THE growing importance of the UAE’s primary aluminium industry in the global market was once again highlighted, thanks to the joint presence of Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal) at the MBI 2012, the 27th international aluminium conference organised and hosted by Metal Bulletin in Moscow, Russia, last month (September 12 to 14).

The two companies raised the profile of the UAE’s primary aluminium industry by leveraging several platforms. These included a combined stand in the exhibition component alongside the conference, where the premier quality and diverse range of products manufactured by Dubal and Emal were highlighted, as was the two companies’ huge export capacity and convenient location for most markets.

Dubal and Emal were also the joint Platinum sponsors of the overall event, as well as the MBI registration desk.

In addition, Yousuf Bastaki, vice-president – projects at Emal, was among the line-up of speakers.

As anticipated, the annual MBI event attracted more than 500 key industry decision-makers from around the world.
An entirely state-owned enterprise, Dubal owns and operates a one million tonne per year (tpy) primary aluminium smelter at Jebel Ali, Dubai — one of the largest single-site operations of its kind in the world.

Emal, a 50:50 joint venture between Dubal and Mubadala, was established in February 2007 to construct what will become one of the world’s largest single-site aluminium smelter complex. Emal is being built in two phases at Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi.

Phase One that took place between December 2009 and December 2010, involved energising of the 756 reduction cells in with a total capacity of 750,000 tonnes per annum. Phase Two, announced in July 2011, involves building of a new 444-cell potline which will increase Emal’s annual production capacity to 1.3 million tonnes by 2014.