Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. announced last week the signing of Australian firm Regain Materials as its technology partner for the creation of its Spent Pot Lining (SPL) Treatment Plant.
Alba chose Regain to assist it in the development and construction of its US$44 million SPL plant in order to utilize its proprietary technology for repurposing and recycling the used potlining, which is typically warehoused offsite or sent off to landfills. The firm points out Regain’s significant track record for success – since 2002, Regain has treated over 370 thousand metric tons of spent pot lining from smelters across Australia.
“Alba Spent Pot Lining Treatment Plant is about ‘pioneering the future,’” said Alba’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa.
“As Bahrain’s leading industrial company, we aim to be fully aligned with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and are committed to advancing sustainable initiatives that will benefit Bahrain and our Company. We also believe in collaborating with companies that help us innovate and grow, and are truly pleased to have partnered with Regain for a sustainable and cost-effective solution for the treatment of SPL.”
Regain’s Managing Director Bernie Cooper lauded Alba for the size and scope of its SPL treatment plant initiative.
“Alba has provided the vision and has the scale of operation to enable a world-class SPL solution. The SPL Treatment Plant to be established in Bahrain will set new global benchmarks in terms of environmental sustainability and economics for transforming SPL into value-added products. Alba is to be congratulated on this initiative. Regain is pleased to be providing SPL technology and to be working with Alba to bring the vision of a world-class SPL solution to reality.”
Alba is one of the largest industrial companies in the Middle East and is one of the top 10 largest aluminium producers in the world. Originally incorporated in 1968, the company is based in Bahrain and 84% of its total workforce are Bahraini nationals. It began operations in 1971 with a 120,000 metric ton annual capacity. Modernization bumped the output up to 450,000 metric tons in 1992. In the spring of 2005, Alba opened Line 5, raising output by 860,000 metric tons per year. In 2018 Alba’s smelter produced 1,011,101 metric tons of primary aluminium.