"EMAL is on track to become world's largest single-site greenfield aluminium smelter"

Abu Dhabi, May 26, 2009: EMAL Aluminium (EMAL) Project Director Yousuf Bastaki is scheduled to speak today at Abu Dhabi Projects 2009 on the importance of diversification for the United Arab Emirates.

His presentation will detail the recent milestones achieved at EMAL, the progress of project to date and the future targets for the mega project. Moreover, he is expected to share with the audience the totality of benefits that can be expected by the UAE once the first phase of the project is complete in April 2010.

EMAL is the largest industrial project in Abu Dhabi outside of oil and gas and is the cornerstone of the Emirate's industrialisation and diversification strategy.

"As the largest of the Emirate's diversification projects, we're committed to delivering the full benefits associated with an undertaking of this scale. Local job creation, health and safety, job rewards and community engagement are our top priorities," said Bastaki speaking before the conference.

He went on to say that the work being done at EMAL will create 14,000 jobs during the peak construction phase. Once fully commissioned, it will employ 2000 people, about a third of whom will be highly skilled engineers and managers.

 "With the progress being acheived every day at EMAL, the UAE is moving ever closer to its goal of becoming a global player in the world aluminium industry," said Bastaki. "Just this week, a group of our engineers mounted the UAE flag on the highest point of the EMAL site. It's a source of pride and reminder to us all of the important work we do.

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EMAL is a joint venture (JV) between Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL) and Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) and was established in February 2007 to construct what will become the world's largest single site aluminium smelter complex.  The project will be built in two phases and utilise Emirati-developed technology. At the end of phase one in 2010, EMAL per annum and 1.4 million tonnes annually at the end of phase two.  The aluminium complex, a 6sq km site in the Khalifa Port Industrial Zone in Taweelah, half way between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, will produce primary aluminium with a product mix of sow, standard ingot, billet, tee ingots and sheet ingot.

Being the largest industrial project in the UAE outside the oil and gas industry, the project will encourage economic diversification, creating downstream opportunities.  This development will benefit the UAE economy, employing more than 14,000 local and international contractors/staff during construction and 2000 people direct employment during operations.

EMAL adheres to strict environmental standards set by the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency, with state-of the-art emission control equipment including sulphur-dioxide scrubbers, the latest potroom gas treatment technology, the best-available gas turbine systems, and cooling towers to eliminate thermal stress on local marine life.

For further Information, please contact: 
Rosine Feghali,
Emirates Aluminium
Tel: 02 509 2290

Nathan Wilson,
Inpact Porter Novelli
Tel: 04 330 4030
Email: n.wilson@ipn.ae

© Press Release 2009