A leading provider of non ferrous metals and one of the world’s largest copper recyclers, Hamburg-based Aurubis broke ground on a secondary smelter for copper recycling in Augusta, Georgia, in June 2022.  The plant is the first of its kind in the United States and one of the biggest international investments in Georgia, bringing over €600 million to the state and creating more than 200 local jobs.

But as with so many large infrastructure projects, there are many logistical, narrative, political, and community issues to manage.

Agenda has worked successfully with industrial clients navigating the gauntlet of public scrutiny, government oversight, and environmental regulations.  It was also important that Aurubis understood community concerns, clearly communicated their environmental protection practices, and positioned the company as a good neighbor in Georgia.

Agenda prepared Aurubis representatives for public participation in local meetings and media interviews, prepared videos, conducted media trainings, and delivered streamlined, reader-friendly summaries of what is a highly technical process and facility. This included taking European messaging and values and helping translate for maximum impact with local, regional, and national audiences in the U.S.

We also engaged government officials and the public about Aurubis’ environmentally conscious processing methods, support for renewable energy technologies, and key role in solving supply chain issues. This approach helped build transparent dialog with the public and many other stakeholders and neutralize uninformed but vocal detractors.

The strategy resulted in a successful ground-breaking that included Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Augusta and Richmond County leaders, state economic development representatives, community members, and Aurubis corporate leadership from Germany.

The Aurubis Richmond facility is currently under construction and leadership from Germany and Georgia remain committed to a range of important topics and engagement efforts. As such, Agenda continues to provide an array of strategic communications, crisis planning, design and production, media buys, earned media interviews, and other advanced support to Aurubis and its operations in the United States.