Innovation and experience yield success on the world stage

Innovation, improvement and industry expertise were the watchwords as representatives from the UAE’s aluminium sector took centre stage at a major global technology forum. Six speakers from Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”) - the jointly-owned, UAE-based aluminium conglomerate being formed by Mubadala Development Corporation and Investment Corporation of Dubai – addressed business leaders, engineers and scientists from around the world at the TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition (“TMS 2014”) - one of the global industry’s premier events, which took place in the United States from 16 to 20 February.

With its focus on technological development, TMS 2014 provided an ideal forum for the EGA speakers to explain some of the recent innovations and advances that have helped build the UAE’s aluminium industry into a leading global player. From the Emirati-developed advanced reduction cell technology to the fastest ever smelter start-up, the UAE is at the cutting-edge of progress in a sector which is forecast to grow substantially over the next decade.

Abdulla Kalban (designate CEO & MD for EGA) said: “Between EGA’s operating subsidiaries DUBAL and EMAL, we have over 40 years’ combined experience of delivering high quality products to customers around the world. However, we never rest on our laurels, but instead continually look for ways to improve every aspect of what we do. Excellence through innovation is integral to our corporate culture. The combination of industry experience and ground-breaking advances places the UAE’s aluminium sector at the forefront of technological development and operational capability. We don’t just produce aluminium, we lead the way in developing how it is produced. And forums such as TMS are an ideal platform to showcase the UAE’s success.”

The UAE smelters’ advances in technology and processes, in particular, were demonstrated through the papers authored by employees at DUBAL’s Jebel Ali operations and presented at TMS 2014. The topics covered included “Cell electrical pre-heating practices”; “Cell voltage drop initiatives towards low energy high amperage cells”; “Optimising anode performance in DUBAL reduction cells” and “Concept and design of DUBAL pot start-up fuses”. The fifth DUBAL-authored submission – entitled “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions during aluminium smelting through development and implementation of improved control strategies and operational practices”, by Dr Ali Al Zarouni, Abdalla Al Zarouni and Sergey Akhmetov – was awarded the Vittoria de Nora Prize for Environmental Improvements in Metallurgical Industries. Abdalla Al Zarouni received the award on DUBAL’s behalf. The expertise within EMAL’s Al Taweelah operations, in turn, was highlighted in a presentation entitled “Successful start-up of the world’s largest greenfield smelter”, which outlined the operational plan that enabled the company to achieve the fastest, safest and uninterrupted start-up in the world.