Newly-formed aluminium giant takes centre stage at CRU 2014
United Arab Emirates: UAE-based aluminium giant Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC ("EGA") says it will be using the Commodity Research Unit's 19th World Aluminium Conference ("CRU 2014") - being held in Hong Kong from 19 to 20 May - to raise brand awareness of the new business entity while promoting its state-of-the-art facilities, sustainable practices, high quality product portfolio and advanced technologies to the global market.
Widely acknowledged as the world's authoritative aluminium events, the CRU World Aluminium Conferences regularly attract senior executives from the aluminium industry across the world, where they discuss issues facing the industry as a whole. As the platinum sponsor of CRU 2014, EGA will have a strong presence at the event, including a stand in the exhibition that runs alongside the conference.
EGA is the jointly-owned aluminium conglomerate formed by Mubadala Development Corporation and Investment Corporation of Dubai that combines the businesses of two of the UAE's flagship industrial companies, Dubai Aluminium PJSC ("DUBAL") and Emirates Aluminium PJSC ("EMAL").
The location of CRU 2014 in Hong Kong is fortuitous for EGA, given that the Far East/Asia region has been a major market for both DUBAL and EMAL since inception. Confirming the strategic importance of the Asian market, Mohammad Qanbar (EGA's General Manager of Marketing & Sales for Asia) said the company currently exports about 39 per cent of its aluminium to Asia. EGA's product range combines the remelt aluminium and standard commodity ingot and sow, as well as sheet ingot and billets of its EMAL operation, with the high purity sow and ingot, extrusion billet and foundry alloy from its DUBAL plant.
"Asia has traditionally been our largest market, and we still see significant growth potential in the region. Our forecasts suggest that we will sell 920,000 tonnes of primary aluminium products to Asia in 2014, compared to 737,234 tonnes in 2013," said Qanbar.
"From a geographic, economic and freight perspective, the Middle East is ideally located to serve Asia. We are confident that demand for our products will continue to grow in the region, as industries like transportation and construction look increasingly to aluminium to produce more efficient and environmentally-friendly products."
About EGA, DUBAL and EMAL
Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") is a jointly-held, equal-ownership company formed by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai by combining their respective aluminium industry interests. EGA's core operating entities are Dubai Aluminium ("DUBAL") and Emirates Aluminium ("EMAL"), whose combined annual production capacity is set to reach 2.4 million tonnes per annum ("tpa") by mid-2014, which will make EGA the fifth largest aluminium producer in the world. The UAE-based EGA also owns Guinea Alumina Corporation ("GAC"), and a stake in Cameroon Alumina Limited ("CAL"), both being bauxite mine and alumina refinery development projects. In addition, EGA has plans for significant local growth and international expansion.
DUBAL, where commissioning began in 1979, operates one of the world's largest single-site primary aluminium smelters. The DUBAL complex, built on a 4.75 square kilometre site in Jebel Ali, Dubai, comprises a 1 million tpa smelter, a 2,350 MW power station (at 30˚C), a large carbon plant, extensive casting operations (more than 1.2 million tpa), a water desalination plant, dock and other facilities. A quality-focused, customer-centred and innovation-drive organization, DUBAL holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO/TS 16949, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 29990, ISO 50001 and OHSAS 18001 certification. DUBAL also has investments in bauxite/alumina development projects in Brazil and Cameroon; and in a calciner plant in China.
EMAL is designed to become another of the world's largest single-site primary aluminium smelters. The EMAL complex, housed on a 6 square kilometre site in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, has been built in two phases. Phase I, which was fully commissioned by the end of 2010, is the world's largest greenfield smelter development and currently has a smelter capacity of 800,000 tpa. Commissioning of Phase II, comprising the world's single-longest potline (444 cells) with a design capacity of 520,000 tpa, began mid-September 2013. Full ramp-up is scheduled for completion by end-2014. Once fully operational, EMAL will have an annual hot metal production capacity of 1.3 million tpa. EMAL holds ISO 9001 accreditation and Nebosh certification in Occupational Health and Safety.
The combined DUBAL-EMAL portfolio comprises high quality aluminium products in four main forms: foundry alloy (automotive applications); billet (construction, industrial, transportation and automotive forging); high purity aluminium (electronics and aerospace); and sheet ingot (packaging, lithographic sheets and the automotive industry). Busbars and anode bars are also made for the electrolytic process used to produce primary aluminium from alumina ore. Over 350 customers are served in at least 64 countries, predominantly in Asia, Europe, MENA region and the Americas.
© Press Release 2014
