Emal awards $700m expansion contracts

Emirates Aluminium (Emal) has awarded contracts worth more than $700 million as the work begins on making the expansion of the Al Taweelah smelter a reality. Phase Two will almost double production capacity to 1.3 million metric tonnes. It will involve building the world’s longest ever smelting line covering 1.7 kilometres and make Emal one of the world’s largest single-site aluminium producers. Saaed Fadhel Al Mazrooei, President and CEO of Emirates Aluminium, said: “The award of these contracts is an important step forward. The range of global suppliers applying to work with us shows that Emal is a major player in the industry. We have secured world-leading suppliers to ensure that EMAL moves forward in line with our ambitious business plan.” The most significant contract has been signed with SLII (SNC Lavalin) to carry out Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) at the plant which is essential if Emal is to meet its target of achieving First Hot Metal in the first quarter of 2014. The contract extends Emal’s relationship with SLII (SNC Lavalin), which provided the same support and services during Phase One of the smelter’s development.  The award of the contracts for long lead items packages is vital for Emal to meet the challenging timetable for Phase Two it recently announced. Al Mazrooei added: “Our target to achieve full production by 2014 depends on the successful execution of these contracts. We are confident that we have engaged the best partners with the best technology and will get the best outcome.” Emirates Aluminium has commenced initial work of Phase 2, with plans to reach full construction work by end of year, Yousuf Bastaki, Project Director at Emal, said earlier. Emal announced that its board had approved a $4.5 billion (Dh16.51 billion) investment that seeks to almost double the Al Taweelah-based facility’s production capacity to about 1.3 million metric tonnes a year by the end of 2014. “Emal is working closely with a group of lenders, including export credit agencies and commercial banks,” Bastaki said in reply to a question on how the expansion of Emal is being financed.“Finalisation of the overall terms and conditions for financing of Phase 2 is still being negotiated, and expected to be concluded soon,” he added. Emal, which is on track to produce 750,000 tonnes of aluminium this year, is a $5.7-billion joint venture between Dubai Aluminium and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company and was established in February 2007 to construct what will become the world’s largest single-site aluminium smelter complex.Emal’s Phase 1 commenced operations on Dec.2, 2009. The site includes a 2,000 megawatt power plant, carbon plant and casthouse. A purpose-built wharf at Khalifa Port shortens the supply chain of raw materials direct from sea to smelter. From / Gulf Today