09 May 2015

Innovation-driven aluminium giant has secured 24 wins since 2006.

United Arab Emirates: The corporate commitment to innovation at Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") has once again received independent recognition - this time through the award of top honours in two categories of the 2015 Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year competition. The latest wins bring the total number of Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year awards won by EGA to a total of 24, with operating subsidiaries Dubai Aluminium ("DUBAL", also known as EGA Jebel Ali) and Emirates Aluminium ("EMAL", also known as EGA Al Taweelah) having secured awards in previous years.  

This year's honours comprised:

  • Best Sustainable Ideas Scheme, which was awarded to the EGA Suggestion Scheme. This category was introduced for the first time this year by the organisers, Dubai Quality Group ("DQG"), to award schemes that have successfully been running for more than 15 years and that have made a significant contribution to the success of the organisation. The EGA Suggestion Scheme was originally established by DUBAL and has operated successfully for 34 years. In 2014, a total of 28,791 ideas were submitted by EGA employees, with 17,389 awarded and implemented, generated savings of US$ 9.9 million. The scheme is a regional pioneer in employee involvement programmes and has served as an example for a large number of organisations, both locally and internationally.
  • Best Invention  Award, which was presented to the EGA suggestion entitled "Newly designed air blasting system for carbon anodes", submitted by Kashif Shaheen Noushad Kizhakkethodi and Ghulam Haider from the Carbon & Port team at EGA Al Taweelah. The winning idea involved the design and development of an automatic cleaning system for hot anodes, replacing complex and potentially hazardous manual methods. The new automated solution simplifies the process and limits the carbon dust that is emitted, thus eliminating associated environmental pollution and improving occupational health and hygiene.

The Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year competition forms an integral part of the annual Ideas.Arabia International Conference, which emphasises the importance of innovation in fostering business competitiveness and provides a forum for companies to share best practice. The aim of the competition is to recognise the most significant ideas implemented by organisations throughout the calendar year. EGA was the main sponsor of the 10th Ideas.Arabia International Conference, which took place in Dubai on 28 and 29 April 2015.

Commenting on the event and award wins, Abdulla Kalban (Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of EGA) said, "One of our key values is to 'perform', which defines our ambition to excel in operations through continuous improvement and innovation. We encourage our employees to always be on the look-out for better and safer ways of working. The Ideas.Arabia International Conference and Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year provide important opportunities to demonstrate the culture of employee involvement nurtured at EGA while benchmarking against other leading organisations."

DUBAL was a key driver in the formation of Ideas.Arabia as a subgroup of DQG. Through DUBAL, EGA has supported the conference and associated competition since its inception in 2006.

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About EGA
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 assets are Dubai Aluminium ("DUBAL", also known as EGA Jebel Ali) and Emirates Aluminium ("EMAL", also known as EGA Al Taweelah), whose combined annual production capacity of 2.4 million tonnes per annum ("tpa") places EGA among the top five primary aluminium producers in the world, by volume. The UAE-based EGA also owns Guinea Alumina Corporation ("GAC"), a strategic bauxite mine and alumina refinery development project in West Africa. 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, a large carbon plant, extensive casting operations (more than 1.2 million tpa), a water desalination plant, dock and other facilities. DUBAL holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO/TS 16949, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 29990, ISO 50001 and OHSAS 18001 certification.

EMAL, where commissioning began at the end of 2009, is the world's largest single-site primary aluminium smelter. The EMAL complex, housed on a 6 square kilometre site in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, comprises a 1.3 million tpa smelter, a 3,100 MW power station, a large carbon plant, extensive casting operations (more than 1.8 million tpa), a water desalination plant, dock and other facilities. EMAL holds ISO 9001, ISO 10002, ISO./IEC 27001, ISO 29990, ISO14001 and ISO/TS16949 certification; as well as OHSAS 18001 certification and NEBOSH certification in Occupational Health and Safety.

The combined DUBAL-EMAL portfolio comprises high quality primary aluminium products in three main categories: high purity and foundry re-melt products (for electronics and aerospace and automotive applications respectively); rolled products (for packaging, lithographic sheets and the automotive industry); and billets for extrusion and forging (for construction, industrial, transportation and automotive purposes). 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 68 countries, predominantly in Asia, Europe, the MENA region and the Americas.

© Press Release 2015