Alba launched a fresh initiative to boost its vital European sales and announced after a board meeting it was poised to report a healthy financial performance for first-half 2011, surpassing current growth targets.

The company was also in the news recently for scooping a Meed quality award for its rail replacement project at three of its production potlines. Alba also launched its own 'Code of Conduct' booklet.

The company has opened its new sales office in Zurich and appointed a senior official with an eye on bolstering business in Europe which accounts for 15 per cent of its output. Alba CEO Laurent Schmitt said, 'We are confident of further developing this market and profiting from the available opportunities.' He was speaking in Spain at the World Aluminium Conference organised by CRU, an independent business analysis and consultancy group focused on the mining, metals, power cables, fertiliser and chemical sectors.

In its latest move to penetrate the European market, which it describes as a growth area, Alba appointed Boris Santosi as the new sales manager for the continent.

Santosi, who will report directly from the Zurich office to chief marketing officer Jean Baptiste Lucas, has been mandated with overseeing growth and development, nurturing relations with present and potential customers and expanding the smelter’s footprint in Europe.

'The new sales office in Zurich will, no doubt, provide Alba with a regional presence required for supporting closer interaction with customers in Europe,' the company said. Santosi has nearly two decades of experience in the aluminium industry in diverse international markets and success in meeting key business objectives.

Alba produces more than 860,000 tonnes per year of aluminium which meet or exceed the industry standard for purity. The products include standard and T-ingots, extrusion billets, rolling slab, propertzi ingots and molten aluminium. It has also maintained a strong track record of operational safety and environmental compliance.

Positive outlook

Board chairman Mahmood Hashim Al Kooheji said the company was confident of maintaining a positive outlook for the rest of the year. The board praised Alba’s employees for successfully contributing towards increased profitability and in exceeding sales and production growth targets despite the recent difficulties faced by companies in Bahrain. 'The first half of 2011 presented many challenges to companies in Bahrain, and Alba was not an exception. However, Alba maintained normal operations and managed to achieve substantial growth in sales and production. This success was due to the focused leadership demonstrated by the management team as well as the commitment and loyalty shown by Alba employees,' said Al Kooheji

Alba is expected to surpass half-year targets and maintain a positive outlook for the remainder of the year

'I am confident that this fine example of remarkable teamwork will pave the way for greater accomplishments in the second half of 2011 and yield positive results for the company.'

The board reviewed the updates on the company’s growth strategy, the various studies related to Alba’s growth options and the progress achieved on the back of the improvement action plan. It was further updated on the Alba Vision and Alba Star Project.

Approval was given to the 2011 year-end financial forecasts presented by the management as well as to the investment project aimed at increasing the Casthouse’s production capacity.

Meed accolade

About the Meed award, Alba said it was an outcome of its commitment to ensuring long-term safety in production operations.

The rail replacement project at Reduction Potlines 1,2 and 3 involved an 18-month intensive operation without production interruption and without a single loss time injury during 90,000 work hours.

Schmitt congratulated the manager for expansion projects and engineering, Paul Otteson, and superintendent of engineering, Greg Simms, and the team on winning the award.

The project implementation required expert supervision, particularly safety systems and had to take into account potential hazards such as a high magnetic field and high DC current. The new rail system will ensure continuation of safe production operations with minimal maintenance requirements for the next 25 years.

'The implementation of the project clearly emphasises Alba’s determination to develop a safe working environment for everyone. We are proud of how the entire team worked together using the highest safety guidelines and achieved great success despite the presence of potential hazards,' commented Schmitt.

'An operation of this scale is crucial for smooth operations in the potlines since it is estimated that the new rail system will ensure minimal maintenance requirements for, at least, the next 25 years. This long-term solution assures not only continuity in production but also enables Alba to remain globally competitive and operationally efficient.'

Schmitt (right) with Otteson (left) and Simms after receiving the Meed Award

The judging for the Meed Quality Awards for Projects was focused on economic and social feasibility, design and architecture, innovative solutions in engineering, procurement and programme management, and sustainability. The awards were launched in 2010 to recognise the highest quality projects from across the GCC, and to search for innovations that are pushing the regional projects sector forward.

Conduct code-many facets

About the launch of the ‘Code of Conduct' booklet, Alba said it symbolised dedication to pursue and strengthen sound corporate governance, transparency and industry best practice.

The Code of Conduct outlines the ethical parameters that govern the organisation, sets rules in the way business is conducted, provides guidelines in interactions with customers, suppliers and other external bodies, enhances transparency, and ensures organisational behaviour remains in line with the values of the company.

Alba’s chief internal auditor and risk officer, Bryan Harris led the team responsible for drafting the code of conduct, which was developed with input from every Alba department, representing a diverse cross-section of nationalities, genders, religions, ages and organisational levels.

Chairman Al Kooheji said: 'This Code of Conduct is a message to ourselves and to the outside world about what we stand for. It is in line with the highest global benchmarks, and on a par with the best codes of conduct of leading international companies. Yet it was made 100 per cent in Alba – it brought in the best ingredients from around the world, refined them in the furnace of the smelter, and cast the product in the casthouse.

'Having the code is not enough. To build a reputation as a company of integrity, and as a leader in ethics and transparency, our words need to be backed up by a change in our own personal behavior, and in our culture as a company.'