DUBAL wins three awards at Ideas. Arabia, Idea of the Year Competition 2007

Dubai Aluminium Company (DUBAL), the seventh largest producer of premium quality aluminium in the world, has won three awards at the Ideas. Arabia, Idea of the Year Competition 2007.

The awards, hosted this year under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group, were presented at a gala ceremony on 24 April, 2007.

Mr. Abdulla Kalban, CEO of DUBAL, said: 'These accolades and prestigious recognition will motivate us further to increase our efforts towards overall excellence in the workplace. These efforts are in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister for Finance and Industry and Chairman of DUBAL.'

The three awards won by DUBAL employees are:

• Idea of the year - presented to M. Y Malik, for his suggestion entitled 'Additional auto dumps while anode setting'.

• The Health and Safety award presented to G. S. Murthy, K. P. Balakrishnan and J. G. Rocaberter, for their Idea entitled 'Motorised cross travel for Anode Jacking Frame 9, 10, 12 & 13.'

• The award in the Environmental category presented to K. P. Balakrishnan and R. N. Sotaso for their entry titled 'Environmental friendly rotary feeder with modified sealing.'

Mr. Khalid Buhumaid, General Manager, Corporate Relations & International Affairs and official spokesperson of DUBAL, said: 'We have been the pioneers of Employee Suggestion Schemes in the region since we began operations more than a quarter century ago. The scheme has motivated our employees to increase their involvement with whatever task entrusted to them. Most of our major business successes are the results of such employee involvement.'

'This illustrates the role played by supervisors and other related staff members besides the suggestors themselves. It is also an example of how, by working together, DUBAL employees can take the company's name to reputable forums, regionally and internationally,' he added.
Ideas.Arabia is a forum of companies, initiated by DUBAL, under the umbrella of Dubai Quality Group, a non-profit organization, which aims to optimize and focus the effectiveness of Suggestion Scheme programmes.

Over the past 26 years, DUBAL has achieved cumulative savings amounting to almost AED 54 million through its suggestion schemes. During 2006 alone, the company implemented almost 8,000 suggestions, resulting in audited savings worth almost AED 5 million. In the same year, DUBAL achieved 100 per cent participation in the Suggestion Scheme for the first time, with every employee registering at least one implemented or awarded suggestion during 2006.

The DUBAL Suggestion Scheme has been a self-sustaining programme for many years. In 2006, the savings ratio was 1:4, i.e. for each dollar spent on the scheme, the company generated savings of USD4.