Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC (EGA) announced last week the full ramp-up of its alumina refinery at Al Taweelah to 2 million metric tons per annum in June, marking a significant milestone for the region’s largest alumina refining operation.
The firm noted that full ramp-up was achieved after only fourteen months of production, which it notes as an incredible feat in so short a time. EGA says it achieved the task that takes many other alumina refineries several years without a single working hour lost to injuries on the site.
EGA’s Executive Vice President Upstream and Capital Projects Zaher Alhabtari, said the accomplishment was a long time coming for the firm and its labor force.
“We began preparing for operations back in October 2013, when Al Taweelah alumina refinery was still on the drawing board. Our careful planning has enabled us to deliver a world-class ramp-up of this important project and I congratulate every member of the team for their contribution to this benchmark achievement. We are now focused on the next milestone, which is three consecutive months of production at nameplate capacity.”
The Al Taweelah refinery represents a US$3.3 billion investment and is the country’s first alumina refinery. The plant’s workforce of almost 600 people refine sufficient alumina to satisfy 40 percent of the UAE’s demand, which has helped the country’s aluminium industry become more self sufficient than ever before.
Based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Emirates Global Aluminium is an aluminium conglomerate created by the merger between Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) and Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) in 2013. EGA had an estimated enterprise value of US$15 billion at the time the merger took place. The firm is owned equally by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi and Investment Corporation of Dubai. Emirates Global Aluminium holds interests in bauxite/alumina and primary aluminium smelting.