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Main Contents
Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsui", Head Office: Tokyo, President and CEO: Kenichi Hori) has underwritten and paid for a third-party allotment of new shares of Nippon Amazon Aluminium Co., Ltd. ("NAAC", Head Office: Tokyo, President: Kenji Kobayashi), which has a 49% stake in ALBRAS - Alumínio Brasileiro S.A. ("Albras"). As a result, Mitsui's stake in NAAC will increase from approximately 21% to 46% (direct and indirect), and the offtake volume of aluminum ingots produced by Albras will also increase from approximately 80,000 tons per year to 140,000 tons annually.
NAAC was established in 1977 as a Japanese investor of the Amazon Aluminium Complex Project (see note), and has invested in Albras and the alumina refinery business. Albras stably produces green aluminum with low CO2 emissions using renewable energy sources in the Brazilian Amazon region.
Aluminum is widely used in various fields and products, such as transportation equipment (automobiles, aircraft, etc.), building materials, cans, and electric wires, and its excellent features of being light weight and easily recyclable will further boost demand in the future. Meanwhile, since aluminum production requires a large amount of electricity, demand for green aluminum produced using electricity with low CO2 emissions is increasing year by year. Given its limited supply, however, its scarcity will only increase.
Mitsui has been contributing to the development and stable supply of underground resources, through its engagement since the 1960s in the development of ferrous metals such as iron ore and metallurgical coal, and also through its involvement in nonferrous metals development such as copper, nickel, lithium, and aluminum. In recent years, decarbonization has become an important global challenge, and Mitsui is working to develop green materials and secure green aluminum in particular.
Furthermore, "Industrial Business Solutions" is one of the Key Strategic Initiatives set forth in Mitsui's Medium-term Management Plan 2026, and the company aims to provide industrial solutions through the stable supply of resources and materials essential for societal development. Through this capital increase and the increased access to green aluminum, for which demand is expected to increase globally, Mitsui will strengthen its aluminum business and thereby contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society.
Note: Amazon Aluminium Complex Project: A bilateral economic cooperation project for natural resource development between Japan and Brazil to build and operate an integrated aluminum smelter (Albras) and alumina refinery (Alunorte) in Brazil.
Company Profile
| Official name | Nippon Amazon Aluminium Co., Ltd. (NAAC) |
|---|---|
| Head Office Location | Tokyo, Japan |
| Established | 1977 |
| Representative | Kenji Kobayashi, President |
| Number of employees | 11 |
| Business Activities | Participation in capital investment, loans, and management of alumina & aluminum joint venture companies in Brazil, as well as offtake and allocation of primary aluminum ingots |
| Website |
| Official name | ALBRAS - Alumínio Brasileiro S.A. (Albras) |
|---|---|
| Head Office Location | Pará state, Federative Republic of Brazil |
| Established | 1978 |
| Shareholders | Norsk Hydro ASA (Norway, 51%), NAAC (49%) |
| Number of employees | Approximately 1,300 |
| Business Activities | Production and sale of primary aluminum ingots and related business |
Panoramic view of the Albras plant
Aluminum ingot produced by Albras
Mitsui’s Materiality
“Build brighter futures, everywhere” as our corporate mission, and to gain the trust and expectations of our stakeholders to realize a better tomorrow for earth and for people around the world, we have identified five material issues (“Materiality”) for Mitsui’s sustainable growth. We anticipate this particular project/ business to contribute especially to the realization of “Secure sustainable supply of essential products” and “Enhance quality of life” and “Create an eco-friendly society”
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Secure sustainable supply of essential products
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Enhance quality of life
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Create an eco-friendly society
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Develop talent leading to value creation
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Build an organization with integrity