The NorCast conference next June will be a significant one - it will be the last organised by founder Arne Schaathun. He talks about the origins of the conference and why it will remain in good hands after next year.
Next June’s NorCast conference will mark the end of an era, as founder Arne Schaathun prepares to hand over the reins after nearly two decades at the helm of one of the aluminium industry’s most respected technical gatherings.
The 2026 edition, to be held once again in Arendal, Norway, will be the final Norcast organised by Mr Schaathun and his company, AluServices.
After next year, the event will continue under new leadership — but with the same independent, intimate character that has made it a fixture in the global casthouse community.
A lifetime in aluminium
Aluminium has been part of Mr Schaathun’s life since childhood. Growing up on Norway’s west coast in the town of Odda in Hardanger, the local aluminium smelter — then owned by Alcan and British Aluminium — dominated the landscape.
“It was natural that my first job after university was in aluminium,” he recalls. “I started as a casthouse engineer and was quickly promoted to casthouse manager, and although I worked briefly in the explosives and cement industries, my heart was always with aluminium.”
His career spanned senior positions at Elkem, Hydelko, Norsk Hydro, and Hoesch Alloys, where he served as Managing Director.
During his time as a casthouse coordinator with Hydro, Mr Schaathun recognised a gap in the industry’s technical dialogue.
“There was no specialised meeting place where professionals could discuss casthouse challenges — quality, recycling, automation, and so on — in depth. That’s why I started NorCast.”
Building an independent forum
Mr Schaathun, pictured above, left, launched NorCast in 2006 after taking early retirement from Hydro as Vice President. From the outset, his goal was to create an independent, non-commercial forum for technical exchange within the casthouse community.
“The concept was always to keep it small, focused, and by invitation only,” he says. “We limit attendance to about 120–130 delegates to maintain an intimate atmosphere. That allows real discussion between speakers, suppliers, and casthouse managers.”
While initially organised without sponsors, NorCast now enjoys strong industry support at bronze, silver, and gold levels — helping to offset costs while retaining its independence.
Each year’s conference features presentations from leading aluminium producers, equipment suppliers, and research organisations, with a strong focus on technology, quality, and sustainability.
Conference themes
The 2026 conference will continue to reflect the industry’s most pressing topics. Sessions will focus on recycling and scrap sourcing, predictive intelligence, electrification of casthouses, casting recovery and quality, and decarbonisation.
As in previous years, a special session will spotlight automotive applications, with participation from analysts at Audi and suppliers to the European automotive sector.
The traditional panel discussion, ‘Casthouse panel – Lessons learned’ with a discussion, is chaired by a senior representative from Hydro, and will feature casthouse directors and plant managers from companies including AMAG Casting (Austria), Trimet, and Alcoa.
Two distinguished guest speakers will headline the 2026 programme — one from Hydro and one from Aluminium Bahrain (Alba).
Delegates typically represent more than 20 countries, with a minimum 30% of them attending NorCast for the first time — a testament to the conference’s continuing appeal.
A lasting legacy
The social programme remains an integral part of NorCast 2026, which will be arranged on June 10 and 11.
It begins with an informal welcome event on arrival day, June 9, the traditional boat trip on 10 June followed by the annual dinner the same evening
As Mr Schaathun prepares to step back, he says the event’s future is secure. “I’ve prepared everything for the transition,” he explains.
“My company will still handle the organisation in 2026, but from the conference onward, the new leader, Svein Terje Strandlie, will take over. He has long experience in the industry and will continue the same concept.”
Though stepping down, Mr Schaathun intends to remain on the organising committee. “I’ll still be involved — helping where needed and enjoying the conference from the other side of the lectern.”
Looking back, he takes pride in what NorCast has become.
“It has always been about quality — of topics, speakers, and people,” he says.
“We could have made it much larger, but then it would lose the character that makes it special. The success factors are independence, technical depth, and a genuine sense of community.”
After almost 20 years and countless industry contributions — including his earlier roles in Hydro Aluminium, and Hydelko, a joint venture between Elkem and Hydro to produce grain refiners and master alloys — he remains passionate about aluminium.
“Working with aluminium keeps you young,” he says with a smile. “I’ve travelled the world in this industry, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved. Norcast will continue — and that’s the most important thing.
Schedule
On Day 1, Wednesday, June 10, the conference will have 13 presentations, including an executive from Hydro Aluminium as a Distinguished Guest Speaker, a presentation by a German car maker and a Casthouse Panel with a couple of presentations on “Lessons learned” followed by discussions.
On Day 2, Thursday, June 11, the conference will have eight presentations, including the Distinguished Guest Speaker who is Mr. Hisham Yousif Alkooheji, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Aluminium Bahrain (Alba).
Some of the presentation titles will focus on:
Aluminium Recycling – Current Status and Forward Projection.
Pathway to Net- Zero 2040 – External Secondary Aluminium Recycling Growth
Predictive Intelligence: How Industry 4.0 is Transforming Smelter and Casthouse Performance
Increasing Quality, Reliability and Pit Recovery of DC-Casting Plants
LME Aluminium – Update & Forward Projections
A Novel Dross Processing Technology for true Circular Economy
The Norcast Aluminium Casthouse Conference takes place between June 9 and 11, 2026 in Arendal, Norway.
www.norcast-seminar.com