Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal), both of whom had a joint pavilion at an aluminium international conference in Moscow recently, say they ‘maximised’ networking and deal-making opportunities there.

“The two companies highlighted the premier quality and diverse range of their products as well as the huge export capacity and strategic locations, raising the profile of the UAE’s primary aluminium industry,” a joint statement said. Dubal and Emal were also the joint platinum sponsors of the overall event, which was staged by Metal Bulletin.

Yousuf Bastaki, vice president of projects, Emal, was one of the speakers at the conference.

The combined production volume of the two companies in 2011 was 1.8 million tonnes, representing almost 4 per cent of the 45.5 million tonnes of annual global production and 50 per cent of the 3.6 million tonnes produced in the greater Gulf region, itself equivalent to 7.9 per cent of global production in 2011.

State-owned Dubal owns and operates a million tonnes per year primary aluminium smelter at Jebel Ali, Dubai. In 2011 it produced 1.01 million tonnes of hot metal. Approximately 92 per cent of Dubal’s annual production is exported, the company’s key markets being Asia, Europe, the Mena region and the Americas.

As well as quality, the company highlights its priorities for health and safety, environmental preservation and investment in community social and economic development.

Dubal and Emal officials at their joint stand in Moscow

Emal is being built in two phases at Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, and is owned in equal shareholding by Dubal and Mubadala Development Company. Energising of the 756 reduction cells in Emal Phase I, with a total capacity of 750,000 tonnes per year, took place between December 1, 2009 and 31 December 2010 — with full production reached four months ahead of schedule and within budget. Emal’s products are currently supplied to more than 200 customers in 36 countries around the world. For Phase 2 a new 444-cell potline is being built which, together with a technology upgrade of the existing cells, will increase Emal’s annual production capacity to 1.3 million tonnes by 2014.

The company has implemented Dubal’s in-house developed DX Reduction Technology, which Dubal says offers enhanced energy efficiency and productivity levels yet lower environmental emissions than comparative technologies.

Emal’s power complex will have a record production capacity of 3,000 MW when an additional unit gets fully operational in mid-2014. Once completed, capacity will increase by 1,000 MW, thus making it one of the biggest single-site power stations in the Gulf region. The power plant upgrade will comprise three gas and two steam turbines.

Meanwhile, Emal will have to pay much higher rates to borrow money from banks to help finance its $4 billion smelter expansion due to the impact of the euro zone crisis on infrastructure lending in the Middle East.

The company aims to raise about $2.8 billion via the loan. It will also invite banks to pitch for a bond mandate, a sign that companies have to turn to bond investors for cash as the euro crisis makes bank loans more difficult to access.