UAE targets huge sales growth on aluminium by 2011

Dubai Aluminium Company Limited 'Dubal', the world's largest modern smelter with a captive power station, has set the wheels firmly in motion to move towards its corporate vision of becoming one of the five top producers of primary aluminium in the world by 2015. The company aims to sell 1.7 million tonnes per year by 2011 thanks to its Sales and Marketing Agreement with Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) the green-field smelter schedule to start production in April 2010. Walid Al Attar, Vice President, Marketing & Sales advises that the goal will be achieved through growth at two levels. 'For starters, ever-improving operating efficiencies will result in incremental growth that will take Dubal's production volumes over the one million mark,' he says. 'Secondly, the volumes will take a quantum leap when Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) -at Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi in which Dubal is a joint venture partner and is providing both leading edge smelting technology and technical expertise - is commissioned. The first phase of EMAL, comprising smelting capacity of 700,000 tonnes per year, is scheduled to come on stream by April 2010. When EMAL starts production next year, it will signify a major shift toward the establishment of the Middle East as a hub for world aluminium production,' Al Attar added. 'As the marketers of the metal from both companies, Dubal plans to optimise the production configuration from the two plants to ensure maximum market opportunities,' Al Attar continues. 'This will give customers a broader range of products to choose from, with the traditional Dubal assurance of on-time delivery. Moreover, given that Dubal's proprietary DX Technology (reduction cells) has been specified for EMAL, we are completely confident that the same absolute quality and performance standards for which Dubal is renowned will be maintained at EMAL,' Al Attar added. He adds that the location of both Dubal and EMAL in the Middle East will mean tremendous synergy in terms of marketing, sales, shipping and distribution infrastructure and experience. 'We see great potential for the metal produced by EMAL in the European market, as well as in the MENA region, the USA and the Far East,' says Al Attar. 'Especially as EMAL, by design, will be one of the lowest-cost producers of aluminium in the world.' The second phase of EMAL will bring a further 700,000 tonnes to make a total of 1.4 million tonnes. This will make EMAL the largest single site smelter and the largest smelter to have this initial scope. Both Dubal are EMAL participating in Aluminium Dubai 2009, which takes place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 29 to 31 March.