July/August 2014 Volume 26 No 4
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CONTENTS 1
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LEADER & NEWS UPDATES
Volume 26 No. 4 – July/August 2014 Editorial Editor: Nadine Firth Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855115 nadinefirth@quartzltd.com Consulting Editor: Tim Smith PhD, CEng, MIM
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North America - Closed loop recycling
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Brazil - The changing Brazilian industry
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Russia - Challenging times
COVER July/August 2014 Volume 26 No 4
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25 years
Promoting the aluminium industry for
THE JOURNAL OF ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING
Production Editor: Annie Baker
TODAY
Sales International Sales Manager: Paul Rossage paulrossage@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855116
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Aluminium scrap recovery: A proven approach
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Melting aluminium scrap
EGA supplement
Area Sales Manager: Anne Considine anneconsidine@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855139
A new global player rises in the Gulf
Sales Director: Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855117
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Advertisement Production Production Executive: Martin Lawrence
Circulation/subscriptions Elizabeth Barford Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Annual subscription: UK £211, all other countries £230. For two year subscription: UK £380, all other countries £414. Airmail prices on request. Single copies £39
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Sapa continues modernisation at Cressona plant
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A closer look at extrusion with the AEC
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Pushing the limits of hot and cold rolling mills
Cover picture courtesy of Presezzi Extrusion Group
AEROSPACE
Supporters of Aluminium International Today
for aerospace products 36 A return to metal: Aluminium in aerospace
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MIDDLE EAST FOCUS ALUMINIUM INTERNATIONAL TODAY is published six times a year by Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email: aluminium@quartzltd.com Aluminium International Today (USO No; 022-344) is published bi-monthly by Quartz Business Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Aluminium International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Printed in the UK by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent, NP12 2YA, UK © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2014
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Questions for Qatalum
39
Balexco: Company update
41
Interview with Said Al Masoudi CEO, Sohar Aluminium
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ELECTRODES REVIEW 42
42
Industry gathers in Iceland
ALUMINIUM 2014
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43 10th World Trade Fair and Conference
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Jim Grayson, Sales Manager, Pyrotek July/August 2014
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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Alcoa acquires Firth Rixson
Nadine Firth Editor On the move I’ll admit it was more by luck than judgement that with the news of Alcoa acquiring Firth Rixson and numerous investments by companies such as Constellium, that this issue of Aluminium International Today includes a dedicated feature on ‘Aerospace’. Along with a look at pushing the limits for hot and cold rolling mills on page 32, we also explore the reasons why aluminium is quickly being recognised by aerospace players as financially and environmentally beneficial (page 36). Investments also continue to be made across the industry to support this growing aerospace and automotive demand. One area that has recently seen such investment is aluminium extrusion and in an article on page 23, Sapa Extrusions North America highlights the latest phase of improvements that it has concluded at its historic Cressona, Pennsylvania, plant. Still on the subject of extrusion, Aluminium International Today spoke exclusively with the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) to discuss the challenges in the US extrusion market at present and what the future holds. See page 27 for the full interview. All of this, alongside a focus on the Middle East and a feature looking at scrap metal recovery, makes for a packed issue. Enjoy! nadinefirth@quartzltd.com July/August 2014
Alcoa has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Firth Rixson, a global leader in aerospace jet engine components, from Oak Hill Capital Partners, for $2.85 billion in cash and stock. Under the terms of the deal, Alcoa will purchase Firth Rixson for $2.35 billion in cash, plus $500 million of company stock and an additional $150 million
potential earn-out. The acquisition is strategically aligned with the company’s objective to continue to build its value-add businesses. “The acquisition of Firth Rixson is a major milestone in Alcoa’s transformation,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa chairman and chief executive officer. “This transaction will bring together
some of the greatest innovators in jet engine component technology; it will significantly expand our market leadership and growth potential. Firth Rixson increases the earnings power and broadens the market reach of our highvalue aerospace portfolio and will deliver compelling and sustainable value for customers and shareholders.”
Constellium investment Constellium has finalised a €15 million investment in its site located in Decin, Czech Republic, to further its strategy of boosting production capacity of high-volume specialty alloy products to supply primarily the European automotive market. The investment includes a new casthouse and extrusion line that will increase production of hard alloys extrusions by almost 10,000 tons per year. “Constellium’s investment in the
plant in Decin is a critical part of our strategy to fully capitalise on the growing demand for aluminium automotive structures and components that is mainly driven by light-weighting,” said Paul Warton, President of Constellium’s Automotive Structures and Industry business unit. “This investment also paves the way for a new recycling facility at the Decin site, which will enable
Constellium to deploy its innovative recycling technology. The facility will process and recycle aluminium scrap from Constellium’s key automotive customers in Europe. A key advantage of aluminium is that it is infinitely recyclable and retains all of its original properties throughout the recycling process. These properties make aluminium an environmentally responsible and economical choice,” added Paul Warton.
Trimet purchases Voerde Germany’s Trimet Aluminium has purchased insolvent German aluminium producer Voerde Aluminium. Trimet said it would continue production at Voerde and retain the plant’s 280 personnel. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Voerde, which produces 115,000
tonnes of aluminium annually, went insolvent in 2012, blaming high German electricity prices. The German government's recent decision to continue to give financial relief for high energy prices to power-intensive industries had been a key enabling the takeover, said Trimet owner and supervisory board chairman Heinz-Peter Schlueter.
Trimet expected continued strong aluminium demand in Europe, Schlueter added. “With the Voerde location we will be able to serve the rising demand,” he said. Voerde creditors had voted to continue production at the plant until the end of 2014 while a search for a buyer continued.
Bauxite project in Guinea The decision to start the project comes amid continuing talks between Rusal, whose net debt stood at $10.3 billion at the end of March, and its creditors over debt restructuring. Dian-Dian is the world's largest bauxite deposit with reserves of 564 million tonnes, the company said. The first stage of the Dian-Dian project involves the construction
and putting into operation by 2016 of a bauxite mine with an annual capacity of three million tonnes with the potential for a further increase of up to six million tonnes, Rusal said. The total investment for the first stage of the project will be more than $220 million, with a significant part of this budget reserved for infrastructure development in Guinea,
specifically railway and port development. To transport bauxite from the mine, a new 25km road will be built, Rusal said. With the capital spending of $73 million per year over three years, Rusal will be able to finance it internally and will be able to increase its bauxite selfsufficiency to 93% from 74% in 2013, Morgan Stanley said.
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Sapa to double capacity Sapa is doubling production capacity at its joint venture in Vietnam to support the growing local demand of high-value extruded products and solutions. The investment by Sapa Ben Thanh Aluminum Profiles Co., Ltd. (Sapa BTG) in Ho Chi Minh City covers a second extrusion press, including installation, building and construction, and auxiliary equipment. The new press will be larger than the current press in operation at the plant, thereby broadening the range of products that the company can deliver. The joint venture expects to begin work on the expansion in mid-2015, with press operations scheduled to start one year later. The new facility will be built adjacent to the current plant.
The new capacity will be directed toward customers who require added- value services – the higherend industrial segment is an example. “More businesses in Vietnam are asking for better quality solutions from the local market. We want to keep our position as the preferred aluminium solutions supplier,” says Keith Jones, executive vice president responsible for Sapa’s extrusion operations in Asia. Sapa owns 65% of Sapa BTG, with Benthanh Group owning the
remaining 35%. Sapa entered the joint venture in December 2010. Since then, the partners have enjoyed good cooperation and successful operation with business growth and profitability. Benthanh Group is a state-owned company managing interests in commerce, real estate, tourism and industrial production. “We anticipated future expansion at the outset of our partnership. Now we are realising that step,” says Sapa’s President & CEO Svein Tore Holsether.
set up a manufacturing plant with an investment of Dh220 million for buildings, machinery and infrastructure. The plant will be Ducab’s sixth in the UAE, alongside its three facilities in Musaffah and two in Dubai. Ducab also owns AEI Cables in the UK, which was
purchased earlier this year. Ducab’s facility in Kizad is expected to be operational by 2015. This was announced at the signing ceremony attended by Khaled Salmeen, CEO of Kizad, and Jamal Salem Al Daheri, Ducab’s Chairman.
Ma’aden-Alcoa: First production-grade coil The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) and Alcoa recently announced at a customer event that the rolling mill at their joint venture aluminum complex in Saudi Arabia has successfully produced its first production-grade coil.
Rio Tinto appoints new chief executive of Aluminium Rio Tinto has appointed Alfredo Barrios as chief executive of its Aluminium business.
Ducab plans facility in Kizad Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi, Kizad, and Ducab Aluminium, provider of cable and wire solutions, recently signed a Musataha agreement which secured Ducab Aluminium a 546,070 square foot plot of land in Kizad’s aluminium cluster. The plot of land will be used to
IN BRIEF
The milestone marks the first production-grade packaging coil that will be shipped to customers for qualification. The mill is equipped with the latest in rolling mill technology, including fully automated coil and scrap transport and storage
facilities, which feature driverless guided vehicles and cranes to optimise efficiency. “Our mission is to build a minerals and metals industry in Saudi Arabia that contributes to sustainable economic diversification and shareholder value, while providing high value job opportunities for Saudis and a reliable supply of quality products to our global customers. “We took a big step forward today,” said Khalid Mudaifer, President and CEO of Ma’aden. The first production-grade coil marks another important step in bringing the fully integrated industrial complex to completion.
He will succeed Jacynthe Cote who will leave the business for personal reasons to pursue other interests.
Alfredo will assume the role on 1 June 2014 and join the Executive Committee on this date. He will be based in Montreal, subject to obtaining all necessary immigration approvals from the Canadian authorities. Jacynthe will continue in an advisory role until 1 September 2014 in order to ensure a smooth transition.
VHE Bath Crusher shipped to ALBA VHE has shipped a rotary bath crusher to Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA) for installation in ALBA‘s Rodding Plant no. 2.
VHE's rotary bath crusher is a proven technology already operating at two smelters in Iceland. Designed as a primary crusher, the hydraulically driven oscillating action provides an extremely durable and very low maintenance performance.
The crusher installed at Rio Tinto Alcan Iceland has been in continuous operation for ten years. It processes large pieces of bath emptied from spent anode butt transport trays. The discharge of <200mm is delivered to the bath cleaning machine conveyor. At Nordural in Iceland a larger version has operated since 2007 as the primary crusher below the bath cleaning machines, also discharging <200mm.
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July/August 2014
4 INDUSTRY NEWS
IN BRIEF AMG to curtail global aluminium alloys capacity Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (AMG) has announced that it is curtailing its aluminium alloys capacity by 5,000 metric tons, or approximately 10% of global demand, to address current market conditions. As a global supplier of aluminium master alloys and grain refiners, AMG's decision to reduce output was driven by systemic overcapacity and low market prices. This is part of AMG Aluminium's continuing efforts to lower its cost structure, improve operations, increase return on capital employed (ROCE) and create long-term shareholder value. The restructuring charges associated with this capacity reduction are not expected to be material. EGA MD & CEO appointed Chairman of IAI
In a move that clearly acknowledges both the growing importance of the Middle East as an aluminium industry hub and the wealth of industry expertise in the region, Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC (EGA) has been elected as Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) for the next two years. A UAE National, Kalban is the first Arab to hold this prestigious portfolio. Having joined the aluminium industry in 1985, Kalban has 29 years' experience in the sector and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role.
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July/August 2014
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UC Rusal to invest $45m UC Rusal has announced that it has begun initial design work on a project to build a new casting line at the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter (KrAZ). The project is part of the company’s strategy to increase the share of alloys in total aluminium output. Completion is expected in 2016. Total investment in the project is estimated at $45 million. The new casting line will produce a new size range of billets, including up to large diameter billets of 460mm. Currently, Rusal produces billets with a diameter of up to 200
mm, therefore greatly increasing our billet production abilities. The capacity of the line will be 120,000 tonnes per year. Evgeny Nikitin, Director of Rusal’s Aluminium Division, commented: “Our consumers in construction, packaging and automotive industries will all benefit from the new alloys produced at KrAZ. Large diameter billets are in particular demand in the automotive industry, which are used to produce wheels for pickups and small trucks.” The new project is part of the
company’s strategy to increase the share of value added products in total output. By the end of 2014, the share of VAP is expected to increase to 45% thanks to the modernisation of casthouses at the Sayanogorsk (“SAZ”) and Khakass (“KhAZ”) aluminium smelters. Modernisation works at the second casthouse at SAZ will be completed in November 2014 and total investment is expected to reach $22.8 million. A further $4.6 million will be invested in the modernisation of the casthouse at KhAZ.
Novelis casts first ingot Novelis has successfully cast the first production-sized ingot – almost 10 metres long – at its €200 million aluminium recycling and casting centre in Nachterstedt, Germany. Located adjacent to the company’s existing aluminium rolling mill, the new plant will produce up to 400,000 metric tons of aluminium sheet ingot from recycled material annually, and is projected to be the world’s largest aluminium recycling centre. The company is still in the process of actively recruiting qualified candidates to fill the centre’s 200 new jobs. “We are very pleased with the steady progress on the construction and ramp-up of our recycling centre in Nachterstedt,” said Erwin
Mayr, senior vice president of Novelis and president, Novelis Europe. “This major investment further highlights our long-term sustainability commitment to dramatically increase the recycled content of our products across all market segments and save valuable natural resources, while enabling our customers to create products with a smaller environmental footprint.” The new recycling centre will support the company’s drive to significantly expand its recycling activity in Europe, a region in which Novelis is already the leading recycler of used beverage cans. The centre will process cans as well as numerous other forms of aluminium scrap from across continental Europe.
7/10 trucks will be aluminium By 2025, more than 75% of all new pickup trucks produced in North America will be aluminiumbodied, according to a survey of automakers conducted by Ducker Worldwide. The study, which confirms a major breakthrough for automotive aluminium into highvolume vehicles, surveyed all major automakers and reports Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler will become the biggest users of aluminium sheet in the next decade. It also forecasts that the number of vehicles with complete aluminium body structures will
reach 18% of North American production, from less than one percent today. Vehicle segments revealed as emerging aluminium content leaders are pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and both mid-sized and full-size sedans. The study finds that every leading automaker will have numerous aluminium body and closure programs by 2025. As the material mix for body and closure parts continues to change dramatically in the years to come, use of aluminium sheet for vehicle bodies will increase to 4 billion
pounds by 2025, from 200 million pounds in 2012. “The numbers tell a powerful story of aluminium’s explosive growth across the automotive sector,” said Tom Boney, chairman of the Aluminium Association’s Aluminium Transportation Group and vice president and general manager of automotive for Novelis in North America. “Within the next ten years, seven out of 10 new pickups produced in North America will be aluminium-bodied, and so too will be more than 20 percent of SUVs and full–sized sedans.” Aluminium International Today
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6 INDUSTRY NEWS
IN BRIEF NDC Technologies relocating Belgium Metals Centre of Excellence NDC acquired IRM Group SA in August, 2011, and at that time, the original IRM team in Alleur Belgium became the worldwide Centre of Excellence for metals product development and European center of customer service and sales. To better facilitate this role, the Belgium team will relocate in October to a new facility in Loncin Belgium, a few minutes from Alleur. Drew Cheshire, NDC President stated, “This new Loncin facility reinforces our commitment to our Metals gauging customers as well as our dedicated Belgium-based R&D and Customer support teams. This new facility will enhance both our new product development and our customer support efforts.” The Loncin Centre of Excellence will also serve as the European demonstration facility for all NDC products including IR sensors, Web Systems and BLM laser speed and ultrasonic systems. Alcoa announces appointments Alcoa has announced new appointments in its Global Primary Products (GPP) segment and for its European region. Tómas Már Sigurdsson has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer for GPP. He will focus on the operations of Alcoa’s aluminium smelters, alumina refineries and bauxite assets, globally. Martin Brière, currently GPP President for Alcoa Canada and Africa, will assume additional responsibilities for GPP Europe, and is appointed GPP President Alcoa Canada, Africa and Europe. Simon Baker, Energy Director, Europe is promoted to President, Europe Region.
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Hydro takes control of Søral Aluminium company Hydro and Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA) has signed an agreement for Hydro to take over RTA’s share of the aluminium smelter Sør-Norge Aluminium AS (Søral) in Norway. Following the closing of the agreement, the plant will become Hydro’s fifth fully owned aluminium smelter in Norway. Søral is a primary aluminium plant situated in Husnes on the Norwegian west coast, with an annual production capacity of about 180,000 tonnes of primary aluminium. The plant, which has been operated as a stand-alone unit, idled one of its two production lines in 2009, and is currently producing
around 90,000 tonnes annually. Søral has 230 employees, and prior to the agreement has been owned by Rio Tinto Alcan (50%) and Hydro (49.9%). “We believe in the Norwegian aluminium industry. Søral is a wellinvested plant, which on a comparable basis has a cost position in line with the rest of our Norwegian smelters. A change in ownership makes it possible to contribute even stronger in strengthening operations,” says Hilde Merete Aasheim, executive vice president and head of Primary Metal. Søral’s financial situation will be improved through short-term relief in costs. With these, and certain
system effects of the Hydro ownership, the company sees a more robust financial situation for the plant going forward. “Hydro already has a strong primary aluminium production base in Norway and we believe Søral will be a valuable contribution to our portfolio. The plant fits well into Hydro’s high premium casthouse product strategy,” says Aasheim. Closing of the transaction is pending, including approval from relevant competition authorities in Norway and France, and is expected in second half of 2014. Until closing of the agreement, Søral will still be governed by the current board of directors. The terms of the agreement are confidential.
EGA to serve European demand The UAE’s reputation as an emerging giant in the global aluminium industry, and a key supplier to European markets, has been enhanced by the attendance of Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC (EGA) at the 10th Metef International Aluminium Exhibition (Metef 2014), which was held in Verona, Italy from 11 to 13 June. According to Walid Al Attar (Chief Marketing Officer at EGA)
building brand awareness in the European market is a vital part of EGA’s growth strategy, as the European Union needs to import approximately 60% of its primary aluminium requirements. In 2013, EGA shipped nearly a quarter of its production to the region, and this is set to grow in the coming years. “Our products are used extensively by the EU’s automotive
and aerospace industries, and demand is on the rise. With EMAL Phase II having been fully commissioned since mid-June this year, our total production capacity has increased to 2.4 million tonnes per year, which not only puts us among the top five aluminium producers in the world outside China, but gives us the ability to service this growing market,” said Al Attar.
AAC and GAC co-operation The Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC) and the Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC) signed an agreement that seeks to deepen the co-operation and exchanges between the two major aluminium producing regions. This agreement is part of the business relationship developed by Quebec and the Middle East in the aluminium industry for more than a decade and could contribute to promoting Quebec expertise, notably in research and industrial maintenance services. “Over the past 10 years, Quebec has developed some very important connections with the industry in the Gulf, notably through the expertise of Quebec
engineering consulting firms, as well as manufacturers of machinery and products created here,” said Jean Simard, president of the AAC. The Secretary-General of the GAC, Mahmood Daylami, underlined that this agreement marks a new stage in the fruitful relationship between the Quebec industry and that of the Persian Gulf, on of the most important of its kind. “The expertise and knowhow of Quebec in this area is renowned around the world. This will help to further develop our industry in full growth mode and particularly expand the abilities of researchers, including at the postdoctoral level,” he said. Aluminium International Today
The agreement was signed (see photo below) within the framework of the Canadian International Aluminium Conference (CIAC), which was held in Montreal in June.
8 INDUSTRY NEWS
2014 DIARY October 7-9 Aluminium 2014 Exhibition and conference covering all aspects of the global industry. www.aluminium-messe.com 12 - 16 ICSOBA
New challenges of Bauxite, Alumina the Aluminium industry and a focus on China. Conference and exhibition. www.icsoba.info/icsoba-2014 November 11-13 Aluminium in Road Transport Conference Organised by the Aluminium Federation (ALFED) UK, this event follows the success of the 2013 conference, building on the key themes and featuring the latest thinking and innovations. www.alfed.org.uk 11-14 Metal Expo 2014 Exhibition showcasing whole range of ferrous and nonferrous products www.metal-expo.ru/en/ 17-21 Aluminium Rolling Technology Course From Innoval Technology, the course covers all the key aspects of hot and cold rolling of aluminium flat products, and is aimed at engineers and managers in the aluminium production and processing industry. www.innovaltec.com/rolling_ tech.htm December 6-11 11th Australasian Aluminium Smelting Technology Conference A week filled with up-to-date technical information, research findings and panel discussions on technical issues of concern to the industry. www.11aastc.com For a full listing visit www.aluminiumtoday.com and click on Events Diary
July/August 2014
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Granco Clark supplies Indalum Mexico Granco Clark has built and supplied Log Processing and Automated Extrusion Handling Systems to Indalum Mexico for their Danieli 3800T Extrusion Press. The system will be handling extrusions that are 25kg/m in weight and will have a maximum length of 50m. The Log Heating System consists of a Granco Clark High Efficient, Hot Jet Log Heating Furnace and a new Granco Clark Hot Billet Cutting Saw (HBCS). Upon the hot extrusion exiting the press, a Granco Clark “Flying Cut” Double Puller System will lead
the extrusion through the 20m Lead-out conveyor towards the 50m Run Out Table. The “Flying Cut” System will allow Indalum to cut the extrusion without interupting the extrusion cycle. While the Puller System is performing its duty, it’s also pulling the hot extrusion through the Granco Clark Model 28, Progressive High Pressure Quench System that is capable of high pressure water spray, high velocity air and mist. The extrusions are then handed off from the puller system to the
belt cooling table where they are handled with care and delivered directly to the jaws of the new Granco Clark 150 T Segmented Cam Jaw Stretcher to be straightened through the stretching process. The straight extrusions are then again laterally conveyed onto the saw in-feed conveyor where the extrusions will be fed to the Granco Clark Extrusion Cutting System (ECS-4010). The extrusions are cut and conveyed to the discharge belts where they are packed and sent to Indalum’s Aging Process.
Managing director Simon MacVicker said: “Our business has grown considerably in recent years and we needed to expand our existing manufacturing operations in Shropshire. “This investment in manufacturing plant meets our current needs and provides us with plenty of capacity to grow our operations in the future, particularly in export markets in North America.” Murray Stewart, relationship
director at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking in Birmingham, added: “The investment in Bridgnorth Aluminium’s existing manufacturing capabilities will have a hugely positive effect on the business and its future ambitions. “It is a typical example of a UK mid-market business that has evolved over time and generated steady growth in a niche market sector. Businesses such as this are fundamental contributors in driving the UK’s economy."
Bridgnorth expansion Bridgnorth Aluminium, a manufacturer of aluminium coils for the food, pharmaceutical and printing industries has secured a £62 million finance package to increase the capacity of its south Shropshire plant to circa 150,000 tonnes per year. It will also make a significant contribution in helping to drive the company's future growth ambitions with new machinery set to be operational by the end of 2015 at its 60-acre site. The finance package comprises a £45million asset-based lending facility from Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance and £17million worth of term funding from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.
Doubling bauxite export duty The doubling of export duty on bauxite to 20% will help improve availability of the raw material to the domestic producers, according to Nalco. "Export of any raw material from the country should be discouraged and thus, the doubling of export duty on bauxite is a welcome change," Ansuman Das, chairman
and managing director of staterun aluminium maker Nalco said. The move is likely to help major aluminium producers such as Nalco, Hindalco and Vedanta by improving the availability of the raw material and discouraging exports. Presenting his maiden Budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley said,
"Considering the need to conserve our natural resources, I propose to increase the export duty on bauxite from 10% to 20%." Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), however, said that the move was unwarranted as India exports a meagre 2-3 lakh tonnes of bauxite a year mainly from its west coast. Aluminium International Today
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10 NORTH AMERICA UPDATE
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Closed loop recycling Aluminium sustainability, including heightened efforts to promote closed loop production of the metal, is becoming an increased focus for several major US based aluminium producers and could become even more so in the coming years. Myra Pinkham* explains. A recent study by Ducker Worldwide LLC indicates that aluminium sheet usage of light vehicle body closure parts will jump to 4 billion pounds by 2025 from less than 200 million pounds in 2012. While several major aluminium producers have already made moves to increase their primary production capacity – and are expected to announce further capacity additions – to meet increased demand not only from the automotive sector, but also other aluminium consuming industries, they are also looking at ways to supplement this with increased use of secondary material. “There is never enough aluminium scrap. It is a highly sought after item as it is the source material of all of the secondaries,” Garney B. Scott, president of Scepter Inc., Waverly, Tenn., states. At the same time, according to Matt Meenan, a spokesman for the Arlington, Va.,-based Aluminum Association, secondary product has become a larger percent of US aluminium supply, accounting to about 40% of all domestic supply currently compared with about 25% in 1980. Meanwhile Scott says there is roughly the same amount of aluminium scrap today in North America as there was last year and the year before. This, according to Kevin McKnight, chief sustainability officer at Alcoa Inc., Pittsburgh, is one of the reasons that the idea of closed loop manufacturing is very popular right now. “It is enormously valuable to be able to take aluminium products that we put into the marketplace and bring them back in the form and at the value levels that they now exist at.
This isn’t just important for the profitability of aluminium producers, but also for the preservation of natural resources for future generations, says Marco Palmieri, senior vice president of Novelis Inc., Atlanta, and president of Novelis’ North American operations. Novelis announced several years ago that it would increase the recycled content of its products to 80% by 2020. As of the end of its 2014 fiscal year (which ended March 31) it had increased its recycled content to 46% from 33% in fiscal 2011 and expects to have no problem meeting its intermediate goal of increasing its recycled content to at least 50% by the end of its 2015 fiscal year and is working on plans to enable it to meet the 2020 goal as well, Palmieri says. While it is also committed to increasing the recycled content of its products, McKnight says that Alcoa does not have a
Crucible delivering molten metal to a customer. Image by Aleris
published external goal for doing so, stating that it is harder for them to do that given the variety of different types of aluminium products they make. “With some of the very sophisticated, high end aluminium titanium alloys that we provide to the aerospace industry, the specifications are so specific that it is very difficult to put too much scrap materials into those types of applications,” he explains, noting that at the same time some of its can sheet already has greater than 80% recycled content, and, in some cases more than 90%, especially for can body stock. “What we are doing is looking to maximise the value by trying to use as much scrap as we possibly can in the products that we are making. But because of the difference between aerospace applications and can sheet applications, it is really difficult for us to come up with a goal that we could put out in the marketplace. It would have to be so different for different end markets.” One thing that Alcoa, as well as some other aluminium producers, is currently doing is developing scrap friendly alloys that give their customers the properties they are looking for with higher percentages of scrap metal, therefore maximising the value of the closed loop. Despite the fact that Aleris is evaluating the potential sale of its recycling and specification alloys businesses, sustainability is and will continue to be a priority for the company going forward, Christian Ammermann, vice president of global sustainability at Aleris International
*North American correspondent July/August 2014
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12 NORTH AMERICA UPDATE
Inc., Beechwood, Ohio, says. “We are committed to managing our resources and operations in a responsible manner while supplying our customers with high quality, sustainable and innovative products.” He added that Aleris constantly reviews its operations to ensure they are fully optimising the value of the company’s portfolio. “After the review we might choose to retain the businesses.” “We have been seeing an evolution in this strategy,” Sil Colalancia, Novelis’ director of North American recycling, explains. “Our core competencies have always included sustainable efforts around environmental health and safety, but it has been expanding beyond that. We know that this is a carbon and resource constrained world that we live in and that for all businesses to be successful they have to continue to find efficiencies.” He says that as closed loop manufacturing involves the simplification of the supply chain with the product stream going from the producer’s plant to the customers manufacturing plant right back to the producing facility, this is one way to achieve these efficiencies. “It brings recycled material back to us in a minimal amount of steps which is the best thing for the whole supply chain. It is not only beneficial to our cost position, but is the best solution ultimately for society as a whole.” Ammermann says that closed loop manufacturing is especially a plus for aluminium consumers, observing: “They get a stable outlet for their aluminium scrap, reduce the environmental footprint of their product through the increased recycled aluminium content in their products and, perhaps most importantly, get protection from aluminium,” he says, maintaining that in particular the automotive industry is increasingly interested in understanding the environmental footprint of the materials it uses. While it has expanded “in a big way” recently, Palmieri notes that closed loop manufacturing isn’t anything new. McKnight agrees, noting that when the aluminium can was first invented in the late 1960s or early 1970s it was as a closed loop package. He added that the recycling of aluminium cans is a fairly rapid process. Within 60 days a can gets used, is recycled and is put back on the shelf as a new can, which, he says, makes it one of the best examples of a closed loop system. McKnight says the aluminium industry is now closing the loop with the manufacturing of a lot of other end-use markets other than just the can, including the automotive, aerospace and other transportation sectors, in order to enhance July/August 2014
Closed loop illustration by Alcoa: First, aluminum sheet or plate is produced at the rolling mill. Second, material is consumed/processes by the customer. Third, processing scrap ships from the customer location. Fourth, it goes to the scrap staging area for shipment back to Alcoa. Fifth, the scrap is recycled and cast into new ingot. Finally, the ingot moves to the rolling mill to begin the process again
its ability to get certain sophisticated, unique aluminium alloys, such as those used in aerospace and automotive applications, back, or at least to get aluminium back that is as close as possible to those specific alloys. “That gives us the ability to put it back into the melt and remake those same alloys again.” To meet this goal, aluminium producers have been working with OEMs to ensure that they segregate the alloys that the producers send them, McKnight says. “That way we can put that segregated scrap back into their melt to remake the same product,” therefore maximising the value of the metal that they sell. But accomplishing this involves good segregation at the OEMs, who use thousands of different materials to produce their products. “We’ve been able to help our customers understand the tremendous value associated with the segregation and return of alloys in a fashion that allows us to use them at the highest value,” McKnight says, noting that such understanding is necessary for the OEM to agree to spend the extra money to put in separation equipment when alloy segregation isn’t their core mission, which is to make a car, an airplane or another product. “In some cases we are able to bring new material on a truck and then use that same truck to collect scrap material to bring back to our plant to melt,” he says. “It is a really efficient process that drives cost savings, environmental benefits, value and an enhanced commercial relationship.” “What we are seeing now is that as we refine alloys for sectors other than just the can, more customers are asking us how they could make this process more efficient and more sustainable,” Colalancia notes, saying that this is one of the things that is driving the evolution toward more closed loop manufacturing, whether it is
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for container foil, speciality plate applications or transportation. This, he says, has resulted in product stream – including some that virtually didn’t exist one or two years ago – to now be formed or grown at a very rapid pace. This is also being reinforced by the producers. Palmieri observes that when Novelis negotiates new contracts with their customers the company tries to include closed loop recycling clauses in these contracts to prop up the amount of business it does on a closed loop basis. “If you start from day one with that business model, it is much simpler,” he explains. “I think the value proposition is so significant that it is difficult for our customers to ignore it,” McKnight says. “It’s a win-win-win because in addition to the cost saving from maximising the value it also provides many other benefits, including such environmental benefits as reducing the nation’s carbon footprint. But while closed loop recycling will help increase the amount of prompt scrap looping between aluminium producers and OEMs, it doesn’t impact the return of the obsolete, or end of product life, scrap coming back to the producers. However, Colalancia says that because of the value of the material, a great amount of post-production scrap is already recycled through the wellestablished “peddler market” that includes hundreds of companies that receive scrap, run it through the recycling stream and ultimately sells it back to companies that use that scrap to make their products. But for that scrap to be used for such high end products there needs to be adequate segregation throughout the waste stream. Colalancia says that he believes that as demand for these higher end alloys increases, it will push greater segregation of scrap with the processors seeing more value from using such, many times expensive, separation technologies to ensure that they feedback scrap metal to more unique alloy streams. Especially for closed loop recycling the future is very bright, producers say. “Today I don’t think we are doing nearly enough to close the loop, but we are working hard to help our customers understand how important it could be not just for their company, but for the world,” McKnight says. “We all know that the population of the world is growing and that we are going to have to manage our resources differently in the future.” But the only way to make more progress to close the recycling loop is for there to be better collaboration between customers and suppliers and everyone else in value chain, he maintains. “Aluminium producers can’t close the loop on our own.” Aluminium International Today
14 BRAZIL UPDATE
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The changing Brazilian industry Germano Mendes de Paula* looks at the recent smelting curtailments in the region and how the other areas of the aluminium industry are coping.
On 28th March 2014 Alcoa announced a temporary cut of aluminium smelting capacity in Brazil. Four days later, it unveiled an investment to expand an existing rolling mill in the country. This apparent contradiction can be explained by the different perspectives from each production stage, as the bauxite, alumina and transformed aluminium products are experiencing good performance, while the smelter is in the opposite situation. This has been a crucial characteristic of the Brazilian aluminium industry and the recent move made by Alcoa just ratifies it. Bearing this issue in mind, this article pays attention to the disparities among phases observed in Alcoa’s experience in the nation. Regarding bauxite production, Alcoa has two whole-owned mines (Poços de Caldas and Juruti) and an 18.2% stake in
Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN), which explores the Trombetas mine. Poços de Caldas mine, located in the State of Minas Gerais, started its operation in 1965 and was the company’s first business in the country. As it can be observed in Fig 1, during the period 2005 - 2013, its production varied around 950kt plateau. It produced 800kt in 2013, which was a 20% drop compared to the previous year. The Juruti project, inaugurated in September 2009 in the State of Pará, consists of a bauxite mine, a port along the Amazon River, and a 55-kilometre railway that transports bauxite from the mine to the port. Its original nominal capacity was 2.6Mtpy, but its output achieved 4.3Mt in 2012 and 3.9Mt in 2013. Trombetas mine, also located in the State of Pará, started-up in 1979 and had a major expansion in 2003. With an
4.5
18Mtpy capacity, it has been operating with only 5% idle capacity since 2005. The production attributable to Alcoa, shown also in Fig 1, has maintained nearby 3Mt. Concerning alumina production, Alcoa has 100% of Poços de Caldas and 54% of Alumar. The first, which has a 390ktpy capacity, has shown a slight reduction of its output, diminishing from 364kt in 2005 to 305kt in 2012 (Fig 2). Alumar was brought on stream in 1984. In September 2009, simultaneously to Juruti’s commencement, its refinery was enlarged from 1.4Mtpy to 3.5Mtpy. In 2012, it produced roughly 4.0Mt of alumina and, consequently, Alcoa’s take achieved 1.8Mt. Despite the 18% retraction of bauxite production that occurred in 2013, it is important to highlight that the production level was 81% higher last year in comparison with 2005. The alumina production in 2012
2.0 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0
4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 2005
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Fig 2 Alumina 25
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Fig 3 Aluminium
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Fig 4 Financial
*Professor in Economics, Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil July/August 2014
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Q U A L I T Y
BRAZIL UPDATE 15
was almost the double the 2005 figure. The situation is dramatically different in relation to the primary aluminium stage. Indeed, in May 2013, Alcoa announced a temporary curtailment of 34ktpy at Poços de Caldas and 97kt at Alumar, when it placed 460ktpy of smelting capacity under review worldwide. Fig 3 shows that, in 2013, Alumar primary aluminium has already dropped by 16% and Poços de Caldas, by 19%. Less than one year later, Alcoa released another closure of 62ktpy in Poços de Caldas and 85ktpy in Alumar. Therefore, Poços de Caldas will face a full curtailment of its three potlines (96ktpy). Alcoa also intends to cut production at the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alumina refinery, but it will not be idled. The Poços de Caldas bauxite mine, aluminium powder plant and casthouse will continue normal operations. Alcoa has a 60% stake in Alumarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smelter that has a 447ktpy capacity. Thus, the attributable capacity to the company is 268ktpy. After slashing 97ktpy of capacity in 2013 and 85ktpy now, Alcoaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remaining effective capacity will be 86ktpy (equivalent to only 24% of the installed capacity) once the cuts are implemented. BHP Billiton, for its turn, suspended 45ktpy capacity at Alumar in September and an additional 58ktpy curtailment that would be implemented as of 2014 Q2. As mentioned before, with the news of a second round of smelting capacity retraction, Alcoa announced that it would invest $40M in its Itapissuma (State of Pernambuco) rolling mill to increase production of speciality foils for aseptic and flexible packages. Initial work for the expansion is underway and commissioning is planned to begin in 2016. This is the only rolling mill that Alcoa has in Brazil. It is worth mentioning that in February 2009, the company unveiled the intention to sell this facility, but it has since reverted this decision. Itapissuma has been part of Alcoa since 1981, when AlumĂnio S.A. (ASA) was acquired. Besides the flat-rolled products, it also fabricates extruded products (with a 23.3ktpy capacity). The enterprise has two other extruded products units: TubarĂŁo (State of Santa Catarina) and Utinga (State of SĂŁo Paulo). TubarĂŁo was acquired from AlumĂnios do Sul (Alusud) in 1986. In February 2014, it inaugurated an expansion from 25.7ktpy to 35.7ktpy, at a cost of $10M, demonstrating that it is a low capital intensity activity. Utinga was purchased in 1996, having been originally established in 1943 by Alcan. Its current capacity reaches 23ktpy. Altogether, the extruded product plants totalled 82kpty nowadays. It is evident that the moderate amplification of extruded product lines is insufficient to offset the negative impacts derived from the massive retraction of primary aluminium. Consequently, Alcoa will reduce its sales from its Brazilian operations, but maybe this is a bitter-and-necessary remedy to come back to profits. As it can be verified in Fig 4, Alcoa Brazil generated considerable profits during the period 2005 - 2007, at around 19% of the net sales. In 2009, it registered losses equivalent to 5% of the net sales. The situation became worse in the following year (losses of 14%) and then Alcoa Brazil has been able to diminish the losses to 4% of net sales in 2013. The bad financial performance cannot be dissociated from the escalation of energy prices and, to a lesser extent, to the appreciation of local currency. The recent experience of Alcoa is representative to the challenges faced by the Brazilian aluminium industry as a whole. The market is quite good (investments in the extruded lines), but the costs are unsatisfactory (the need to restrict the smelter operations). Aluminium International Today
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16 RUSSIA UPDATE
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Challenging times Eugene Gerden* looks at the current state of the Russian aluminium industry and the challenges that lie ahead.
The Russian aluminum industry may soon experience trouble in the event of further deterioration of the financial situation of the country’s flagship aluminium producer Rusal, which may occur in case of imposition of individual sanctions on the Russian metallurgical industry, currently considered by the European Union (EU) and the USA. Planned sanctions may be primarily reflected in the recommendations to banks to refuse Russia’s leading debt loaded metal producers to provide further loans, as well as a possible revision of agreements on the debt refunding. One of which was signed only recently and provided an opportunity to Rusal to refund the $5.5 billion debt provided by foreign banks, which was generated in 2011. The company had agreed earlier with Sberbank to refinance the loan to the amount of $5 billion and the talks with Russia’s leading bank were much easier than those with foreigners. However, in the light of further imposing sanctions on Russia and its metals industry, there is a possibiliy that the agreement may be revised, which would require additional spending cuts from Rusal and may force the company to close a number of new factories, which could result in layoffs. In addition, it may affect operations of Rusal’s foreign factories. At present total debt of the company is estimated at more than USD$10.1 billion. According to Alexander Bolomatov, a senior partner of UST, one of Russia’s largest legal companies, which cooperates with Rusal, the planned package of sanctions against EU assets of Rusal (including the Irish Aughinish refinery, the only producer of alumina in the country, and Kubal, the sole producer of primary aluminium and the largest industrial facility in Sweden) and other Russian metals producers operating their plants abroad, could lead to forced selling, destruction of production chains and even nationalisation. In addition, there is also a possibility on the imposition of restrictions on the supply of raw materials to production facilities or exports of products from them.
According to Bolomatov, in the case of imposition of such sanctions Rusal will probably file a petition to the international arbitration. Representatives of Rusal declined to comment, but said that in case of imposition of sanctions against the company and the entire Russian aluminium industry, the company will focus its operations on the Asian market. According to analysts of the Russian Association of Metal and Steel Traders (RAMST), a non-commercial organisation, which unites the country’s leading metal and steel trading companies, the EU remains an important market for Rusal and the development on it has been recently announced by the company as one of the priority targets for the near future, which should help to significantly raise its capitalisation. However, analysts believe that nationalisation and other serious sanctions against Rusal in the EU may only take place
Andrei Belousov, Russia’s presidential aide, dealing with issues of business of Russia's metals and mining companies in Presidential Administration.
According to Russia’s Prime-Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the government will provide all the needed support to domestic metals companies and in particular for Rusal, which remains dependent on the export of foreign raw materials from abroad. In addition, Andrei Belousov, Russia’s presidential aide, has already advised the company to sell its stake in Norilsk Nickel,
Aughinish alumina plant of Rusal
in case of a split in Ukraine and military intervention by Russia. According to Sergey Semenov, a senior analyst of RAMST, the EU may put pressure on Rusal, however it will probably not force the company to sell its local assets, as there is no such business practice in the European business environment. Moreover, according to him, it will be very negatively perceived by local businesses, as such production facilities pay taxes to the EU budget and employ EU citizens. He also added that another negative consequence for Rusal, associated with sanctions, could be the decline of its shares in the global Stock Exchanges. In the meantime, the Russian government is currently discussing the ways of potential support for the company.
one of the world’s leading mining conglomerates, where Rusal currently owns 27.8%; equivalent to about RUB 233 billion (USD$6.6 billion). The sale of shares may be beneficial from a financial point of view, however the deal will probably never happen. The unwillingness of Rusal to sell its stake in Norilsk has recently been confirmed by Director of Rusal’s Department of Strategy and Business Development Oleg Muhamedshin, who said that the company may sell a certain range of non-core assets, instead of sale of its share in Norilsk. He has also added that despite possible sanctions, the company will continue its talks with lenders, believing that they will not revise the earlier signed agreements.
*Russian correspondent July/August 2014
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Aluminium scrap recovery: A proven approach T. Christian* and H. Sadler* summarise the current challenges facing suppliers of scrap recycling equipment - an industry historically associated with ferrous recovery - in response to increasing global demand for processed recycled aluminium.
Over the last 20 years, the aluminium manufacturing sector has seen a period of strong growth, strengthened by advances in ingot processing and positive developments in lifecycle and process efficiency analysis. The last two decades have also seen a boost in recycling activity, driven by the fact that aluminium production using recycled material has been shown to require as little as 5% of the energy needed for primary aluminium production. The recycling of domestic and commercially-consumed aluminium is a growing global practice: In 1990, total aluminium production was around 28 million tonnes with more than eight million tonnes recycled from scrap; by 2020, metal demand is projected to have increased to around 97 million tonnes with around 31 million tonnes recycled from scrap. Brazil recycles 98.2% of its aluminium, equivalent to 14.7 billion cans per year and is widely recognised as the international leader. Similarly, Japanese initiatives over the last 10 years have increased their recycling rates upwards of 93%. By comparison, European aluminium recycling rates average only 61% across the continent. However, this figure is increasing on an annual basis; Europe is one of the world leaders in aluminium production using recycled material. In conjunction with the trend to produce more aluminium using recycled scrap, Danieli Centro Recycling has seen a marked increase (most notably over the last 12 months) in enquiries for dedicated manufacturing facilities devoted to aluminium scrap processing and pretreatment for ingot remelting. These opportunities vary dramatically in size and complexity; from large scale, multi-strand processing complexes to single, low production facilities. Scrap handlers have also noticed the change in focus and are adapting to change: Both large and small metal collection yards are
looking to process predominantly aluminium waste and supply directly to the main producers. This represents a paradigm shift in the focus of such businesses and - as suppliers to these trades - presents new challenges to OEM equipment manufacturers when specifying and building machines to process this material. Challenges to processing aluminium
Despite extensive development in ferrous scrap recycling over the past 50 years, it has been shown that typical ferrous recycling plants are not capable of producing aluminium scrap at rates comparable to iron and steel recycling counterparts without significant customisation at a fundamental level. Aluminium presents some unique challenges, which must be addressed in order to operate an aluminium recycling process. The key factor which differentiates aluminium from iron and steel is the density. The most commonly recovered form of aluminium scrap is the Used Beverage Can (UBC); in loose form, this material has a nominal density of between 180 and 300 kg/m3, typically 30 - 50% of the normal density of ferrous scrap. This low density presents a fundamental problem; if the volume of material is typically two to three times greater for the same mass of scrap then the productivity rate will be proportionally less for the same size and power of mill. Low-density material can also take the form of process swarf, chips or cuttings. Again, this is a very low-density product; it may also contain high (at worst, up to 30% by weight) quantities of cutting fluid, which must be removed from the material stream and stored. In addition to properties and challenges associated with loose UBC and process material, the different forms of aluminium that can be processed must also be accommodated. The majority of
aluminium scrap material is commonly baled and shipped in a compressed form, which can vary in density between 600 and 2,000kg/m3. Similarly, typically highdensity aluminium materials can be mixed with very low-density products. This produces a highly variable feed stream which ‘standard’ shredders will find hard to process without experiencing very high wear rates. The metallurgy of aluminium also causes issues with respect to the wearing of parts inside the shredder and other impactbearing elements of the plant. Typically, ferrous material is hard enough to be fragmented by the hammers upon entry into the shredding area inside the mill. This has the effect of reducing the amount of work required to densify the input product and also work-hardens the hammers, which increases wearing life during production. In the case of aluminium, the input material is much more malleable; this means that more cycles must be completed within the mill to fragment pieces of material from the main ‘body’ of the product, but also means that the lack of impact fragmentation reduces the amount of work hardening experienced by the hammers. It is a particular irony of aluminium processing that a softer infeed material causes reduced wearpart life. A more critical issue in aluminium processing is the creation of volatile, explosive aluminium dust, brought about by the pulverisation of input material within the shredder. The high risks inherent to aluminium dust are well publicised, both in the control of dust emission in the plant and in the safety-conscious design of any equipment designed to collect and process this material. Addressing the challenges
In response to these challenges, Danieli has utilised its experience and knowledge of
*Danieli Centro Recycling July/August 2014
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SECONDARY 19
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the shredding process to directly address these issues. Machines designated to specific tasks on ferrous processing plants can be modified to mitigate or eliminate the abovementioned issues. Pre-processing
Pre-processing machines (which are normally associated with separating large equipment or densifying low-density scrap in ferrous applications) perform similar duties in an aluminium recycling plant with little modification. For swarf, chips and cuttings, a crusher and centrifuge plant may perform initial densification and removal of any cutting fluids to ensure dry product. Similarly, baling and briquetting machines can be used with UBC material and lower classes of aluminium scrap in preparation for transport to recycling facilities. For this purpose, Danieli Centro Recycling provides double and triplecompression baling machines designed specifically for processing non-ferrous material. At the point of entry to the processing plant, the baled material must be broken up by means of a pre-shredder. As the bales can vary significantly in density, the pre-shredder is normally overpowered in comparison with its ferrous processing equivalent. Danieli Centro Recycling has developed a rotor tooth arrangement. This arrangement is designed to increase the productivity per unit power and ensures that the not only large, high density bales are captured and processed, but also small, lower density briquettes. For very low-density material (UBC and similar), the investment required is strongly dependent on the productivity rate. For lower production rates, a contrarotating shear is an effective, lower-cost option and is the preferred technology in this case. Shredding and densification
Whilst the overall design of the shredder does not change dramatically in comparison with a ferrous scrap processing machine, several key differences are apparent when designing a machine to specifically process aluminium. The rotor of a shredder is the primary equipment item in the machine, and as such many different designs exist with an equal number of opinions regarding the optimum configuration. Utilising previous experience in aluminium shredding, Danieli Centro Recycling has developed an opentype, end-capped shredder. In conjunction with Danieli’s hydraulic pin puller and rotor turning equipment, this open design ensures that rotor maintenance is optimised for maximum efficiency. The hammers for the plant are again specifically designed for the task of processing more malleable aluminium scrap. As the hammers will not wearAluminium International Today
harden through operation, it must be ensured that the grade of metal used is hard enough to provide significant process life but maintain cost-efficiency. The “Carbon” series hammer specification meets this requirement. Finally, the material output grids are undersized in comparison with similar grid sizes for ferrous processing. The grids are the primary mechanism for ensuring retention of material in the mill and are the key mechanism for ensuring output product density. It is therefore critical for a low-density product such as aluminium to be retained to the optimum level to ensure appropriate output density, whilst being mindful of the temperature and output quality of the scrap, which may deteriorate if retained for too long in the mill. Separation equipment
Once a product is shredded and densified, the ‘non-product’ material must be separated and collected as a separate waste fraction. Magnetic separation is widely regarded as the most efficient means of removing low proportions of non-ferrous material from a predominantly ferrous product stream; for aluminium processing, the plant must instead be designed to remove low quantities of ferrous impurities from an aluminium scrap stream. The magnets are therefore designed for high volume throughput and high ferrous removal efficiency. In ferrous scrap processing, feedstock containing a high percentage of nonferrous/non-metallic or light fraction material will typically require an air separation system to ensure efficient separation. The processing of aluminium is no exception, but a slightly different approach is required. Owing to the low density of the lighter aluminium scrap types, an air knife must be used to separate predominantly plastic material (can binders, aeration ‘widgets’) from the metal stream. Historically, the key method of ensuring maximum purity of aluminium product in the scrap stream has been from the use of eddy current separation; this has been surpassed by X-ray separation as the preferred technology. X-ray separation primarily overcomes the problem of alloy discrimination by providing removal of specific aluminium alloys, as opposed to a general non-ferrous metallic material mix as removed by eddy current systems or a general aluminium mix which may contain alloy materials incompatible to the remelting process. The investment required for this equipment is still relatively high; X-ray sensors are expensive and the separator machine itself requires a significant supply of compressed air to operate the separation mechanism - but it is acknowledged that as the demand for
higher quantities of high-purity aluminium scrap, the more effective separation mechanisms will be required. Dust control and plant safety
Aluminium manufacturers must take numerous safety precautions to ensure that the production of dust produced on plants is both minimised and controlled. In aluminium plants, the nature of the shredding process dictates that such measures must be transferred (and where appropriate, improved upon) to eliminate the risk of explosion wherever possible. Within Europe, ‘smart’ mill water injection systems and dedicated reverse jet bag filter processes are becoming more commonplace on ferrous scrap processing plants as the need to mitigate dust emissions becomes a legislative requirement.
For aluminium processing, the identification of an alternative to mill water injection as the primary dust mitigation technology is of highest priority. Aluminium processes must be as ‘dry’ as possible, so all dust removal must be achieved by means of a dedicated dust extraction plant designed with commensurate explosion protection measures (explosion vents, strengthened support structures, etc.). Within Europe, DSEAR legislation is a key factor in the design and specification of plant equipment, particularly in enclosed or indoor installations; similarly, the need for process safety and isolation systems to be designed into plant hardware and software is essential. Finally, losses of containment on historically ‘inefficient’ plant equipment (e.g. transfer conveyors) must be designed out: Conveyors should all be fully covered with recovery mechanisms at head and tail ends. Conclusion
With the development of dust extraction technologies and better understanding of aluminium processing, it is hoped that Danieli’s technology will improve to allow better power usage and processing efficiency. July/August 2014
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Melting aluminium scrap UK based company Melting Solutions Ltd (MSL) is a supplier of furnaces for scrap melting. The thirty tilt rotary plants that the company has recently supplied worldwide show that melting aluminium scrap makes sense. Clive Hall* explains.
Investments in scrap re-melting facilities are paying off across the whole spectrum of the aluminium industry including; primary, secondary, semi finished casthouses and the foundry/die casting sectors. Recycling utilises resources and scrap is a low cost feedstock with huge energy savings, over the primary reduction route. A fact not wasted on the aluminium industry. So, what are the key profit drivers for scrap melting? Low energy, high productivity and above all maximum metal recovery. To achieve these goals, when melting such a complex and varied material as scrap, the furnace and its process technology must be tailored to the operators needs. MSL have years of experience melting scrap backed by a proven track record, in delivering many cost effective melting plants, worldwide, for all types of scrap. The MSL Tilt Rotary plants continue to deliver. This is demonstrated in the following case studies, where results have been achieved on both oxy fuel and air fuel furnaces. Leading US recycling company – Kentucky commissioned 2013
The 15T capacity tilt rotary is equipped with the latest natural gas hybrid burner technology able to fire with oxy-gas or
air/oxy gas to optimise combustion conditions, metal recovery and fuel cost. A further breakthrough on this plant is a new side loading charging system able to charge without stopping the melting process. This is made possible by Melting Solutions furnace door system, which can open in both horizontal and vertical planes. Simultaneous charging and melting – no production time lost no significant energy losses
The furnace transfers metal in 1.5T ladles to the central melting/casting plant in the foundry. The furnace is a flexible melting tool for the customer, who can take advantage of low-grade scrap materials as they are available on the market. These include; reject castings (with and without iron attachments), taint tabor, profiles, swarf/chips, UBC and drosses (pressed and loose). Energy released from organics on the scrap (plastic oils etc) are liberated by direct controlled oxidation in the furnace and used to heat the charge. During this phase of the melt cycle the gas flow is reduced. Summary of key data: Charge input 15t. Cycle time – tap to tap including all
non-melting activities (charging, pouring and tipping slag) 3.0 hrs.
The 15T capacity tilt rotary is equipped with the latest natural gas hybrid burner technology.
Actual energy usage, Natural Gas 539 M3, Oxygen 1,078 M3. Equating to 31.25 M3 natural gas/ 312.5 kW per tonne and 62.5 M3 oxygen per tonne. Productivity per 24 hour cycle > 100 tonnes.
30,000 tonne a year dross processing plant - Middle East gulf – air fuel Model TR21 commissioned 2010
This is one of the largest Tilt Rotary furnaces in operation, fired by a single air/natural gas burner system, with a nominal firing rate of 5.4 MW. The rotary body has an internal volume of 40m3, internal door opening of 2m and liquid capacity of 11m3 which is a nominal capacity of 25 tonnes. The furnace is mainly used for melting primary drosses, with a capability of more than 30,000 tonnes of dross per year. The burner is fitted with mass flow control, where the fuel ratio is adjusted according to the stage of the melt cycle to reduce oxidation. Metal is either cast directly into sow moulds or directed to a holding furnace, where the melt can be alloyed with a dedicated caster, to continuously cast 7kg foundry ingot. The holding furnace is equipped with a non magnetic stainless steel base plate, ready for upgrading to a non contact electromagnetic stirrer.
Simultaneous charging and melting - no production time lost, no significant energy losses.
*International Sales Executive, Melting Solutions Ltd July/August 2014
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WOLRD CLASS ALUMINIUM MELTING EQUIPMENT Tilt Rotary Crucibles Multi Chamber with pumps/stirrers Coreless induction Swarf dryers Reverberatory melting and holding Sloping hearth de-ironing and more Foundry Management System
COMPLETE RANGE OF FURNACE MELTING & PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES DROSS PROCESSING | SCRAP REMELTING | INGOT CASTING Specialist designed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Turn-Keyâ&#x20AC;? integrated melting plants supplied worldwide for all capacities is an group company International: +44 (0)1675 470 551 | USA: +1 (0)586 246 1063 | email: sales@meltingsolutions.com | website: www.meltingsolutions.com
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Tel: +353 47 80500 UK: 07870 976 758 E-mail: info@combilift.com
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Model TR21 commissioned 2010.
Summary of key data:
Charge input 25.3t. Pure melt time 3.5hrs. Gross melt rate 7.3 t/hr. Cycle time – tap to tap including all non-melting activities (charging, pouring and tipping slag) 4.7 hrs. Actual energy usage, Natural Gas 1,804 M3. Equating to 71.3 M3 natural gas / 71.3 kW per tonne. Productivity per 24 hour cycle > 125 tonnes. Tilt rotary upgrading
Melting Solutions has also completed a number of successful upgrades to existing tilt rotary furnaces. This can include burner and process improvements upgrading to oxy fuel and hybrid fuel solutions. In order to optimise metal recovery it is possible to install weigh cells for live real time weighing of the furnace charge and thus recovery. These projects need very close cooperation with the customer and have delivered energy and process savings repaying the investment in a short time. Upgrading of the door system to fit Melting Solutions multi direction furnace door, allows operation in both horizontal and vertical planes. A first step is to model in 3D the existing furnace, and then to “mock up” the furnace by fabricating an identical tilt cradle. Then the new door is then fully manufactured at Melting Solution’s facility, where all the door components; hydraulics, pipe work cables and new burner system are fully completed. The new door can then be installed onto the original furnace in a short time, getting the furnace into production as soon as possible in a matter of days. The Multi Direction door has reduced fuel cost by as much as 15%. Other benefits include less heat loss in the refractories and better process control as the operator can directly view the charge by lifting the door up, without stopping the burner or interrupting the melting cycle. July/August 2014
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Door upgrade during construction in Melting Solutions facility.
Recovered metal can be cast out with the door closed down on the close fitting slag rake, thus saving fuel and preventing the ingress of cold air into the furnace, minimising oxidation. Similarly the slag can be tipped out of the furnace with the door down. In addition to tilt rotary furnaces Melting solutions supplies a range of reverberatory melting furnaces; wet hearth, dry hearth, multi chamber, side well, coreless induction and crucible melters from 500kg – 70 tonnes. Furnaces are available with metal stirring and circulation systems, mechanical and electro-magnetic. For example, using metal submergence systems and porous plug systems, melting light gauge scrap. A recent unusual project was for a sloping hearth furnace supplied on the island of New Caledonia to melt a stockpile of 10,000 tonnes of complete car and lorry engines, thought to be virtually without value. However more than 20% of aluminium was recovered and separated from the scrap whereby 8,000 tonnes of separated
iron and steel scrap plus 2000 tonnes of high value alloyed ingot, were exported from the island. Energy consumption was extremely low, as the organic components of the charge are burnt in the melt chamber, using MSL’s controlled vortex injection, during the melting phase. Producer IMPOL of Slovenia, in connection with their recycling department, needed a solution to test incoming parcels of scrap, where the content and chemistry were unknown. Melting Solutions supplied a complete test facility, based around two hydraulic lip axis tilting crucible furnaces. The crucible furnaces were completely sealed, so all melting was by indirect means, minimising oxidation, so the melt could be carried out under ‘laboratory conditions’. Both furnaces were mounted on weigh cells, providing IMPOL with a sophisticated test method. On each batch, energy consumption, melting characteristics, dross weight, organic weight loss and above all accurate metal recovery could be defined and recorded.
New Multi Direction door upgrade - installed.
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Promoting the aluminium industry for July/August 2014
THEJOURNAL JOURNALOF OFALUMINIUM ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING PROCESSING THE
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EGA: A new global player rises in the Gulf Oil and gas catapulted the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) into the enviable position of being one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Aluminium will help keep it there. That’s the vision of one of the Emirates’ industrial flagships, Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC (“EGA”), which is emerging as one of the key drivers of the UAE’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond crude oil and natural gas sales, as outlined in the Emirate’s Economic Vision 2030 document. EGA is the new global aluminium giant formed by the effective merger of Dubai Aluminium PJSC (“DUBAL”) and Emirates Aluminium Company Limited PJSC (“EMAL”). The new conglomerate, which is jointly owned by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai and was formed through the integration of their respective aluminium industry interests, ranks among the world’s top five aluminium producers outside China. EGA also has plans for significant local growth and international expansion. EGA’s two production facilities both count among the world’s largest single-site primary aluminium smelters. Between them, DUBAL’s operation in Jebel Ali, Dubai and EMAL’s relatively newer smelter in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, have the capacity to produce 2.4 million tonnes per annum. This represents more than half of the total primary aluminium production in the GCC region. This is no small achievement for a company that poured its first metal in 1979. Today, EGA is a proudly Emirati company, led by UAE Nationals and using proprietary, in-house developed technology that is built on a winning reputation for technological innovation and business performance excellence. Its products and technologies are used in sectors including automotive and aerospace manufacturing, consumer electronics, food and beverage packaging and the construction industry. There are good reasons for the rise of the UAE, and the Gulf region, as a global aluminium powerhouse. Local aluminium producers benefit not only from readily-available energy sources, but a strategic geographic location which offers easy access to raw materials and proximity to major aluminium markets in Europe, USA and the Far East. Around 80% of the region’s aluminium is exported to keep pace with global demand (more
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than 90% in the case of EGA). Aluminium is an industry for the future. The metal is increasingly being used by the automotive industry to create lighter vehicles that meet stringent environmental demands, using less fuel and creating fewer emissions in the process. It’s also become a staple of the building industry, where it has led to sweeping changes in building techniques through its lightness, flexibility and ability to be recycled. EGA has been quick to seize on the opportunities offered by aluminium. Building on the legacy of its operating subsidiaries, EGA is one of the largest non-oil contributors to the economy of the UAE. It provides a major contribution to domestic economy (US$3 billion direct and US$5 billion indirect GDP impact by 2020) and gross exports (US$7 billion by 2020). It employs 7,200 people directly, with the potential to create another 8,000 direct jobs in the UAE by 2020. As one of the largest industrial developments in the UAE outside the oil and gas industry, the company provides a significant opportunity for downstream industries, including supply (machining, contracting, engineering), shipping and logistics. The company supports efforts to create aluminium clusters, most notably in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (“KIZAD”), of which EMAL is the anchor tenant, creating jobs and business opportunities in the process. EGA already provides indirect employment to 19,000 people in the UAE aluminium sector (through outsourcing and local purchases). It is envisaged that EGA will spawn a further 6,000 indirect jobs by 2020, raising the total number of indirect employment opportunities in the UAE to 25,000. One of the major drawcards being offered to companies to establish operations in KIZAD is the ability to create “hot metal” operations: molten aluminium can be delivered directly into customers’ plants from EMAL. Apart from the ability to create innovative new products, these companies will benefit by eliminating shipping costs, realising massive reductions in energy usage through not having to remelt cold product, and lowered carbon dioxide emissions, thereby enhancing their environmental credentials.
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For EGA, these developments form an important part of a bigger sustainability picture. Aluminium production is an energyintensive business, which means that the lower its energy costs, the more cost-effective it is as a business. Using less energy also contributes to reduced consumption of fossil fuels and a smaller carbon footprint. These factors have underpinned the development over the past 25 years of advanced technologies that not only increase productivity, but also reduce the company’s impact on the environment through improved energy-efficiency and reduced emission levels. Using these technologies is integral to EGA’s drive to ensure long-term competitiveness in an industry that is sensitive to product quality, costs and, increasingly, environmental performance. From humble beginnings, a grand vision
DUBAL was a vision of the late H H Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (then Ruler of Dubai), who already foresaw the need to diversify the Emirate’s economic base beyond oil and gas as far back as the early 1970s. Sheikh Rashid signed a decree establishing DUBAL in 1975, and production started in 1979. Today, DUBAL operates one of the world’s largest single-site primary aluminium smelters. Built on a 4.75 square kilometre site in Jebel Ali, Dubai, it comprises a 1 million tpa smelter, a 2,350 MW power station (at 30˚C), a large carbon plant, extensive casting operations (more than 1.2 million tpa), a water desalination plant, dock and other facilities. The success of DUBAL paved the way for the birth of EMAL, which is another of the world’s largest single-site primary aluminium smelters. The EMAL complex, housed on a 6 square kilometre site in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi, has been built in two phases. Phase I, which was fully commissioned by the end of 2010, is the world’s largest greenfield smelter development and has a smelter capacity of 800,000 tpa. Phase II, comprising the world’s single-longest potline (444 cells) with a design capacity of 520,000 tpa, was fully commissioned by mid-2014. This boosted EMAL’s total production capacity to around 1.3 million tpa. The completed Al Taweelah site includes a 3,000 MW power plant, a carbon plant and a flexible casthouse with a production capacity of 1.6 million tpa. Upstream Investments
Beyond its core smelter operations, EGA’s assets include upstream investments. Making aluminium is a resource-hungry business, and the company is moving smartly to ensure its long-term supply of the raw materials needed to make some of the world’s highest-quality aluminium products. Already, the UAE-based EGA
owns Guinea Alumina Corporation (“GAC”) – a strategic bauxite mine and alumina refinery development project in Guinea (West Africa). GAC holds a 50+ year mining concession in a bauxite-rich region in North West Guinea, with a bauxite deposit of approximately 1.3 billion tonnes (equivalent to about 16 per cent of Guinea’s total bauxite reserve). The project is being tackled in two phases, starting with the development of a 6 million tpa bauxite export mine where production is charted to begin at the end of 2017. Phase I of the project will also include the associated development of rail and a 15 million tpa multi-user port facility. GAC Phase II will entail the development of a 2 million tpa alumina refinery plus associated mine and infrastructure expansions, scheduled to be operational by 2022. GAC already has a strong in-country team of more than 600 employees and contractors (of whom more than 90 per cent are Guineans). By 2020, GAC is expected to provide direct employment to 600 full-time employees, plus 1,200 sustained indirect employment opportunities. Other upstream opportunities are being investigated in Africa, Asia and South America. World-class product range
The sheer scale of its manufacturing capacity, together with a consistent focus on quality and service, has made EGA a major supplier of foundry alloy to the automotive industry, a significant supplier of extrusion billet for construction and industrial markets and a preferred supplier of high purity primary aluminium for use in the electronics and aerospace industries. The portfolio of products produced at the DUBAL and EMAL plants comprises high quality aluminium products in four main forms: foundry alloy (automotive applications); billet (construction, industrial, transportation and automotive forging); high purity aluminium (electronics and aerospace); and sheet ingot (packaging, lithographic sheets and the automotive industry). Busbars and anode bars are also made for the electrolytic process used to produce primary aluminium from alumina. Billets generally make up most of EGA’s total annual production (1,045,000 tonnes), followed by pure metal (566,000 tonnes), foundry (520,000 tonnes) and sheet (200,000 tonnes). EGA’s entire annual production is pre-sold in the prior year. Hundreds of individual products are manufactured, many to customer specifications for over 350 clients in more than 60 countries - predominantly in Asia (41%), Europe (24%), the Middle East North Africa (“MENA”) region (21%) and the Americas (14%).
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Home-grown technology
The proprietary reduction technologies developed in-house at DUBAL have positioned EGA as a respected competitor in this sector of the global aluminium industry. Indeed, DUBAL’s DX and DX+ Technologies rank among the most efficient reduction cell technologies currently available. Developed in 2006, DX Technology was installed in a dedicated the 40-cell potline at DUBAL in 2008 and has operated stably ever since. The cells began operating at 340 kA and reached 390 kA in 2013. DX Technology was licensed to and implemented in the 756 cells of EMAL Phase I, which currently operate at 380 kA. A project to build the next generation cells, operating at even higher amperages and offering further optimised performance levels, led to the development of DX+ Technology. Five cells built in the Eagle pilot line at DUBAL’s Jebel Ali began operating at 420 kA in 2010, with the amperage being increased in successive increments to 450 kA by the end of 2013. DX+ Technology has been licensed to EMAL Phase II (444 cells) and is expected to operate at 460 kA. As with DX Technology, DX+ Technology offers several operating benefits: • Superb productivity of 3.44 tonnes per pot per day at exceptionally high purity levels (>99.9 per cent). This gives rapid returns on capital expenditure, plus excellent creep potential, promising even better yields per pot. • An energy-efficient design that enables specific energy consumption of less than 13.3 kilowatt-hours per kg of aluminium and 95.0% current efficiency. This saves energy and reduces operating costs. • Reduced environmental impact through lower fossil fuel consumption (a direct benefit of enhanced energy-efficiency) and reduced carbon consumption (anodes) of less than 0.415 kilograms of carbon per kilogram of aluminium. Moreover, DX+ Technology cells experience minimal anode effects (“AEs”) of less than 1 AE per pot per day, resulting in PFC emissions of 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents per tonne of aluminium. • Fully engineered versatility, allowing operating capability plus inherent potential for developing even higher amperage performance capacity.
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generating up to 3,100 MW of power. The primary fuel source is purchased pipeline natural gas The cogeneration and combined cycle configuration of the DUBAL and EMAL power plants means that over one-third of the power generated by EGA’s operations is fuel-free through the steam turbines. On-going efforts to optimise energy consumption at DUBAL resulted in fuel consumption being reduced by 26 million standard cubic feet per day between 2010 and 2013, with an associated decline in carbon dioxide emissions of 500,000 tonnes. Since its inception, DUBAL has also been a major producer of drinking water for Dubai. The residual energy from its power generation operations is harnessed by the DUBAL desalination plant to produce high-quality potable and distilled water using the Multistage Flash (“MSF”) evaporation process. Up to 30 million imperial gallons per day (“MIGD”) can be produced. The majority of the potable water produced is sold to external consumers (91.32% in 2012). This sweet water is either distributed through the DUBAL Water Filling Station or supplied to adjacent industries through a series of pipelines. The EMAL site also includes a desalination plant. Using reverse osmosis technology, the plant can produce up to 3.75 million gallons of fresh water per day. A passion for people
In today’s competitive global marketplace, being an employer of choice is not a “nice-to-have”, but a competitive necessity. Continuing in the tradition of its legacy operations, EGA creates opportunities in various areas of expertise across the company, and has active talent acquisition and development programmes in place. This is key to the company’s on-going success in attracting and retaining the talent necessary to maintain its status as a flagship of industry and drive its regional and global ambitions. Like many companies in the UAE, EGA’s workforce is very diverse. Employees from more than 40 countries around the world check in at the company’s two main operations every day to lend their skills and talents to building a world-class industrial giant.
The transfer of DX and DX+ Technologies for EMAL Phases I and II played an instrumental role in synergising the UAE’s two major aluminium giants and their integration to become EGA. Other smelters have also shown interest in DUBAL technologies, with DX+ Technology having been selected by Aluminium Bahrain (“ALBA”) in December 2012 for its Line 6 Bankable Feasibility Study. DX+ Ultra Technology has since been developed at DUBAL and is designed to operate at above 440 kA. Five DX+ Ultra Technology cells were built and commissioned in DUBAL’s Eagle pilot line in early-2014. A tradition of selfsufficiency
EGA’s DUBAL and EMAL operations are largely selfsufficient when it comes to power production. DUBAL uses 23 gas turbines and 7 steam turbines capable of generating up to 2,350 MW of power, while EMAL uses 9 gas turbines and 4 steam turbines capable of July/August 2014
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One of the cornerstones of EGA’s people policies is Emiratisation, which supports the UAE government’s drive to create skills and opportunities for UAE Nationals as part of a strategy to create a legacy for the country. EGA’s people strategy involves not only employing UAE National talent, but also providing a platform for developing the local skills pool by investing in training initiatives at all levels. These training programmes target engineering graduates, high school science graduates and holders of technical certificates from Institute of Applied Technology schools. The company also offers one of the most comprehensive scholarship schemes in the UAE, and a development pool that aids in career growth and succession planning. The company’s Training and Development Department coordinates a broad range of technical and competency development programmes and on-the-job training courses. It also offers structured management development programmes accredited by the UK-based ILM for first-line supervisors and middle managers, and executive training opportunities at recognised international business schools like INSEAD in France and IMD in Switzerland. Health and safety
A quick walk around either of EGA’s two smelter operations will confirm an almost fanatical adherence to the core value of “Safety first and always”. The company has embedded health and safety into its everyday working practices by introducing Environment Health and Safety (EHS) representatives into every facet of its operations. Every year, additional employees are trained as EHS representatives to help ensure shop floor safety. These representatives work as part of each team, ensuring health and safety considerations remain paramount in the workplace. The company’s industry-leading standards in the field of health and safety have been recognised through numerous international awards. More importantly, these standards resulted in the EMAL complex setting an industry record of two years and more than 16.2 million operational work hours without a single Lost Time Incident (“LTI”) in 2013. The Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (“TRIFR”) at the DUBAL site, in 2013 was 2.75 injuries per million man-hours (almost 80% lower than the 13.2 reported in 2004); while EMAL Phase I achieved a TRIFR of 4.19. Protecting the environment
A phrase often heard at EGA is that aluminium production doesn’t have to cost the earth. Since DUBAL’s operations began at Jebel Ali 35 years ago, the company’s focus on sustainability has driven a strong commitment to minimise the impact of its production processes on the environment and its surrounding communities. This commitment goes far beyond saving natural resources and Aluminium International Today
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minimising harmful emissions. EGA runs the full gamut of environmental responsibility, from recycling and reusing most of its waste to providing safe hatching grounds for rare Hawksbill turtles. Prior to commencing construction of EMAL Phase I, all wildlife on the site was translocated from the project site to Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency approved sites in Abu Dhabi. Twelve species of animals, including gerbils, desert hares, vipers and the endangered Wonder Gecko were collected and relocated to a similar habitat some 100 km from the industrial zone. Even the water used by DUBAL and EMAL during the aluminium and energy production process is returned to the sea within a one degree Celsius temperature range, to preserve the precious corals in the surrounding sea. Similarly, the salinity of the water returned to the sea following the desalination processes at both plants is tempered by mixing with return process water. As an aluminium producer, EGA generates large amounts of industrial waste. While the company is working towards a strategic objective of “zero waste to landfill” in the near future, its “reduce, reuse, recycle” policy means that millions of dollars are generated each year through the sale of assorted recyclable steel, copper, collector bars, plastic, batteries and wood. The financial returns are, however, of least consequence. To the contrary, in many instances EGA’s operations opt for more expensive recycling options in the interest of the environment. A case in point is the recycling of Spent Potlining (“SPL”, a hazardous material) at DUBAL, where investigations into the viability of using SPL as an alternative fuel and raw material in the cement industry has resulted in all SPL being recycled through its provision to local cement companies since 2012. Making a difference through CSR
Another EGA value that goes far beyond words is its commitment to ensuring the success of and making a positive contribution to the broader society in which it operates. The company actively supports initiatives and projects that promote the socio-economic growth of the UAE, with a clear preference for community-based activities that endorse the broader goals of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The company’s major investments of time, money and expertise go into the education and welfare arenas – notably an annual fundraising and awareness-generating campaign in support of Autism; community education projects for women; outreach activities with the elderly; environmental clean-up initiatives; and health programmes targeted at employees. This is complemented by sponsorship of high profile international sporting events that raise the profile of the UAE across the world – such as the Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai Ladies Masters golf tournaments, Formula 1 racing in Abu Dhabi, horse racing at Meydan, and the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championships – thereby contributing to the social and economic building of the nation. July/August 2014
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News and views from Emirates Global Aluminium Q. How are things progressing with the creation of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA)? A. The official decree enabling the establishment of EGA was signed mid-March 2014 and the new company's trade licence duly issued. With the remaining UAE government protocols in place, EGA began operating in April 2014.
Another factor is the switching of the alumina price from the LME top spot prices. This is pushing alumina prices higher, again impacting aluminium production costs. The scenario is aggravated by the control of alumina supply being in the hands of very few suppliers, thereby increasing the likelihood of monopolistic dynamics.
Q. What are your views on the global aluminium industry at present? A. The over-supply of the aluminium industry is affecting the global aluminium economy, leading to continued depression of the LME aluminium price. EGA remains confident of a positive outlook for 2014. We expect good recovery in demand in emerging markets, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East and good growth in global light vehicle production. We see the transportation and construction sectors growing faster than in previous years.
Q. How will EGA work to develop the aluminium industry in the GCC? A. EGA will pro-actively support the development of the aluminium cluster in the UAE, in support of the UAEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on-going strategy to diversify the economy away from oil and gas through greater industrialisation. We also have plans to develop centres of excellence in aluminium research and development, and forums for knowledge sharing and benchmarking.
Q. What are the big issues affecting the primary aluminium industry today? A. There are several issues facing the primary aluminium industry. The most significant of these is the prevailing low aluminium price set by the LME, which is placing primary aluminium producers under extreme pressure in terms of operating margins. Word on the street is that about two-thirds of aluminium producers are operating at a loss, leading to curtailment of production worldwide. The situation is aggravated by the trend in recent years of stockpiling P1020 in the LME warehouses. This has led to substantial oversupply, which has further depressed the LME aluminium price. The change in warehouse ownership introduced perverse incentives to delay retrieval of product from the warehouses, which again has had an adverse impact on the aluminium price. Energy availability and costs are on-going issues, as are the green regulations and carbon taxes being introduced (especially in western nations), which collectively influence the sustainability of operations.
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Q. What products are proving the most lucrative at present and where do you see the most growth? A. EGA’s operations specialise in value-added products, manufactured to customers’ specifications. This niche positioning means that we are able to add premium charges above the LME price. Our production of P1020 is about 10% per year, on average, and is only produced to fill customers' orders. Billets have traditionally accounted for the major share of our annual production and this trend is expected to continue. Q. How is EGA committed to sustainability? A. Carbon taxes are not yet imposed by the government of the UAE. EGA's operating subsidiaries have, however, been committed to sustainability principles from the outset. We comply with the environmental permits issued by the country's authorities and/or international bodies, whichever is the more stringent.
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Q. What are the big trends in value-added production and where is EGA leading the way? A. EGA is one of the few companies in the industry that focuses on value-added production, and we will continue to do so. Q. Where do you see the most innovation in terms of production technologies – primary, secondary, or further downstream? A. There is evidence of on-going innovation in the primary aluminium sector, where a number of companies are focusing on improving production technologies to reduce energy consumption and minimise environmental emissions. Q. Do you see EGA as an innovator within the industry? A. EGA is an innovation-driven company. This is evident in our inhouse developed, proprietary reduction cell technologies, which are continually evolving through evidence-based opportunities for improved performance. Q. Are there any research and development projects in place? A. Optimising energy efficiency is a key strategic objective at DUBAL, serving to minimise the operational impact on the environment while ameliorating the significant cost of energy. Building on the success of DUBAL DX+ Technology, which is being installed at Emirates Aluminium (“EMAL”) Phase II (444 cells in a single potline), further effort has been invested in developing even lower energy, high amperage reduction cells. This has led to the design of DX+ Ultra Technology, which will operate at above 440 kA and achieve substantially reduced specific energy consumption than earlier generation cells (less than or equal to 12.49 kWh/kg). Enhancements to overall cell design will enable shorter pot-to-pot distance, in turn translating into lower CAPEX per installed tonne of capacity and higher production per building surface area. Five DX+ Ultra Technology demonstration cells have been built in the Eagle pilot line at DUBAL’s Jebel Ali operations, replacing the five pilot DX+ Technology cells. A similar energy-efficiency quest is the primary driver of projects to modernise older technologies at DUBAL through retrofitting cells using current advances in cell design.
Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director & CEO
Q. What does EGA have in store for 2014? A. We have several key projects and milestones on the cards, including: • The successful ramp-up of EMAL Phase II, leading to full production by year-end. Key goals of the commissioning programme include on-time completion of the project and within budget; and maintenance of the highest safety standards. • Completing the feasibility studies relating to the establishment of an alumina refinery in the UAE. Three contracts have been awarded, for services to support the technical assessment process. • Commencing preliminary studies for a 15 million tonnes per annum multi-use port in Republic of Guinea, the construction of which is targeted for completion coincident with the 2017 commissioning of the bauxite mine that is central to the Guinea Alumina Corporation (“GAC”) development project. • A number of upgrade projects and new production facilities will be implemented in our casting operation at DUBAL (Jebel Ali Operations), which will increase our production capacity and further enhance the quality of our products. The EMAL Phase II project also includes additional casting facilities, which will increase the casting capacity at EMAL (Al Taweelah Operations) from 1.04 million tonnes per annum to 1.6 million tonnes per annum. Aluminium International Today
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THE FUTURE WAS OUR STARTING POINT Emirates Global Aluminium, born from a union between DUBAL and EMAL, is the combined incarnation of these leading, global aluminium producers under a new name. Already experts in high performance aluminium, excellent service and sustainable practices, we will continue to create a lasting legacy for the UAE and promote new industry standards in a brand new world. www.ega.ae
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Sapa continues modernisation at Cressona plant The Cressona plant now houses expanded direct and indirect press capabilities. Thomas Landry* looks at the continued investment. Sapa Extrusions North America recently concluded the latest phase of improvements at its historic Cressona, Pennsylvania, plant. Long considered a premier extrusion house for the range of products it supplies to distributors, the Cressona plant continues to invest heavily in order to stay ahead of the curve in extrusion production capability. The latest modernisations at one of the oldest extrusion locations in North America ensure that the Cressona plant will continue to meet the needs of metal distributors continent-wide. A storied past
The plant, which was originally designed and constructed during World War II for the US Government, sits on more than 100 acres of land in rural Pennsylvania. The combined area of the 13 buildings on the plant site provides approximately 34.5 acres under roof. The facility was originally leased to the Aluminium Company of America (Alcoa) by the U.S. Government for the manufacture of aluminium extrusions and tubing. Following post-war use as a reclamation facility for returned ordinance, the Cressona facility was purchased by Alcoa, which operated there for more than 30 years. By May 1979, Alcoa ceased aluminium
production at the facility, and a group of investors finalised an agreement to purchase the Cressona plant. The Cressona Aluminium Company was established on May 2, 1979. In March 1996, the Cressona Aluminium Company was acquired by Alumax Inc. and the Cressona site became an essential manufacturing operation of Alumax Extrusions, Inc. In July 1998, Alcoa purchased Alumax Inc. and the plant came full circle as Cressona again became part of Alcoa. On June 8, 2007, Sapa and Alcoa combined to form a joint venture company, Sapa AB: Supplier of aluminium profiles. Sapa subsequently purchased Alcoaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in the joint venture and the Cressona facility today remains a signature Sapa facility. According to the company, Sapaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five-year, $135 million investment in the plant makes it the largest and most diverse extrusion facility in North America, including the installation of a new 4500 ton indirect press, the largest such press in operation by a soft alloy extruder in North America. A five-year plan
Sapa embarked on its aggressive capital modernisation plan at Cressona in October of 2009, when it relocated an advanced, direct extrusion press from an idled facility. The $4 million installation of this 3,600-
ton Ube press followed on the heels of a $5 million upgrade of another 5,700-ton press. Together, these presses allowed Sapa to expand its seamless tube production and bolster its extrusion product line for the distribution, transportation, industrial and consumer markets. The installation also came in anticipation of growth in the automotive industry that would increase demand for extruded aluminium for automotive. Two years later, Sapa invested $10 million in a new casthouse that featured a single melt furnace, a tilting holder and a cast pit. The new casting pit allowed for new chemistries and helped to offload speciality alloy production from higher production casting pits. The new pit, which offered easy cleaning and quick product changeover, resulted in an increase in billet production because of fewer size and alloy changes. Additionally, Sapa can use the new pit to optimise alloy chemistry for the enhanced performance demanded by key market segments. For the rod and bar market, patented alloy chemistry and advanced processing and heat-treating equipment results in a product line that features more uniform grain and microstructure. For other industries like automotive, custom alloys help manufacturers to better meet new
*Senior Marketing and Public Relations Manager Aluminium International Today
July/August 2014
24 EXTRUSION
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The technology of the press and its
components have the capability to improve the extrusion process and highend finish products. In essence, no one physically touches the billet at all, which improves the surface quality, efficiency and ergonomics. Meeting a customer needs
Automated billet scalping and loading
regulations by developing advanced energy absorbing crash systems. Either way, the casthouse capacity added at Cressona opens the door to critical market advancements. As part of the casthouse expansion the plant also installed a purpose-built conveyor system, specially designed by Cressona engineers. This new conveyor system allows for efficient scrap handling from the extrusion processes, which in turn increases overall safety of the operations and helps Sapa to be self sustaining by allowing easier re-use of scrap aluminium.
Robotic systems handle the finished extrusion
Presezzi indirect press
The most notable addition in Cressona occurred in 2012, when Sapa installed a $35 million, 14-inch indirect press. The installation was completed last year, and the press began extruding product for distribution and automotive customers in late 2013. Because indirect extrusion reduces the frictional heat generated during extrusion, the new press is ideal for Sapa’s ACC-ULINE rod, bar and hex products. ACC-ULINE products are designed to offer more consistent grain structure, tighter dimensions and higher mechanical properties. In addition to producing better quality rod and bar, the new indirect press also offers other benefits. It increased production speed per unit by 50% and also recovers more scrap material, resulting in a lower operating cost to produce rod and bar at Cressona. The new 4500-T Indirect Presezzi press includes the following features: A Coim billet furnace Automated Omav handling equipment Robso robotic packing Fromm strapping equipment Emmebi automated bundle formation and de-stacking equipment Five Omav aging ovens July/August 2014
Cutting the aluminium to length
The Cressona plant has historically been a key facility for aluminium extrusion in North America. Despite Cressona being one of the most historic extrusion locations in North America, Sapa continues to invest heavily in the facility in order to set the pace for the highest quality in the industry. Sapa’s recent investments ensure that Cressona will remain an important contributor to the industry. Not only does the Cressona plant set a new standard for aluminium extruded rod, bar and hex products, it also offers extensive fabrication options, including punching, shearing, notching, precision cutting, sawing, drilling, CNC machining, deburring, tumbling and MIG welding. Today, the facility at Cressona – home to four direct presses and five indirect – is one of the most sophisticated aluminium extrusion plants in the world. It serves nearly every major industrial sector, including automotive, transportation, defense, distribution consumer and thermal management. Its broad product line includes its highly regarded ACC-ULINE, its proprietary rod and bar with tighter dimensional tolerances and special chemistries for use in machining. In addition to its notable press capabilities, Sapa’s Cressona plant also offers special design and technical assistance for extrusions, heat sinks, thermal analysis and value analysis. Cressona can also assist customers with a range of fabrication, assembly, packaging and finishing needs. Contact www.sapagroup.com
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EXTRUSION 27
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A closer look at extrusion Aluminium International Today spoke exclusively to the Aluminum Extruders Council to discuss the challenges in the US extrusion market at present and what the future holds. 1. How are things going at the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) at present?
JH: It’s been a great year at the AEC. The industry is up, energy has been high at our events and conferences, and most extruders have a positive view of the market going forward. 2. Has the AEC witnessed any recent changes with regards to the aluminium extrusion industry in the USA?
JH: Certainly the growing demand from the automotive sector has had a significant impact on the industry. Many extruders are seeing those orders starting to come in with the new model year’s production quickly approaching. However, the bigger effect may be the way extruders have responded to demands from the automotive world in terms of quality control, service models, and so on. This has a more lasting effect that has translated into extruders improving their offering in all markets. 3. Have any global changes recently impacted the aluminium extrusion industry in the USA?
JH: Certainly the slowdown in China raises concerns. If the Chinese government cannot curtail production of aluminium, then downstream aluminium fabricators may expand exports into foreign markets. For the US extrusion industry, this could mean circumvention of the antidumping and countervailing duties by some Chinese extruders. Extruders in the US are on high alert for such schemes. 4. What are your views on the current state of the aluminium industry and how does this impact on aluminium extrusions?
JH: Aluminium prices continue to be competitive with other materials. This puts
extruders in a good position to carry their message of innovation and substitution. The automotive example is a classic case. And, there are others. Copper, vinyl, and other steel applications are in play and the extrusion process lends itself to a number of creative solutions. 5. What are the big issues affecting the aluminium extrusion industry at present?
JH: Well, it always starts with the economy, and specifically the housing market. The substitution with aluminium we have seen in the transportation markets while the housing market continues to under perform suggests we are seeing the extrusion market go through a structural shift in demand. If and when we see a more robust recovery in housing it will be interesting to see how the industry responds. RM: Ensuring a stable market and fair trade environment in North America in which companies can invest in new technologies and innovate on the processes and application development remains the key issue. Trade advocacy and active fair trade initiatives are critical to our future. From a broader perspective, we need to see economic policies that promote stable growth and that create greater certainty to enable long term business decisions. Since aluminium extrusions are used in a range of markets, demand has a strong correlation to GDP and thus is subject to economic down cycles. Promoting our industry aimed at expanding and diversifying the uses of aluminium extrusions is critical to help offset typical economic down cycles and to create a better long-term growth environment for our industry. Our industry promotion efforts remain a high priority. We are in a constant competitive battle against other materials. This battle is not
only against traditional materials like steel and vinyl but also new and emerging materials. Winning this battle is a big issue for our future. We need to drive excellence by our member companies so that we are better and more cost competitive at serving the markets. We need to be aggressive at promoting our industry so it gets the fair and proper consideration by those making the material choices. We need to take a long-term perspective and educate the designers of the future who are coming out of our colleges and universities. We do this with a very active academic outreach programme. DC: The continuing battle against illegally imported aluminium extrusion from China is one of our biggest issues. With the support of the Chinese government, we are up against a highly funded, deeply resourced foe. It will take all of the will of the North American industry to maintain the momentum required to continue “winning” this battle and not let time and the difficulty in funding these initiatives erode over time. As demand for new innovative products are sought by designers, many do not know much, if anything about aluminium or aluminium extrusions. What’s even more fundamental is that very few technical educational institutions and universities teach anything about aluminium or the extrusion process. This is a huge gap in the industry’s ability to penetrate new applications. However, on the other side, the AEC and industry see this as one of our greatest opportunities as we embark on a programme of sustained education and training of both current industry designers, as well as students that could well make their way into our industry or, at least, into roles where the knowledge of the benefits of designing with aluminium extrusions is another tool in their kit as they look for the best solution to design issues.
Answers were provided by AEC staff, members of the Executive Committee and others: JH: Jeff Henderson, AEC Director of Operations RM: Rick Merluzzi, AEC Chairman; CEO, Metal Exchange Corporation DC: Duncan Crowdis, AEC Immediate Past Chairman LB: Lynn Brown, AEC Industry Promotion Consultant; Principle, Long Point Associates TS: Tom Schabel, AEC Past Chairman; CEO, Alexandria Industries GC: Guy Charpentier, AEC Industry Promotion Team Chairman; Marketing Director, Bonnell Aluminum Company Aluminium International Today
July/August 2014
28 EXTRUSION
LB: From a business development perspective, a continuing issue is the lack of visibility that the extrusion process has with North American product development professionals. Engineers and architects receive little information about extrusion as part of their education, and advanced software tools such as those available for designing with other materials - e.g. steel - do not exist. Design publications focus on "cool" material technologies like advanced polymers and nano-this or nano-that. The end result is that up-and-coming product designers and architects don’t readily turn to extrusion as a material alternative, and when they do, the resulting designs are often less-than-optimal, hence more expensive. 6. How is the AEC working with companies to develop/support the industry?
JH: The AEC and its members set out to provide three areas of support to the industry. The first is free trade. The AEC continues to be the facilitator of the China Trade case. This has been a very successful programme for the market. The second is in business excellence. The AEC hosts a number of workshops and clinics each year that educate extruders about best practices in all phases of production. These clinics have been very popular because of the excellent content, which is developed by volunteers within the Council – it’s the knowledge sharing that really sets AEC apart. The third area has been in Industry Promotion. Starting in 2011, the AEC initiated marketing strategy to promote and educate designers, architects, specifiers, engineers, and academics about the benefits of using aluminium extrusions. And, the programme is beginning to find traction. To date, this programme has generated more than 5,000 inquiries – 2,000 in the last eight months! DC: This question speaks to the true mandate and scope of all of the work that is done by the AEC. One of the industry’s greatest strengths is the fact that it is a very entrepreneurial and fragmented industry. This is also one of its greatest weaknesses. As with most industries, the aluminium extrusion industry in North America is faced with its share of challenges. Two of the most significant are the competition for applications against other materials such as vinyl, specialty steels, etc., and illegally imported aluminium extrusions from China that threatens to displace domestic production. Both of these threats are backed by large, well-funded organisations that make for a lop-sided playing field when faced with the fragmented North American industry. The role of the AEC is to pull the industry players together and provide a collective July/August 2014
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voice and actions that are capable of combating these threats in a way that no one extruder would be capable of doing. The AEC also is working with companies that supply many end uses to educate the designers and engineers in these markets of the benefits of using aluminium as a material – and extrusions as a process – as an alternative in their design solutions. This includes website information, educational courses focused on designers and engineers and visibility at appropriate industry forums such as trade shows. In order to survive and flourish in today’s business environment, each individual business must stay abreast of the latest techniques and processes in order to maintain competitiveness and continue to be an attractive option for product designers. Again, because the North American industry is made up of many small- to medium-sized businesses, most do not have the wherewithal or resources to provide the necessary training to stay ahead of the curve in terms of processes and quality. Again this is a service that has become a key role of the AEC. The Council provides regular web-based, as well as classroom training and education, which are being heavily used by its members. The foundation and continued support for the AEC is due to its role of pulling our fragmented industry together and creating services that provide the opportunity to build a strong, sustainable and viable future for the industry and all of its individual players that choose to avail themselves of these services. RM: AEC has numerous programmes to help member companies improve their business performance. We want all member companies to be excellent at serving the markets. Through the performance of our individual companies we will have a greater chance of becoming the material and technology of choice for various applications and products. This is good for our industry. AEC has exciting initiatives designed to develop and expand markets for aluminium extrusion and to promote our material. Looking at the long term, we are working with academic institutions to educate future engineers and designers on the various benefits and considerations of the use of aluminium extrusions. 7. Is there room for innovation within the aluminium extrusion industry? If so, where?
JH: Yes, as evidenced by our Industry Promotion efforts. As previously mentioned, automotive and other transportation applications are very popular. The combination of light weighting and strength are resonating in these industries. We also believe
applications in the renewable energy sector have great potential. This is especially the case in mounting systems. During the first phase of the build-up of solar in the US, it seems steel systems won. However, we are convinced that as the complete value proposition of aluminium is communicated and understood, aluminium extrusions will win. Another area of note is in the electrical space. LED lighting, thermal management systems, electrical conductors, and a whole range of applications previously using steel and/or copper are taking a look at aluminium, and extrusions in particular. RM: There is as much opportunity for innovation in our industry as in any high tech industry that is out there. Innovation comes in many forms. We continue to innovate on our process to drive efficiencies. We are in a competitive business and must constantly strive for cost and quality improvements. Our material and processes have incredible versatility, which creates exceptional opportunities to innovate around products and applications. GC: Absolutely, as innovation in the aluminium extrusion industry can take various forms: Market penetration through product improvements and cost reductions, product development through line extensions, market development using existing products and capabilities on new applications and markets, and also when new products and capabilities are introduced to the market. It is impossible to list the many thousands of aluminium parts and products already produced by extrusions and considering the physical and economical advantages of aluminium extrusions, we can only expect more innovation to occur. TS: There is not only room for innovation but it is critical for our industry. We live in such a commodity-focused world that innovation is one of the few differentiators. As companies do so, we have to be careful what it does to our cost, living in a commodity world. 8. How is the AEC working to promote sustainability in this area of the industry?
JH: In the US, the Aluminum Association has done a great job of developing and communicating the sustainability message. The life cycle analysis of the aluminium industry is complete and available to the public…and it really highlights the excellent advantage that the aluminium industry has in this area. Extruders, through the help of the AEC, will look to extend that sustainability message, and what it means, into the markets they serve. Aluminium International Today
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30 EXTRUSION
RM: In our industry promotion initiatives we always promote the benefits of recycling. Since aluminium in infinitely recyclable it is obviously a key benefit. As part of our market development initiatives we take into consideration life cycle analysis. GC & LB: We believe that aluminium and aluminium extrusions define the word sustainability since over 75% of all aluminium produced since the 1850’s is still in use today. This statistic would have been even greater if producers and consumers would have made recycling a regular practice much earlier. However, in today’s environment, sustainability goes beyond the recycling benefits of aluminium extrusions; it also looks at the environmental impact of our products and manufacturing processes used to produced them. So what are we doing about it? We are moving to a point where having credible life cycle data will be a “ticket to admission” to important markets - initially B&C, then automotive, consumer durables, etc. The next step will be demonstrating improvements in energy utilisation and carbon generation over time, not just measuring them. Also, competitive materials recognise the inherent power of aluminium’s recycling/sustainability story and are aggressively working to undermine it - either through proprietary studies that utilise less credible methodology or by working with various groups to develop sustainability guidelines than marginalise aluminium’s advantages. In the US, much of the code/guideline work is carried out by associations rather than by government (no DINs), and often it is the larger, or better financed, groups that “win”. AEC is pursuing two strategies: to publicise what we know about aluminium’s (and extrusion’s) sustainability advantage, and the industry’s recycling performance and to enhance the knowledge of and develop strategies with the membership to improve their own sustainability data development and performance. 9. Is sustainability a big cause for concern in the aluminium extrusion industry?
JH: To the contrary! It is a fantastic story for aluminium, and particularly extruders. Considering that only 5% of the initial energy used to create aluminium is required to remelt it, and there is no loss of mechanical or performance properties, the sustainability story allows us to prove we are the “green” metal. RM: It is a bit of a double edge sword. From a market development stand point it is great. Aluminium offers significant July/August 2014
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advantages. A challenge is to properly promote this advantage through factbased analysis such as life cycle analysis. On the other side, the increasing demand of recycle puts pressure on the scrap markets and there is not enough scrap aluminium. There is a big need to promote recycling of all aluminium materials and to increase the availability of recycled aluminium. GC: Not really. In fact, our study will consist in an extension of previously released studies conducted on the primary and secondary sides of the aluminum industry. 10. How do you view the aluminium extrusion industry’s development over the short to mid-term?
JH: The US economy continues its slow and steady recovery. This combined with expanded uses in transportation and electrical applications should create positive growth for the industry in the short to mid-term. RM: We are in an improved market relative to a few years ago and we are seeing some renewed investment in capacity, technology and application development. Clearly in the automotive industry, there is substantial short and mid-term activity. The building and construction market is in a slow recovery. The Antidumping/ Countervailing Duty order that is in place in the US and in Canada is a high priority for the industry. The efforts by the industry to support and defend this order have been strong and consistent, and is a focus in the short and mid-term. LB: We have a great opportunity to improve knowledge of and understanding of extrusion and its properties by leveraging “halo” products in the auto world - est. Tesla’s highly successful Model S and Ford's forthcoming F-150, NA’s highest selling consumer vehicle. TS: Steady to modest growth with much of the industry following the same path as they have in the past. However I believe by addressing product and market needs we can chart an expanding course. 11. And long-term?
JH: It may come down to performance issues. If the extrusion industry shows itself to be a strong partner to automakers, then the long-term projections regarding extrusion consumption should develop. However, the opposite is equally true. The industry has certainly made the investment in equipment, processes, and people to rise to the opportunity, so now it’s an issue of execution.
12. Are there currently any research and development projects in place within the industry?
JH: Alloy development in the transportation sector is growing. Extruders are bringing alloying components, press practices, and downstream operations together to create part-specific performance specifications. 13. What are the big trends in value-added production and how are these affecting aluminium extrusions?
JH: Extruders continue to invest in downstream operations. We have seen a substantial increase in capital expenditures in fabrication and machining equipment. Manufacturers continue to look for more integrated partners. 14. What does the AEC have in store for the rest of 2014?
JH: 2014 is going to be a big year for the AEC. We are currently preparing for Aluminium Week, which will be held in Washington DC September 30-October 3. This year we will be co-locating with the Aluminum Association. We have also started planning for the Eleventh International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar & Exposition - ET ’16, which will be held in Chicago May 2-6, 2016. We expect to release the Call for Papers and open exhibit sales for the ET Expo this fall (details will be available at www.ET16.org). In the meantime, the AEC will continue to host webinars, conferences and workshops designed to enhance our members’ business excellence and promote the industry. RM: In our Industry Promotion initiatives, we have a strong focus on automotive but also other market areas as well. Overall we will participate in a number of tradeshows and have a number of webinars geared toward our customers. We continue to drive our programmes such as this year’s Die Clinics, the Finishing Workshop and the upcoming Process Optimisation Workshop to promote excellence for our member companies. Lastly and importantly, we have a total commitment to the support of fair trade and consequently, we have significant activity working through our legal counsel to defend the scope of the tariffs and to support the administrative review processes that are required by law.
Contact www.aec.org
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Pushing the limits of hot and cold rolling mills for aerospace products Here, two challenging projects are addressed with innovation, cooperation and coordination. By T. Settimo* and S. Adragna*
This article looks at the engineering and supply of one innovative, multifunction, all-in-one double-stand rolling mill for hot plates, hot coils and cold sheets and a cold rolling 6-high mill capable of processing coils of up to 2,800mm wide for KamenskUralsky Metallurgical Works (KUMZ) (pictured right), the Russian aluminium producer, to fulfil the emerging requirements of the aviation and transport industry. The double-stand hot rolling mill
At the heart of this integrated aluminium processing facility is a new combination plate and hot strip mill. It is a 1+1 hot strip mill with roughing stand and finishing mill in twin coiler configuration to produce 4,300mm wide aluminium plate, 2,800mm wide aluminium strip, and 3,500mm wide cold-rolled sheet: Hot-rolled plate: Plate thickness Plate width Plate length
10 - 300mm 1,100 - 4,300mm 4.0 - 33.0m
Hot-rolled sheet: Sheet thickness Sheet width Sheet length
10 - 30mm 1,100 - 3,500mm 4.0 - 10.0m
Hot-rolled coil: Strip thickness Coil width Coil I.D. Coil O.D. Coil weight
3.0 - 10.0mm 1,000 - 2,800mm 610mm Max. 2,600mm Max. 25.0t
Cold-rolled sheet: Sheet thickness Sheet width Sheet length
1.5 - 25m 1,100 - 3,500mm 8.0 - 13.0m
The 4-high reversing roughing mill is outfitted with advanced technological features developed for aluminium rolling, including but not limited to electromechanical screwdowns, Work roll bending and top BUR balancing.
The Hydraulic Adjustment Gap Control (HAGC) makes it possible to reach a maximum rolling force of 80,000 kN. Each housing is estimated at 500t of high-quality cast steel, engineered as a four-piece arrangement - two uprights and two crossbars bolted together - that is an optimal configuration both for delivery to the work site and construction. The Twin Drive System (2x7,000kW) is equipped with the latest-generation of DanJoint slipper-type spindles in order to guarantee both the transmission of the very high torques and the immediate market demand for material flatness requirements and surface quality. A vertical edger and the turning table upstream from the mill stand ensure the production of the most flexible product mix to feed the line’s three different hot up-cut heavy shears, each one with different special features to cut plates from five to 160mm thick thanks to the most advanced and special technology of DanCut Single & Double rake blades. Each shear is directly interfaced with a dedicated and fully automatic plate stacking unit, supplied by Danieli Special Cranes and managed by Danieli Automation control system. For the production of coils up to 2,800mm wide, the roughing mill stand is arranged with a direct feed to a four-high reversing finishing mill, with systems for
positive double-jack heavy bending and work roll axial shifting, as well as Optimised Shaped Roll (OSR), i.e. the Danieli solution for variable crown control, in addition to the features already mentioned for the roughing mill stand. The maximum rolling force of 60,000kN is combined to a single-drive system of 9,000kW, equipped with DanJoint oillubricated gear spindles for the highest performances. This project represents a real challenge for the Danieli team as the finishing stand has to roll both types of hot coils as well as cold sheets down to 1.5mm. In order to achieve this target, the finishing area will be equipped with a specific material handling solution for on-line sheet uploading and downloading. Furthermore, the stand will be equipped with a kerosene-based, dedicated coolant system (for cold rolling) in addition to the “conventional” selective work-roll coolant system with water-oil emulsion (for hot rolling), with different selectable cooling patterns. The new mill, with the automatic material handling system is designed to ensure minimum idle times and optimal strip surface quality. The eco-friendly orientation also is reflected by the adoption of the efficient DAN ECO2 filtering and cleaning system, as well as DAN PURITY coolant plate and rolling oil
*Project Director, Danieli Wean United **Project Manager, Danieli Wean United July/August 2014
Aluminium International Today
34 AEROSPACE
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Innovative hot and cold finishing mill stand 3D model.
Automatic plate and coil handling equipment for minimising down time.
World widest 6-high cold rolling mill with Danieli ‘Diamond mill stand’.
filters and recovery system. The plant will be completed with all the related auxiliary facilities, including but not limited to fume exhaust collecting and filtering system, hydraulic lubrication and grease system, CO2 firefighting system, and all related media. The rolling line will be fully controlled and operated by the L1 and L2 automation systems supplied by Danieli Automation. All high-tech components and equipment will be manufactured, preassembled and tested at the Danieli workshops at Buttrio (Italy) and the preassembly of the main machines will be managed with the thorough cooperation of Danieli Fröhling, Meinerzhage. The 6-high cold rolling mill
To extend the limits even further, downstream of the hot rolling mill there is reportedly the world’s widest 6-high cold rolling mill, fitted with an advanced 6-high single-stand cold rolling ‘Diamond Mill’. The mill being supplied is of particular note in that it will produce coiled flat sheet up to 2,800mm wide for aerospace applications, in thicknesses from eight down to 0.2mm. The 6-high design of the Diamond Mill is up to this technological challenge and will equip KUMZ to roll an extensive assortment of strip products, encompassing a broad range of widths and thicknesses as well as a wide variety of alloy steels, including military aerospace products, to address KUMZ’s current and future requirements. The key technological features of the mill July/August 2014
Plant for semi-finished products in Al-Mg-based and Al-Li alloys.
required for this project include a 6-high stand with intermediate roll dynamic shifting, using parallel rolls; advanced mill stand stabilization for the roll stack across a wide range of material parameters and rolling phases; Danieli’s HI-RES coolant spray design with constant stand-off distance and electrical valves to regulate the 26-mm pitched spray nozzles across the entire strip width, coupled with Hot Edge Sprays (HES) covering the strip edge, with all systems installed in automatic closed-loop control for ease of operation while providing the highest level of strip flatness performance; DAN ECO2 fume cleaning and coolant recovery system to ensure the most stringent emission standards are achieved with reduced operating costs obtained by the recovery of the rolling oil; DAN PURITY coolant plate filter to ensure improved process performance and product quality with the additional benefit of extended coolant life; Danieli Automation’s HiPAC TCS, dynamic model-based Level 2 system, Level 1 electrics; coil handling by pallet conveyor system linked to a coil preparation station, coil inspection station and high bay storage system; Innoval process and product support. As for the hot mill, also for the cold mill, all equipment is being supplied from Europe and all technological parts are manufactured in Danieli’s European workshops. KUMZ is located in the Urals, and is one of the largest material processing companies in Russia. It was founded in 1944 as a manufacturer of semi-finished
products in aluminium-, magnesium-based and aluminium-lithium alloys. Today, KUMZ supplies high-quality aluminium plates, a wide variety of extruded products (rods and bars, profiles of different shapes and wide railway extruded panels, as well as aluminium tubes and drill pipes). KUMZ also specialises in forged materials, supplying die forgings, hand forgings, rolled rings, forged plates and bars to aerospace, military and automotive industries. Proof of KUMZ’s quality standards and excellence can be found in their qualification as an aerospace supplier to Boeing and Bombardier. In this context of close cooperation, the hot and the cold mills are designed to push the limits of current technical and technological solutions to set new standards in the aluminium industry. The all-in-one hot and cold double-stand hot rolling mill will start delivery in the second half of 2014, by which time the widest 6-high cold mill will have begun producing alloys of series 1xxx, 2xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx & 8xxx (Al-Li). Designing and building the KUMZ Hot Mill to function also as a cold mill, and to design and manufacture the world’s widest 6high cold mill capable of rolling 2,800-mm wide coils, calls upon all experiences, from Russia with KUMZ’s on-field experience and from Danieli’s many worldwide knowledge centers (Danieli Wean United, Danieli Fröhling, Danieli Innoval, Danieli Automation, Danieli Engineering Systems and Danieli Hydraulics) cooperating to achieve excellence. Aluminium International Today
What about your casthouse maintenance costs? Vedani Carlo Metalli chose Fives Solios’ Genios to stir and cast metal
Genios is a versatile electromagnetic technology capable of stirring the bath, transferring and casting molten metal all by a single unit. VCM achieved its objectives in terms of metal quality improvement, safety and productivity while reducing investment. Furthermore, operating and maintenance costs were drastically reduced, resulting in a return on investment from the first year of operation. Genios can be used for new or retrofit projects. Fives Solios, designing today the aluminium plants of the future www.fivesgroup.com
Driving progress
36 AEROSPACE
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Even in the face of competition from composites, the lightness, durability and characteristically sustainable nature of aluminium, even when chemically altered, are quickly being recognised by aerospace players as financially and environmentally beneficial to their bottom line. By Constellium
Aerospace plate
A return to metal: Aluminium in aerospace While composites are well known for lightweight capabilities, a “return to metal” has recently occurred in the aerospace industry, reintroduced in the form of lightweight aluminium alloys. This property is particularly attractive for the needs of the aerospace industry, where rising fuel costs are pushing aircraft manufacturers to embrace lighter metals for use in construction. This solution of lightweighting through aluminium can reduce an aircraft’s weight up to 25%, which in turn provides cost savings for airlines and significant sustainability gains. “The main benefit of lightweighting is the decrease in operational costs for airlines,” explains Bruno Chenal, Research and Development (R&D) Director at Constellium. “Fuel consumption for an airline represents 30 to 40% of its costs, and when you reduce an aircraft’s weight, the total operational cost becomes significantly less.” The end result: This decrease in operational costs frees up additional cash for airlines to spend on other business needs, such as improving aircraft efficiency or investing in more advanced aircraft technology. In a world where there is increasing pressure on businesses to reduce their carbon footprints, aluminium lightweighting also provides substantial environmental benefits. Lighter aluminium aircraft carriers produce significantly less CO2 emissions, and can save a single airline up to 9000 tons of kerosene each year. Durability
While other metals naturally corrode over time through exposure to oxygen and July/August 2014
other elements, aluminium metal resists the effects of oxidisation and erosion over time through specifically engineered alloys. In the aerospace industry where aircraft carriers are constantly subjected to the stresses of fatigue corrosion, aluminium becomes a rather attractive alternative construction material for manufacturers. The metal’s durability ultimately minimises the need for aircraft maintenance, and extends the life cycle for each aircraft. Sustainability
A third unique beneficial property of aluminium is its infinite recyclability, making aluminium a more sustainable metal than its aerospace counterparts not just in repurposing old planes, but in recyclability of all bi-product scrap metal created during construction. This, in turn, benefits the environment as well as the airlines bottom line through increased energy savings over time. Aluminium recycled in the secondary metal market requires less than 10% of the energy necessary to produce primary metal. The benefits of aluminium’s sustainable nature don’t stop here. When the metal is subjected to slight chemical property adjustments through lithium alloying, it has the ability to become less dense and more rigid without compromising the integrity of its recyclability. The process, known as an Al-Cu-Li solution, can only be achieved though through precise chemical processes, as too much lithium can actually make processing more difficult and may even decrease the damage tolerance of the resulting metal. Constellium has invested more than 15
years and €52 million to overcome the technical barriers and preconceptions that have now made Al-Cu-Li solutions a reality. Through material engineering, the company has developed its signature AIRWARE aluminium alloy to correspond to the sweet spot in the Al-Cu-Li domain. The alloy, which is easy to process and manufacture, produces recyclable products with tailored property balances. In the end, AIRWARE is designed to allow aircraft manufacturers to save on energy costs through less fuel use and recyclability, freeing up funds for alternative investments. Looking to the future
New aluminium alloys like AIRWARE are the latest in what is an unlimited opportunity for innovation and application of the metal. “We are just at the beginning of the AIRWARE story,” says Bruno. “In April, we committed to building two new casthouses in our Issoire plant to accelerate the production and recycling of AIRWARE in order to meet accelerating demand.” As a testament to its growing impact on the aerospace industry, AIRWARE has already been selected in aerospace’s leading programs, both existing and developing, including Airbus’ A350 XWB, Bombardier’s CSeries, and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Launcher. Constellium’s focus remains on the constant development of processes and technologies to make aluminum even more financially friendly, greener and imperative for the aerospace industry. Contact www.constellium.com
Aluminium International Today
MIDDLE EAST FOCUS 37
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Questions for Qatalum Q. How are things going at Qatalum currently? A. Our recent performance has been very good. We surpassed the 2013 target laid out in the Qatalum Improvement Programme (QIP), which aims to reduce our cash cost of aluminium production by US$150 tonne over the next five years – by 50%. We also achieved an industry wide benchmark in HSE results, as part of our ongoing mission towards zero harm. Production remains above nameplate capacity and ongoing ISO certification further endorses Qatalum’s high quality premium aluminium worldwide. Q. What are your views on the current state of the global aluminium industry? A. There will be market challenges over 2014, specifically new smelter projects in China and GCC coming into operation over the coming year, which are expected to enter the market and have a negative impact on LME. However, in early April we saw a positive price indication due to an improved balance between actual production and consumption. Q. What are the big issues affecting the primary aluminium industry today? A. The stockpiling of global aluminium stocks. The production overcapacity is still present and the low prices for aluminium. Q. How is Qatalum working to develop the aluminium industry in the region? A. Qatalum joined the Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC) so that it could share its competence between the GCC smelters. Therefore, Qatalum actively participate in joint sessions within areas from HSE to Communications. Q. What products are proving the most lucrative at present and where do you see the most growth? A. Automotive applications are most promising. Although, before Qatalum sold Primary Foundry Alloys to the sector, we have seen a healthy increase in the demand for Qatalum’s Extrusion ingots from the same industry. The ISO/TS 16949 certification has helped cement Qatalum’s Aluminium International Today
Casthouse as a supplier of choice and is reflected by more than 50% of its production going to the automotive sector. Q. How quickly has Qatalum responded to ‘green politics’ in terms of helping to make the production process more environmentally friendly? A. At Qatalum we try in every step of our production process to reduce and minimise our impact on the environment. We are keenly aware of the importance and value of our planet and its environment and we refuse to compromise on its health and long-term sustainability. Qatalum has a no waste policy and is owned within the plant by all employees. Waste is either recycled within the plant or the industrial city. Last year, Qatalum, alongside Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro, opened the Hydro Green Energy Lab – a new research and test facility, which aims to help achieve energy and emission neutral buildings in Qatar and the Middle East. Qatalum is also a founding member of the Qatar Green Building Council, which aims to increase awareness and knowledge of green building practices, building capacity of industry professionals through on-going professional development and research. Its efforts extend to supporting the adoption, legislation & implementation of green building practice and standards. Q. Qatalum recently reported that it has recorded the best Rectiformer efficiency levels in the world, how was this achieved? A. Rectiformer efficiency at Qatalum has set a global smelter benchmark. The Rectifier Team have, since start up, been able to achieve a very high uptime of the rectifiers without any loss of kA in the potlines. This achievement is based on high competence among the members and systematic development of the maintenance plans. They have implemented a culture of continuous improvement supported by Reliability Centre Maintenance (RCM) and Qatalum Production System (QPS) tools. This way of working will secure a stable operation at the lowest cost possible for years to come,
not just with the Rectiformers but in all applications wherein QPS is applied. Q. What is next on the ‘green agenda’ for Qatalum? A. The 2013 Sustainability Report is about to be released which is available for public viewing. One particular green objective that Qatalum is working on is the relining process, which is critical in aluminium manufacturing. The Spent Pot Lining at Qatalum, usually a by-product either buried in landfills or treated at high cost, will be reused at a couple of the industries in Qatar. Arrangements and MOUs are being signed with the steel and cement industries to use the by-product in their production processes. This reduces the otherwise huge amounts of waste from going to landfills and the cost of treatment. It also provides the other industries with substantial savings when getting some of their raw materials from neighbouring Qatalum rather than faraway places. Q. How does Qatalum deal with process scrap? A. In regards to process scrap, Qatalum has introduced conversion service only for its own customers in Qatar and later to the GCC as of January 2014. This enables Qatalum’s clients to send their quality scrap back to Qatalum for recycling. Q. What are the big trends in valueadded production and where is Qatalum leading the way? A. As Tom Petter Johansen, CEO of Qatalum, said at a seminar in Doha last year, “At Qatalum we produce approximately 630,000 tons of value added premium aluminium products every year. The aluminium we produce is used in buildings, cars, and a wide range of other products, ending up with end customers in all parts of the world.” Q. Where do you see the most innovation in terms of production technologies – primary, secondary, or further downstream? A. Definitely downstream with the use of aluminium in transport applications and energy efficient buildings. July/August 2014
38 MIDDLE EAST FOCUS
Q. Do you see Qatalum as an innovator within the industry? A. Innovation for Qatalum is to use best available technologies and consistently improve on their application through the use of the Qatalum Production System. One such example is Qatalum’s use of pot cover handlers attached to the automated Pot Tending Machines. This was specified to the manufacturer by Qatalum as a requirement and over time the maintenance team have refined the feature to work effectively in Qatalum’s potrooms reducing local emissions – a world’s first. Q. Are there any research and development projects currently in place? If so, what are these for? A. Qatalum’s owners have collectively seen great potential in the technology at use within the plant. Therefore several R&D projects are under way simultaneously. There is the sponsorship of the University Chair for the topic of aluminium technology – Its purpose is to educate students about the metal and technology and provide an avenue towards further employment. Currently both professors employed by Qatalum are actively pursuing research projects at the Centre of Advanced Materials (CAM), based in Qatar
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University. Research activities under CAM’s dominion focuses on common technologies that can be applied across the material spectrum, material behaviour and application, resource utilisation and material functionality. Downstream applications for aluminium cladded sustainable buildings are being tested on site at the smelter. Q. In your opinion, is primary aluminium production in Western Europe no longer economically viable – or increasingly less so? A. There is going to be a struggle in continental Europe due to high power prices, however Norway and Iceland will most likely have a sustainable future due to excess power at competitive prices. The cost level in general will however be a challenge to the regional smelters. Q. If you had to predict the future shape of the global aluminium industry, would you envisage primary production increasingly concentrated in the Gulf? A. There is certainly growth potential in the Gulf. But as a global aluminium cluster the Gulf’s biggest opportunity will be in downstream industries for years to come.
Q. How do you view Qatalum’s development over the short-to-midterm in relation to the global aluminium industry? A. Qatalum is established as a very cost competitive smelter, which is successfully striving to lower its cash cost further. We are a reliable ISO certified global supplier of premium aluminium products and our location in the Gulf allows us to access all global markets with relative ease. So these factors contribute to allowing us to grow our business and become one of the most competitive smelters in the world. Q. What does Qatalum have in store for 2014/2015? A. The course charted for the future is much the same as in 2013. Continual improvement of performance is key. That equates to performance in HSE, cost reduction and sustainability. Our aim is to become a top global smelter without compromising on our qualified workforce and the values set out in our management directives. Contact Qatalum www.qatalum.com
4
ALUMINIUM 2014 7 – 9 Oct 2014 | Messe Düsseldorf 10th World Trade Fair & Conference www.aluminium-messe.com
Organised by
July/August 2014
Partners
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MIDDLE EAST FOCUS 39
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Balexco: Company update Q. The company operates four presses with a total capacity of 33,000 tonnes per year. Do you have plans to add a fifth press and if so what will be the increase in the capacity? A. Currently, no, we do not have space. In the near future, maybe in 3 years time we will add a fifth press line as per the demand generated in the market. This way we expect to increase the capacity by another 8000 tons to make it about 40,000 tons per year. Q. In 2012 a new anodising line with an annual capacity of 6,000 tonnes was installed, replacing a 4,000 tonnes per year facility. Are you increasing the anodising capacity further and if so by how much and when? A. Not at the moment. We will add more colour anodised in the near future. Once the 4th tank comes into operation, we will be able to increase the production to a maximum. A good production is dependent upon product mix with medium and heavy profiles. Once the plant is operational 24 hours with four tanks in operation with the required manpower to run for 24 hours and 30 days in a month, we will achieve the planned capacity of the plant under ideal conditions. Q. Is the remelting and casting plant with a capacity of 12,000 tonnes annually also being expanded? A. We have a plan to revamp the plant. Also we are planning to separate casting (remelt) operation through a joint venture setup, to focus in our excursions operation. Q. There is also a 6,000 tonnes per year powder coating line. Do you have plans to expand this and if so by how much and when? A. Actually, the powder coating plant has a capacity to produce around 450 tons per month. The production for the year 2012 was 4646 tons and the production for the year 2013 until November is 3790 tons. So our average is close to 400ton/month. We can achieve a higher rate of production provided we will have a better product mix with medium and heavy profiles. Our effort is continuous to increase the productivity and production. For an expansion plan, we will go for Aluminium International Today
vertical powder coating to have a capacity of about 8,000 tons additional. That might start in 2015. Q. Balexco has a facility for special fabrication work. Have there been any interesting products fabricated recently and for whom? A. Our special fabrication is limited to special products, which can be provided by Aluminium fabrication in Bahrain e.g. poles for lights and flags, thermal break, telephone cabins etc. As you know, we don’t want to compute with our downstream client, we believe this is a conflict of interest. Currently we continue in the same line, beside fabrication of our internal requirements. Q. Have you completed the wastewater treatment plant? What is the capacity of the plant? A. Yes, the plant has been completed; we are in the final stages and will operate it in the 1st Quarter 2014. Q. Which business sector accounted for the highest percentage of sales compared to total sales and which sector came second? A. The architectural sector comes first and the industrial sector comes second. Q. Your systems include Balexco 60 curtain wall, the 45/45i casement series and the 100 sliding series. Overall, which system proved the most lucrative? A. We do not split the income based on Curtain Wall, Sliding or Casement series. We take all under Balexco System. Yet we can still say that our 100/45 series is doing exceptionally well compared to Balexco Curtain Wall. Q. How is the new Balexco luxury system performing? If it is doing well what is the reason and in which geographical market is it enjoying most sales? A. We are getting enquiries from customers. It is expected that it will do well in Kuwait, Qatar & the UAE market beside Bahrain’s Market. It is a luxury product and caters to a small segment of the market where the emphasis is on high performance.
Q. Do you plan to introduce new systems and what potential do you see for them? A. We plan to introduce a Unitised Curtain Wall System since at present we have a stick system, which caters to a height of about 80 metres. The new system will be applicable to a height of about 150 metres. We also plan to install a state-ofthe-art Thermal Break Assembly Machines. Revamping of our existing presses is also underway. We believe after the completion of all this we can cater to a wide variety of customers and provide one stop solutions to their needs. Q. Taking all Balexco sales into account, what was the sales value in 2013 vs 2012? (Answer in table below) Year
Sales percentage
Exports market
2012
70%
GCC
and
25%
Bahrain
2013
5%
Other regions
Q. What are the challenges you face and what is Balexco’s growth strategy? Are you optimistic about 2014 and if you are what are the reasons for your optimism? A. Challenges that we face are: • Increased competition in the aluminium downstream: The segment is anticipated due to additional capacities coming to the market. • The big increase of price in premium aluminium from the metal supplier ALBA is another factor, which may effect the profitability. • Payment problem especially from the stock list. • Saudi Causeway problem might also be a concern. Yet we are optimistic for the year 2014 on account of revamping and overhauling our presses and we have: • Well established market share • Quality product; internationally certified • Experienced staff Contact www.balexco.com.bh
July/August 2014
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VI Inter International rnational Congresss and Exhi Exhibition NON-FERROUS TALS A & METALS MET MINERALS
NON-FERROUS N ON N FERROU N-FERR US METALS MET AL S MINERALSS M MINERAL &
Krasnoyarsk Russia
15-18 15-18 September 2014
The Congress program includes: XX Conference “Aluminium of Siberia” X Symposium “Gold of Siberia” Non-Ferrous VIII Conference “Metallurgy of Non-Fer rous and Rare Metals” Mining and Geology Conference
Congr Congress ess Sections
Exhibition Subjects
sources of non-ferrous non-ferrous and pprecious recious metals • Mineral and raw materials sources Current technologies of mineral raw materials extraction • Current production • Alumina and bauxite production roduction Non-ferrous and rar • Non-ferrous raree metals p production reduction technology • Aluminum reduction production • Silicon production Precious metals production production • Precious • Carbon and carbon materials non-ferrous metals and alloy • Casting of non-ferrous alloyss pressure metal treatment treatment • Thermal and pressure • Ecology, Ecologyy, economics, finances, finan projects in mining and metallurgy metallurgy projects
Sponsor Sponsorss
Official PR-partner
Organizing committee: +7(391) 269-56-47 nfmsib@nfmsib.com www.nfmsib.com www .nfmsib.com
Informational partner partnerss
• • • • • •
Raw and other materials ools TTools ooo and equipment Automated process process control control sy stems systems Equipment maintenance and rrepair epair ransport and logistics TTransport rra Ecology astes p rocessing and disposal, labor p rotection, Ecology,, w wastes processing protection, operational safety estment p rojects • Consulting, engineering, inv investment projects • Scientific inv estigations and innov ative R&D pprojects rojects investigations innovative
MIDDLE EAST FOCUS 41
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Interview with Said Al Masoudi CEO, Sohar Aluminium Q. What changes do we expect to see in the future compared to past years? A. Sohar Aluminium’s vision is “Passion for Excellence - Be the BEST” and I strongly believe in this vision. Our team worked on developing detailed action plan to move forward achieving our goal. Nothing is more rewarding to my team and I than high performance in Health and Safety. For this reason, we put a lot of emphasis on the shop floor interacting with our employee’s jobs observations and feedback. With lot of effort investigating every significant potential incident. Through the “State of the Plant” group sessions we have met all our employees communicating our vision and the path we need to follow to make our strategy a daily focus by everyone. Q. Any expansion plan, or change to product mix? A. During the last two years, Sohar Aluminium initiated an upgrade of the pot lining, improving current efficiency and operating amperage. The full deployment of these new state-of-the-art pots will be achieved by the end of the year. This will lead to new production levels for SA. The SA team will also optimise and improve the specific energy consumption of the potline and then reduce our aluminium cost per tonne and our environmental footprint. Meanwhile, we will continue to explore all opportunities for growth, including asset expansion scenarios. Equally important, SA shareholders in December 2013 approved a significant investment to support an amperage creep project to reach an operating level of 400kA in the coming years and boost production of primary aluminium by approximately 28,000 tonnes planned to be completed by 2019. Over the coming years SA will increase the percentage of liquid metal it supplies to Aluminium International Today
Oman Aluminium Rolling Company (OARC) as they ramp up their operations ensuring that SA contributes further to the development of downstream industries in Oman. Q. How is ‘Omanisation’ progressing? A. Local employment, training and developing skills are perhaps some of SA’s greatest contributions. Of around 1,000 direct jobs created by the smelter across its various divisions, 71% are held by Omanis primarily from the Al Batinah region. Underpinning SA’s successful Omanisation policy is the Sohar Aluminium Training Centre, which oversees a comprehensive program of training, from welding and technical courses through to safety, management and leadership training. Set up within the Sohar premises and established by SA, the Training Centre has won the plaudits of the Ministry of Manpower, meets international standards and offers courses for its employees from basic to more advanced levels. SA is currently in the final stages of approval of national accreditation of its Technical programs with the Ministry of Manpower. Moreover, SA is also working towards international accreditation through partnership with local and international institutions to provide routes for career development and professional recognition. Q. What are the key challenges Sohar Aluminium is facing? A. The current global economic situation is very challenging, especially in the aluminium industry where the LME price is at its lowest level since SA started its operation in 2009. In light of the reducing LME prices. SA has implemented LEAN management across its plant to bring about cost reduction while ensuring maximum availability of plant equipment.
The initiatives will also help us to predict failures and take corrective actions before they occur. We trust that within our team, we have the right set of skills and knowledge to achieve good results and maintain a leading position in our industry. Q. Community initiatives are Sohar Aluminium’s strong points, what drives this keen interest? A. One of SA’s main efforts is to work jointly with small enterprises to localise spending in line with the Government vision to establish and develop local businesses and creating more jobs for Nationals. As a result Sohar Aluminium managed to source 64% of its purchases from local vendors (excluding raw materials) mostly from Al Batinah region. Part of Sohar Aluminium’s Corporate Social Responsibility framework, SA board have committed 1.5% of the shareholders’ profit towards implementing sustainable projects for the benefit of the local community; these projects cover the education systems & establishments in the Al Batinah region; safety of the environment, social awareness programs and SMEs development within the region. Much of this funding and support are channelled through a collaborative arrangement under the name of “Jusoor” with other industries based at Sohar Port. This non-profit initiative is the first of its kind social investment foundation aiming to build sustainable social projects for the local communities and achieving value addition for Oman through social and economic development programmes. Contact Sohar Aluminium www.sohar-aluminium.com
July/August 2014
42 REVIEW
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Industry gathers in Iceland The 6th International Conference on Electrodes and Support Services for Primary Aluminium Smelters incorporating the 6th Rodding Conference was held on 13th - 15th May 2014. Nadine Firth* was in attendance Co-organised by Innovation Centre Iceland and Quartz Business Media (publisher of Aluminium International Today), the threeday conference was attended by more than 100 delegates from 15 countries and included presentations from industry experts and suppliers. The event took place in the Hilton Nordica Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland and delegates were able to enjoy the scenic surroundings, as well as take advantage of its close proximity to the city centre. Iceland Travel were also on hand to make sure that any delegates with a bit of spare time could enjoy trips out to view the natural wonders of Iceland. Conference
The keynote presentation was given by Barry Welch of Welbank Consulting and looked at how the design and production of carbonaceous electrodes match the 21st century requirements for the aluminium smelting industry. Other sessions focussed on modern rodding plants, anode butts and rod transportation, cleaning and recycling, cathode repair, increasing productivity while decreasing environmental impact, and industry trends. All presentations sparked great interest from the delegates and the question and answer sessions were lively and informative. A selection of the presentations given will be published in a dedicated supplement in the September/October issue of Aluminium International Today. This issue will also be available for free at the Aluminium 2014 show in Düsseldorf.
The conference will return to Iceland in May 2017, so we hope to see many more of you there next time! Please visit: www.rodding-conference.is for more details or contact Birgir Jóhannesson: birgirj@nmi.is to register your interest for next time.
Exhibition
Alongside the conference, there was a tabletop exhibition, which provided companies such as Mecfor, Sawnode, and VHE with a platform to present their services and products. Delegates were given the time to explore the exhibition during coffee and lunch breaks. Entertainment
Delegates were also treated to three reception evenings; one of which held at the VHE site included a comedy show on how to “Become Icelandic in 60 Minutes”. The final day also saw delegates taken on a tour of both the ISAL (Rio Tinto Alcan) and Nordural (Century Aluminium) smelters. July/August 2014
*Editor, Aluminium International Today Aluminium International Today
ALUMINIUM 2014 43
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Aluminium 2014:10th World Trade Fair and Conference The Aluminium World Fair is preparing for its 10th edition, to be held at the Messe Düsseldorf, halls 9 14, from 7th - 9th October 2014. The event provides an overview of the entire aluminium industry. It is the international meeting place for suppliers of raw material, semi-finished and finished products, surface treatment and producers of machinery, plant and equipment for aluminium processing and manufacturing. Light-metals trade, consultancy and expert opinions. Around 25,000 international trade visitors look for new solutions and technologies, not only from producers of the raw material but also processors, refiners, suppliers for the automotive or building industry e.g. producers of sections, suppliers of the latest technologies for e.g. extrusion, heat
treatment, casting, sawing or surface refinement. Conference
As the institutional patron of the trade fair, the GDA – the German Confederation of the Aluminium Industry will once again organise the Aluminium 2014 Conference, which accompanies the trade fair. Industry experts will give an overview of the future prospects of aluminium in a wide range of application markets across the two days in the CCD Ost. The programme features a total of five sessions, on a range of subjects including, among, others Automotive and Markets. The conference language is English.
ALUMINIUM 2014
Composites Europe 2014
Composites Europe will again be held in Düsseldorf at the same dates as Aluminium 2014. At the European Trade Fair for Composite Materials, more than 400 exhibitors will present trends in the field of reinforced plastics. With a total of 1,300 exhibitors, the two events transform the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre into one of the world’s largest lightweight construction forums. For trade fair visitors, passing from one fair to the other will be simplified: The Aluminium 2014 admission ticket is valid for both fairs. Contact www.aluminium-messe.com
STAND DETAILS
The following companies are exhibiting Hall 10 D24
Hall 10 G21
www.tenova.com
LOI Thermprocess GmbH, AM Lichtbogen 29, 45141 Essen/Germany
www.fivesgroup.com
Fives North American Combustion, Inc 4455 East 71st Street, Cleveland, OH 44105 USA
Hall 1 E01 Kampf Schneid - und Wickeltechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Muhlener StraBe 36-42, 51674 Wiehl, Germany www.kampf.de
www.mqpltd.com
www.grancoclark.com
Granco Clark, 7298 N. Storey Road, Belding,MI 48809, USA
Hall 10 A60 Josef Frohling Gmbh & Co.KG, Scherl 12, D - 58540 Meinerzhagen, Germany
www.danieli-froehling.de
MQP Ltd, 6, Hall Croft Way, Knowle, Solihull,B93 9EW
Hall 10 D16
Hall 10 G70
Hall 10 C33 Mechatherm International Ltd, Hampshire House, High Street, www.mechatherm.com West Midlands, DY6 8AW
Hall 9 I10
www.secowarwick.com
SECO/WARWICK Europe, UL. Swierczewskiego 76, 66-200 Swiebodzin, Poland
Hall 9 G15
aluminium@quartzltd.co.uk www.aluminiumtoday.com
To reserve your space in our Sept/Oct Aluminium 2014 show issue Please contact:Anne Considine anneconsidine@quartzltd.com +44 (0) 1737 855 139 Aluminium International Today
July/August 2014
44 PERSPECTIVES
www.aluminiumtoday.com
Aluminium trends In the global aluminium industry, Pyrotek is a recognised world-leader for equipment, consumables and consulting related to the refining, melting, processing and casting of molten aluminium. Q. What is your role at Pyrotek? A. Sales & Business Development for SNIF systems North America, Integrated Melting Systems Global, EMP systems North & South America. Q. You often give workshops and papers at conferences? What subject(s) do you focus on? A. Furnace systems & operations, Casthouse operation improvement.
Q. What trends have you seen in recent years in your field? A. Trends include improvements in refractory systems, combustion systems, there is a greater understanding of the importance of molten metal circulation systems and their importance. These circulation systems are advancing in terms of reliability, efficiency and providing options for gas/refining agent injection, molten metal transfer, etc.
injection and molten metal transfer. In addition, Pyrotek is developing new technologies for optimum metal yield from light gauge scrap, chips and turnings.
Q. What common questions do you receive or what common concerns do people have when you give these workshops? A. There is a great deal of interest in training furnace operators. There is also interest in improving areas of energy consumption, furnace efficiency and understanding and improving melt loss.
Q. What are the future trends in value-added production and where is Pyrotek leading the way? A. Pyrotek is leading in developments for smart pump technology in both mechanical and electromagnetic technologies: Metal level control using cutting edge technology and temperature measurement, process gas/refining agent
Q. If you know, how has Pyrotek responded to ‘green politics’ in terms of helping to make the production process more environmentally friendly? A. The Pyrotek circulation systems provide a lower carbon footprint for a given melting furnace by reducing energy consumption and improving efficiency.
SALE
Jim Grayson, Sales Manager
THE JOURNAL OF ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING
TODAY
Assets Immediately Available for Negotiation
A COMPLETE LITHOGRAPHIC ALUMINIUM SHEET PROCESSING LINE Production ended in Dec. 2012. Capacity: 70ktpa
MTBF: 64.5hours
Georg Lithographic Slitter Line: • Strip Gauge: 0.14-0.50 mm Incoming Sheet Width: 915-1950 mm • Incoming Coil Weight: 20 tones maximum • Incoming Coil OD: 1150-2440 mm • Incoming Coil ID (sleeve or fiber core): 508 mm • Finished Coil OD: 915-1800 mm • Finished Coil ID: 508 or 406 mm FEATURING: • Exit (Trimmed) Strip Width (total): BWG Lithographic Line: 860-950 mm • Capacity 70 ktpa • Minimum Strip Width: 250 mm • Strip Thickness Range: 0.10-0.50 mm, • Number of Cuts (Strips): max of 4 ± 5μm • Finished Coil Weight: 10 tones • Alloys &Tempers: 1050-H18, 1050-H19, max per rewind 3103-H16 and 3103-H26 • Target Production: 50,000 tons per • Unwind Diameter (min. - max.): annum LOCATION: Qinhuangdao, China
915-2440 mm • Entry (Untrimmed) Width(min. - max.): 900-1950 mm • Trim Width (min. - max.): 10-50 mm per side • Entry Coil Weight (excluding spool): 20 tones max • Exit Width (min. - max.): 850-1950 mm • Rewind Diameter (min. - max.): 915-2440 mm • Exit Coil Weight (excluding spool): 20 tones max • Speed (max.): Alcoa: 500mpm (Nameplate: 400mpm)
To view and submit offers, please visit:
http://tiny.cc/godove_Alcoa
July/August 2014
Forthcoming issues to reserve your advertising MONTH FEATURES
September/October • Primary – covers production of aluminium from ore – ie, alumina calcining; anode manufacture and rodding; power supply; pot room equipment; metal transfer; DC casting. • Environment – emissions control, sustainability, recycling green issues. • Rolling – flat products only – includes flat strip and foil mills; shape control; coolant & lubrication of rolls; roll preparation.
EVENTS
Show issue Aluminium 2014
MONTH
November/December
FEATURES
Georg Packing Line • Manual packaging with possibility of stretch wrap “banding” in future • Will handle coils from Litho line & Litho Slitter For further information, please contact:
FIONA XU Tel.: +86 21 6272 6246 or +86 138 1821 8697 Fax: +86 21 6272 6247 fiona.xu@liquidityservices.com
www.aluminiumtoday.com
EVENTS
FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES:
• Furnaces International Buyers Guide • Annual Yearplanner • Furnaces/Heat Treatment – reheat for slab and extrusion billet; induction & burner fired; solution & ageing; melting & holding. • Casthouse – billet and slab DC casters, pig casters; continuous casters, strip casters, alloying; metal filters; degassers; liquid metal level control. • Downstream Supplement ARABAL, Bahrain and IBAAS 2014, India
Anne Considine, Area Sales Manager, Tel 0044 1737 855139. Email anneconsidine@quartzltd.com Paul Rossage, International Sales Manager, Tel 0044 1737 855116. Email paulrossage@quartzltd.com
Aluminium International Today
Al
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