Bahrain/Indian Venture Set Up To Produce Aluminum Fluoride
Bahrain’s EBH Holding and India’s Archean Group of Companies have set up the Pearl Industrial Chemicals Company, a joint venture capitalized at $100mn, which will build an aluminum fluoride plant with a capacity of 60,000 tons/year. The new plant will be located in the South Alba Industrial Estate in Bahrain and start up of production is planned in two years. Currently aluminum fluoride, which is used by aluminum smelters in the Gulf, is imported. In the first phase the plant will produce 30,000 tons/year of aluminum fluoride, of which 18,000 t/y will be purchased by Aluminum Bahrain (Alba). Total demand for aluminum fluoride in the GCC is estimated at some 140,000 t/y. The Archean Group will manage the business and own 76% of the plant. Sulfur, a key raw material used in aluminum fluoride production, is available locally from the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco). The plant will also produce other products like gypsum which can be utilized in the cement industry in the GCC countries.
Copyright MEES 2009.
