“Outotec is actively involved in providing solutions to the red mud problem, as well as in SPL treatment technologies” Manfred Beilstein, Director of Sales & Process Engineering, Outotec, Germany.

Outotec is a global leader in minerals and metals processing technologies, and has developed many breakthrough technologies over the decades. The company provides complete solutions for anode paste plants, rodding shops, carbon recycling, bath treatment, and casthouses, as well as plant upgrades.

Manfred Beilstein has over 30 years’ experience in the Aluminium industry, especially in anode paste plants and Rodding shops and currently serving as the Director of Sales and Process Engineering at Outotec, Germany. AlCircle team had interacted with Mr. Beilstein during Aluminium Middle East 2015 and he shared his input on Outotec’s services to the aluminium industry.

Excerpts from the interview:

AlCircle: Tell us in brief about the products and services that Outotec offers to the aluminium industry.

Mr. Beilstein: Outotec offers fully lifecycle process solutions and equipment for the production of Smelter Grade, Special or High Purity Alumina. These solutions cover the conventional Bayer Process which is used for Bauxite ores as well as other processes for non bauxitic ores like Nepheline.

For the primary aluminium smelting area, Outotec offers solutions for the carbon plant, covering green anode plant and carbon scrap recycling, anode handling and baked anode slot cutting in the anode baking plant, rodding shop, hot bath cooling and bath processing plant, as well as equipment in the metal casthouse.

AlCircle: As a supplier and service provider to the upstream aluminium sector, what is the USP that sets apart Outotec from the rest?

Mr. Beilstein: Outotec’s integrated alumina refinery design is based on the combination of the know-how and understanding of the entire process combined with state of the art proprietary equipment. This allows us to set benchmarks in regard to sustainability and optimized investment and operational cost. As an example we may mention our CFB calcination technology which has the lowest energy consumption in industry with values below 2.700 kJ/kg, as well as our recently developed red mud filtration plants which allow a dry disposal of bauxite residues with a reduction of the disposal area of up to 80% compared to the conventional disposal technology.

Through our strong service organization Outotec may further assist its client to keep their operation of new plants at planned production and availability levels or upgrade / retrofit existing plants to achieve best available performance. All these services are provided with the respective guarantees for implementation and process performance.

AlCircle: What is the significance of automation in primary smelting technology and how is Outotec contributing towards automation in the industry?

Mr. Beilstein: Automation is a means to reduce operating costs. In our process & plant engineering we focus on reducing the need for operating personnel, improving product quality and increasing plant availability.

AlCircle: As a supplier and service provider to the upstream aluminium sector, which is the biggest market for you at present?

Mr. Beilstein: Our major market in this instance is certainly the Middle East at the moment, and with some lag; India and China. Apart from China, the major recent primary smelting projects were in the Middle East, both Greenfield and brownfield.

AlCircle: What kind of strategic innovations are you coming up with for the primary aluminium smelting industry?

Mr. Beilstein: On the technology side, our innovations focus on enhanced digitalization. Whereas in regard to the Plant Service Concepts, we do see a strong potential, this is why Outotec is constantly investing in its service organization. With the acquisition of Kempe Engineering from Australia, Outotec has enhanced its product portfolio for the primary aluminium industry, especially in regard to life-cycle solutions, by incorporating Kempe’s service related businesses in Africa and the Middle East.

AlCircle: When you talk about sustainability, what according to you are the major liabilities for the aluminium industry?

Mr. Beilstein: A major liability in the alumina processing area is the treatment and processing of tailings from the Bayer-process, the so-called “red mud”, and secondly to bring down the energy and soda consumption of the plant as a whole. In the aluminium smelting area, the major liabilities are the treatment and inertization of SPL (spent pot lining), and here as well the reduction of energy consumption in the primary smelter. In addition to that, in my opinion, the recycling of aluminium needs to be intensified. Aluminium products, such as used beverage cans (UBC), are reasonably clean packing materials and they should not go into waste disposal land fill, not anywhere in the world!

Outotec is actively involved in providing solutions to the red mud problem, as well as in SPL treatment technologies.

AlCircle: What is your view on the Chinese primary aluminium industry? Do you think it is grabbing the market share of other primary producers around the world?

Mr. Beilstein: In my opinion, yes, it does! Primary production capacity in China is continuing to grow in a fast manner, soon approaching 50% of world capacity. And this, even though China is not at all ideally suited for primary aluminium production: high cost of energy, high proportion of coal-based energy generation, lack of sufficient, close-by alumina resources, smelters located far in-land and others. However, on the other hand the expansion of the Chinese aluminium industry partially follows rules and drivers which are different from the rest of the world, and therefore it is yet to be seen where the balance will come out to be.

AlCircle: Share with us your experience in Aluminium Middle East 2015.

Mr. Beilstein: The “ALUMINIUM Middle East 2015” exhibition certainly is a premier aluminium industry event in the Gulf region. Though – in my impression – this time the number of visitors from the the GCC smelters were less than in the 2013 event.

AlCircle: Do you believe that an exclusive online platform for aluminium like AlCircle can play a role in facilitating the growth of aluminium business worldwide?

Mr. Beilstein: Yes, I believe so. – AlCircle is efficiently trying to capture the entire aluminium value chain: bauxite & alumina, primary, down-stream, recycling. Thus it offers a great platform to anyone engaged in the aluminium industry to have immediate, up-to-date information on what is happening in the industry, build and continue personal networking, as well as follow up trends and future outlook.

Disclaimer: “The information presented herein is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The views and opinions shared in the interview section of www.alcircle.com are unique to the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of www.alcircle.com.”