History of the company

2011 On 1 September Aurubis concluded the acquisition of the former Luvata Rolled Products Division. Aurubis AG now has over 16 production sites, four service centres and an expanded sales system for copper products. It is represented in 22 countries in Europe, North America and Asia and employs about 6,200 employees.
  Aurubis is recognised as an environmental partner as part of “Hamburg European Green City 2011“ by the Authorities for Urban Development and the Environment (BSU).
2010 Inauguration of a conform facility in Olen (Belgium). As already at the Swiss site, complex profiles are going to be produced here.
2009 Salzgitter AG owns on 12 September 25% of Aurubis's shares
  Norddeutsche Affinerie AG is renamed as Aurubis AG effective 1 April. Most of the subsidiaries are now operating under the new name
2008 Inauguration of the new high-tech copper refinery in Pirdop. 200,000 tonnes of electrolytic copper per year can be produced in this state-of-the-art tankhouse
  On 7 August Salzgitter AG holds initially 5.8 % of Aurubis's shares
  New plant for gas-cleaning system in Pirdop (Bulgaria) commissioned
  After completion of squeeze-out phase Norddeutsche Affinerie holds 100 % of Cumerio shares on 4 August
  Supervisory Board appoints Dr Bernd Drouven as Chief Executive Officer
  On 1 August the company receives EU approval to merger with Cumerio
2007 Norddeutsche Affinerie subsidiary Prymetall opens a new distribution and slitting centre in Dolný Kubín (Slovakia)
  The Chief Executive Officer, Dr Werner Marnette, requests the Supervisory Board to release him from his duties by mutual consent
  New plant for sampling precious metal-bearing electronic scrap commissioned in Lunen
  Voluntary climate protection concept of Norddeutsche Affinerie; CO2 emissions in Hamburg should be reduced by 40,000 tonnes by 2012
  On 6 July Norddeutsche Affinerie and Cumerio NV/SA ("Cumerio") announce their planned merger to create the leading integrated copper producer and processor in Europe. Norddeutsche Affinerie makes public takeover offer for all outstanding Cumerio shares
  Norddeutsche Affinerie engages in a virtual slice of the plannmed Vattenfall power plant in Hamburg/Moorburg
  Inauguration of ESSE 7 (Stack 7); a 45 m high barometer in its premises in Hamburg is installed
2006 Inauguration of new handling and storage system for copper concentrates in Brunsbüttel
  The company participates in CHINA TIME 2006 in Hamburg and sponsors the copper dragon (length 7 m, height 5,5 m, weight 4,3 tonnes) as a symbol and landmark
  Norddeutsche Affinerie celebrates 140 years as a joint stock corporation
2005 Commissioning of the new silver electrolysis at the Hamburg production site
2004 Completion of environmental project RWN 2004: reduction of total dust emissions from the secondary smelter (RWN) in Hamburg by 70 %
Development of a flexible solar cell on copper film completed
2003 The company strengthens its commitment in metal recycling: Hüttenwerke Kayser AG is amalgamated with Norddeutsche Affinerie AG
Expansion of the processing capacity of the primary smelter by a further 15 % to 1,150,000 t of concentrate throughput p.a.
Norddeutsche Affinerie AG participates in ?UmweltPartnerschaft Hamburg? (Environment Partnership Hamburg), an initiative instigated by the Hamburg Authorities of the Environment and Health Affairs and the Hamburg industry
2002 Retroactive to 1 October, Mitsui & Co. Ltd. (Mitsui) acquires 80 % of the shares in Urania Chemicals GmbH (Spiess-Urania), of which Norddeutsche Affinerie AG was the majority shareholder up to then
Sale of the subsidiary MicroMet GmbH Pulvertechnologie to ECKA Granulate GmbH & Co. KG
Commissioning of the Kayser Recycling Systems (KRS) at the Lünen site: Norddeutsche Affinerie becomes an international leader in recycling technology and additionally the largest copper recycler
With the acquisition of Prymetall GmbH & Co. KG and its 50 % stake in Schwermetall Halbzeugwerk GmbH & Co. KG in Stolberg, expansion of the value added chain in the direction of the downstream end user market
2001 Commissioning of the new production plant for oxygen-free (OF) copper
2000 Expansion of processing capacity in the primary smelter by 35 % to a throughput of 1,000,000 t of concentrates p.a.
1999 Commissioning of the new TOP ROD plant for the production of oxygen-free and also low-alloyed wire rod for special applications
Acquisition of majority stake in Hüttenwerke Kayser AG
Concentration of chemical activities in the subsidiary Urania Chemicals GmbH
Spin-off of the metal powder activities into the wholly-owned subsidiary MicroMet GmbH Pulvertechnologie
1998 Norddeutsche Affinerie shares first listed on the stock exchange
1997 Joint venture between Degussa and Norddeutsche Affinerie in the precious metals sector
1994 Expansion of the capacity of the primary smelter to a throughput of more than 700,000 tonnes of concentrates p.a.
1992 Expansion of the primary smelter copper tankhouse to a capacity of 350,000 tonnes p.a. (currently 370,00 tonnes)
1990 Completion of the electric furnace plant in the secondary smelter
1989 Commissioning of the new copper tankhouse in the primary smelter
1985 Beginning of a major modernisation and environmental protection programme
1980 Commissioning of the second continuous cast wire rod plant
1979 Development of the energy-saving Contimelt technology for processing Blister copper, copper scrap and anode scrap into copper anodes
1972 Commissioning of the first continuous cast wire rod plant
Start-up of production at the primary (East) smelter after installation of the flash smelter plant for copper concentrates and a double absorption contact acid plant for the production of sulphuric acid
1949 Start-up of continuous casting operations
1936 Commissioning of the reverberatory furnace and processing of copper concentrates; construction of a sulphuric acid plant using the contact process
1913 Complete relocation from Elbstrasse to the Peute industrial area
1876 Commissioning of the copper tankhouse developed by Dr Emil Wohlwill as the first continuously operating facility of its type in the world
1866 Incorporation of Norddeutsche Affinerie as a stock corporation with equity stakes held by Norddeutsche Bank and Allgemeine Deutsche Kreditanstalt
1770 Markus Salomon Beit obtains permission to construct a silver separation and smelting facility in Hamburg