Bahrain's Alba Line 6 launch to coincide with Arabal

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MANAMA: The 23rd Arab International Aluminium Conference (Arabal 2019) will coincide with the opening of Aluminium Bahrain’s (Alba) Line 6 Expansion Project and mark the company’s transformation as the world’s largest smelter.

The event is being hosted by Alba at the Gulf Hotel from November 19 to 21 under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The official inauguration of Line 6 project, one of the biggest brownfield developments in the Middle East region with a Capex of approximately $3 billion, will be held on November 24, as has been announced by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, at the Government Forum on October 6, according to Alba’s acting chief executive Ali Al Baqali.

He was speaking at a Press conference at the Gulf Hotel to announce details of Arabal 2019. The conference was chaired by Arabal organising committee chairman Mohammed Al Naki.

Alba chairman Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa said: “Arabal has become one of the much-thought events in the global aluminium industry with a major focus on the challenges and future opportunities that affect the business. Alba is proud to host Arabal 2019 and we look forward to welcoming everyone in Bahrain – our industry peers, delegates and sponsors.”

Mr Al Baqali said that Line 6 Expansion Project will be transformational for Bahrain as it will significantly boost employment opportunities for Bahrainis at both Alba and the local downstream market. It will also present many co-investment opportunities through local and foreign aluminium investments in the kingdom.

“Line 6 expansion will create a foundation to expand and develop the downstream industry. Mumtalakat and EDB are in discussions with new investors to come and invest in Bahrain. Alba is ready to support the newcomers,” he said.

Mr Al Baqali said that the conference will highlight a number of pressing topics including the challenges faced by the industry. According to him the challenges are mainly emerging in the wake of US-China trade tensions and geopolitical events and are making the market volatile.

Emerging as a global platform for the world aluminium industry leaders, the two-day conference, which will be held under the theme ‘Shaping the Future of Aluminium in the Arab Region’, is expected to attract more than 400 delegates from the whole spectrum of the aluminium industry (upstream, midstream and downstream).

It will also feature over 35 speakers and experts from leading aluminium organisations, including GE, International Aluminium Institute, CRU, Emirates Global Aluminium, Fastmarkets and LME, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative amongst others.

The conference will shed light on a number of pressing topics such as ‘impact of current economic challenges on the aluminium industry’, ‘outlook for the global aluminium industry in light of depressed LME prices’, ‘energy efficiency and its impact on energy costs, ‘environment, sustainability and recycling’ and most importantly ‘Bahrain post Line 6’.

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