The restructuring includes discontinuing copper powder production at ECKA Granulate MicroMet GmbH at the Norddeutsche Affinerie copper refinery in Hamburg, Germany, by September 30, 2008. Norddeutsche opened the electrolytic copper powder plant in 1932. Spun off by Norddeutsche in 1999 as a separate subsidiary, MicroMet was purchased by ECKA in 2002 after it became regarded as “non-core” in terms of Norddeutsche’s business. It also makes copper powder via air and water atomisation. ECKA will move production to three locations at Senecourt in France, and Velden and Trautenfort in Germany, adding new capacity in the process. But it’s not entirely Goodbye to Hamburg. The company plans to open a sales office there at some point in the future. Ecka is also rebuilding its plant in Birmingham, UK, which was destroyed by a fire.