UAE aluminium giants eye Turkish growth

The UAE's primary aluminium smelters, Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium Company Limited (Emal) will jointly take part in a major industry event in Turkey which opens tomorrow (October 13).

The joint participation at "Alu Expo 2011" in Istanbul is aimed at increasing the Emirati market share in Turkey, which remains a strong regional economy.

This is endorsed by the Commodities Research Unit (”CRU”), which has predicted 20 per cent year-on-year growth in aluminium consumption in Turkey to 847,000 metric tonnes in 2011 (2010: 705,000 metric tonnes).

The Emirati smelters boast of a combined production capacity of 1.8 million metric tonnes of hot metal per annum, said a senior official.

“Given the UAE’s convenient geographic location, and the strong relationships already established within Turkey, we are confident that Dubal-Emal can play a growing role here,” remarked Nasser Zainal (general manager: Marketing & Sales — GCC, Indian Sub-continent & Middle East).

"We are particularly keen to grow our market share in the manufacturing and construction sectors," said Zainal.

"Accordingly, we will leverage this four-day event to promote the two individual businesses as well as our combined portfolio of premium purity, high quality value-added products, which comprises high purity sow and ingot, extrusion billet, foundry alloy, busbar and anode bar, and sheet ingot," he added.

Zainal said that the duo's marketing and sales team is expecting a 59 per cent growth in demand next year for products from existing customers in Turkey compared to 2011 (currently forecast at 37,000 metric tonnes).

“This is a very important market for us, having accounted for about 24,000 metric tonnes in 2010,” he added.

According to Zainal, until now, the major share of products exported to Turkey had been foundry alloy, which was used in the manufacture of automotive parts.

"Through Alu Expo 2011, we will raise awareness of our wider portfolio – specifically billet for use in construction, industrial, transportation and forging in automotive industries," he added.

The Dubal-Emal stand will also promote Dubal’s in-house developed, proprietary DX Reduction Technology that has been implemented at industrial scale at both the Emirati smelters and which offers excellent energy efficiency and environmental emissions performances.

“Alu Expo is our first joint participation at this forum. Our involvement is a clear indicator of the keen interest in expanding our business reach in Turkey,” Zainal added.