The 20th Arab International Aluminium Conference (Arabal) will be hosted by Emirates Global Aluminium in Dubai November.

It will be held as part of EGA’s commitment to help shape the future of the global aluminium sector which has seen challenging times in recent years.

The region’s premier aluminium industry gathering will be held at Madinat Jumeirah, from November 22 to 24 under the theme “Global Challenges – Seeking Solutions.” The Arabal conference will focus on a number of important topics including Gulf aluminium industry perspectives; sustainability; operations and technology; scrap and recycling; end-user perspectives; and China’s influence in the market. 

An exhibition, held alongside the conference, will showcase 65 of the biggest names in the global aluminium sector, featuring specialists across the spectrum – from upstream, through midstream, to downstream industry. 

Present at Arabal will be more than 2,000 local, regional and international delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors and visitors. Combining a strategic conference with an international exhibition, Arabal is the only event of its kind in the region to unite all the leading primary aluminium manufacturers in the GCC, enabling industry leaders to network, conduct business, discuss global challenges and identify suitable solutions, said a statement.

EGA, through its core operating assets Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal), has been involved with Arabal since its inauguration in 1983; and 2016 marks the sixth time that EGA will host the event. Dubal has hosted the event in Dubai on four occasions including Arabal’s 25th anniversary in 2008, while Emal hosted the event in Abu Dhabi in 2013. 

Abdulla Kalban, managing director and CEO, said: “EGA is always proud to host Arabal, which is widely recognised as one of the leading global gatherings for the aluminium industry. The Middle East region offers immense growth opportunities for the global aluminium industry, especially as the sector already holds the proud position as one of the region’s key non-oil industries. Arabal is the perfect platform to showcase the Middle East’s position as a regional industry powerhouse.”

EGA is the largest primary aluminium producer in the Gulf region and among the top five in the world.
With a hot metal production capacity of 2.4 million tonnes per year, EGA’s midstream assets accounted for approximately 4.3 per cent of global production capacity in 2015. EGA also has interests in the upstream bauxite mining and alumina refining sectors.