EMIRATES ALUMINIUM INSTALLS FIRST STEEL BEAM

Abu Dhabi, October 27, 2008 – Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) has installed the first structural steel for the potrooms of the world’s largest, single-site aluminium smelter complex currently under construction in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi.

When complete, the EMAL potrooms will comprise 32,000 tonnes of steel, supplied by Saudi Arabian company, HIDADA and installed by their UAE subcontractor AMANA, both of whom attended the installation of the first structural steel at EMAL. 

The EMAL smelter is being built in two phases and when complete, will produce 1.4 million tonnes of aluminium annually.

EMAL is a joint venture (JV) between Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL) and Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) and was established in February 2007 to construct what will become the world’s largest single site aluminium smelter complex.  The project will be built in two phases and utilise Emirati-developed technology. At the end of phase one in 2010, EMAL will produce 700,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum and 1.4 million tonnes annually at the end of phase two.  The aluminium complex, a 6sq km site in the Khalifa Port Industrial Zone in Taweelah, half way between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, will produce primary aluminium with a product mix of sow, standard ingot, billet and sheet ingot.

Being the largest industrial project in the UAE outside the oil and gas industry, the project will encourage economic diversification, creating downstream opportunities.  This development will benefit the UAE economy, employing more than 14,000 local and international contractors/staff during construction and 1,800 people direct employment during operations.

EMAL adheres to strict environmental standards set by the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency, with state-of the-art emission control equipment including sulphur-dioxide scrubbers, the latest potroom gas treatment technology, the best-available gas turbine systems, and cooling towers to eliminate thermal stress on local marine life.

For further Information, please contact:

• Rosine Feghali, Emirates Aluminium

Tel: 02 509 2290

• Antony Newton/Joanna Steele, Impact Porter Novelli-Dubai

Tel: 04 330 4030

Email: a.newton@ipn.ae / j.steele@ipn.ae