, we are strengthening the long-term performance of our site.”

Dr. Jörg Buchholz, Chief Project Officer at Glencore Nordenham, who was responsible for the overall project, also expressed his satisfaction with the implementation:

“We carried out numerous complex measures in parallel. The fact that we were even able to beat the schedule reflects the high level of professionalism and the strong commitment of all teams involved. I would like to express my sincere thanks for this outstanding effort.”

Core production unit completely renewed

Glencore Nordenham invested around €33 million in the modernization of the roasting plant and in key improvements to adjacent facilities.

“With the complete renewal of the fluidised bed furnace, we are creating the foundation for stable production,” said Dr. Toni Helbig, Operations Director of the zinc smelter.

The fluidised bed furnace is the heart of the roasting process and therefore central to production at the site. Responsibility for operating the plant lies with Plant Manager Heiko Zehl. During the shutdown, he and his team also played a decisive role in ensuring a safe and smooth execution of the work.

“Preparing and coordinating a project of this scale is a major challenge,” said Heiko Zehl. “It was therefore all the more important that all work was carried out according to plan and safely.

The entire shutdown was completed without any accidents. The successful restart of the roasting plant and Contact Plant II after this demanding shutdown is the result of our strong collaboration and the high level of commitment shown by everyone involved.”

Shutdown used specifically for technical improvements

The shutdown period was also used to implement more than 20 technical measures in parallel – including work on the contact plant, off-gas and heat recovery systems, as well as electrical infrastructure.

To maintain zinc production during this time, Glencore Nordenham had produced and stored roasted material in advance. In addition, material from the Spanish sister plant Asturiana de Zinc was used – an advantage made possible by being part of an international group.

Following the successful commissioning of the new fluidised bed furnace, the coming weeks will focus on the gradual stabilization and optimization of operations.

Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 commodities. Through a network of assets, customers and suppliers that spans the globe, we produce, process, recycle, source, market and distribute the commodities that advance everyday life.

With over 140,000 employees and contractors and a strong footprint in over 30 countries in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, our marketing and industrial activities are supported by a global network of offices.

Glencore’s customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, battery manufacturing and oil sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities.

linkedin.com/company/glencorenordenham
instagram.com/glencorenordenham
facebook.com/glencorenordenham
 

This material does not purport to contain all of the information you may wish to consider. For further important information, including in connection with forward-looking statements and other cautionary information, refer to the Important notice section of Glencore’s 2025 Annual Report, which is available at glencore.com/publications. This document does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for any securities.

The companies in which Glencore plc directly and indirectly has an interest are separate and distinct legal entities. In this document, “Glencore”, “Glencore group” and “Group” are used for convenience only where references are made to Glencore plc and its subsidiaries in general. These collective expressions are used for ease of reference only and do not imply any other relationship between the companies. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer collectively to members of the Group or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.