Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company has joined hands with Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas, Strata Manufacturing Company and Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a leading research-intensive higher education institution, have signed an agreement to develop the UAE’s first-of-its-kind national laboratory and research programme including high temperature materials.

This state-of-the-art facility will be located at Khalifa University’s Main Campus in Abu Dhabi and is expected to significantly expand high temperature materials research in the UAE both for practical applications in industry and academic study.

Currently, research in high temperature materials for institutions and the industries in the UAE can only be conducted abroad.

According to EGA, the goal is to build long-term strategic partnerships where academia and industry are proactively engaged and committed to success in collaborative and multidisciplinary advanced R&D efforts.

The company expects to use the laboratory and programme for practical research into refractories, carbon-based materials, anode baking furnaces, and waste.

Its research is expected to focus on capturing and recovering heat energy generated from the company’s industrial processes, improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In aluminium smelting, approximately half of all energy is lost as waste heat, it added.

Emirates Global Aluminium CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban said: "One of our core values is to continuously improve our business and operations through innovation. This new state-of-the-art laboratory and research programme will strengthen the UAE's position as a leader in industrial technology development and drive forward the country’s Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy."

"For EGA, it means we can conduct even more of our practical research here in the UAE, solving challenges locally and contributing to the UAE’s research capabilities. I look forward to some ground-breaking results from this collaboration," he stated.Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said: "We are glad to see the enduring and fruitful relationship with EGA, Mubadala and Strata. Manufacturing remains cemented through the development of capability and capacity at Khalifa University. The trust of the industry in Khalifa University to provide localized solutions and adapt to their unique industrial challenges is a testament to the advanced and applied research competencies that the university offers."

"This achievement is a result of over a decade of collaboration with our industrial partners, which has enabled us to build capacity and gain a deeper understanding of industrial needs. Today, we are cementing that trust and confidence from the industry by localizing research, development, and innovation in the UAE," stated Al Hajri.

"We look forward to seeing industries across the region and globally follow suit as we continue to provide tailored solutions and adapt to industry trends," he added.

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