Golden Aluminum and SMS scale up Nexcast aluminum casting technology

Golden Aluminum and SMS group have brought the Nexcast continuous aluminum strip casting technology to industrial scale at Golden Aluminum's Fort Lupton plant in Colorado, US. The system has been operating since summer 2025 and produces hot-rolled aluminum coil directly from molten metal in a compact production line.

Developed jointly by the two companies, Nexcast is designed to combine the lower investment and operating costs of continuous casting with the ability to process higher-alloyed aluminum grades. The technology is also intended to accommodate large quantities of lower-grade post-consumer scrap.

Conventional direct-chill (DC) production involves casting aluminum ingots around 700 mm thick before scalping, reheating and hot rolling. According to SMS group, such production chains can extend over more than 550 metres and generally require output above 500,000 tonnes per year to achieve commercially viable economics. Conventional continuous casting offers a more compact alternative but has traditionally been concentrated on lower-alloy commodity products.

Nexcast seeks to bridge this gap. At Fort Lupton, the system eliminates several conventional processing stages, including block casting, sawing, storage, scalping and reheating, as well as the need for large-scale rolling equipment. The complete line for producing hot-rolled coils from molten aluminum is approximately 55 metres long.

New caster reaches full production within one month

The new installation replaced Golden Aluminum's original 914-mm-wide Swiss block caster, which had been operating at Fort Lupton since the company's early years. Golden Aluminum and SMS initially worked on scaling the block-caster concept to a modern strip width of two metres before adapting the design to the narrower dimensions required at Fort Lupton.

Following pre-assembly and testing, the old caster was dismantled and the Nexcast system installed within two weeks during a planned shutdown. The first hot-rolled coil was produced shortly afterwards, with production resuming four weeks after installation work began.

The line reached full production during its first month of operation. According to SMS, continuous casting campaigns of up to 60 hours and alloy changes during operation demonstrated the system's production flexibility. Final acceptance was completed in August 2025.

Golden Aluminum primarily produces high-magnesium alloys for packaging, automotive and construction applications. The company has also supplied AA5182 sheet to the food and beverage industry for many years.

Golden Aluminum targets 25% output increase

Golden Aluminum uses more than 80% end-of-life scrap in its production. The company says the Nexcast process can reduce carbon intensity by approximately 60% and process-water consumption by around 86%, while the shorter production route also reduces reheating requirements, energy consumption and plant footprint.

During the first months following installation, Golden Aluminum reported higher yield and downstream throughput as well as reductions in edge and surface cracking. By 2028, the company expects the new system to increase finished-product output by 25%.

The additional casting capacity is also intended to provide greater flexibility for trial coils and the development of products for new markets.

Source: SMS Group, Photo: marketSTEEL