ArmenAl produces 100,000-th ton of aluminum foil

ARKA. Russian RusAl company, one of the largest aluminum producer in the world, said its Yerevan-based ArmenAl foil plant has produced the 100,000-th ton of foil. According to a press release of the company, ArmenAl has increased its output by 20 times since 2000 when the plant was re-launched. The bulk of the output- about 65%- was produced after the completion of the modernization program.

In 2004 October RusAl and German Achenbach had signed a modernization agreement with the aim of establishing a full production cycle at ArmenAl and improving the quality of its products. Within the program, rolling equipment was modernized and the production process was converted to the closed processing cycle which met the requirements of the modern foil mill. In 2006 October ArmenAl was reopened after the completion of the modernization program. By end of 2008 it was said to have reached its design capacity of 25,000 tons and became one of the leaders among aluminum foil producers in the CIS targeting European and US markets.

RusAl said it has invested over $100 million in its Armenian subsidiary, which have allowed the plant to start production of super thin foil. RusAl deputy director Alexander Burdin was quoted as saying that ArmenAl’s next task is to raise production efficiency and improve the quality of products. This, he said, will allow the plant to produce another 100,000 tons of foil in the next 4 years.

ArmenAl is selling its output in 20 countries in North America, Europe and Middle East. It was founded in May 2000 as part of the Kanaker aluminum smelter. It is one of the biggest production facilities in Armenia and is the only producer of aluminum foil in the Caucasus and Central Asian regions. In 2000 May the mill was integrated into United Company RUSAL. Together with two other foil mills, SayanAl in the Russian republic of Khakasia and Urals Foil, ArmenAl forms the company’s Packaging Division