The Canadian International Aluminium Conference (CIAC), scheduled to be held from June 2-4 in Montreal will create a platform for global experts to discuss the great opportunities for aluminium and aluminium industry, one that employs about 10,000 people in Quebec. These discussions will cover the new technologies for production and advanced manufacturing & processing including aluminium’s numerous applications, the present challenges and issues and future opportunities.
Since a long period of time, there has been a significant transition period in the aluminium industry. For example, China being quite new to the aluminium industry has already witnessed the supply of half of the total aluminium output from its plants. Emerging regions like Middle East are moving rapidly keeping behind the internationally ranked producers.
"As well as highlighting the issues of access to bauxite and competitive energy costs, the addition of new installations and new producers have contributed equally to accelerating the need for the industry to adopt best practices all throughout the life cycle of this material and always with long-term sustainability in mind," said Jean Simard, President and General-Manager of the Aluminium Association of Canada.
On one hand, with a view to compare and examine different market response in major regions in the world, the CIAC will be the experts to various host from the Aluminium Association of Brazil (ABAL), the Gulf Aluminium Council (Middle East), which represents the world’s 3rd largest aluminium production zone, the Boston Consulting Group, the best consulting firms in business strategies and leading international metals market analysts, CRU and HARBOR.
Other expert resources such as Concern Consultants in Germany, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) and Alcoa will discuss about responsible aluminium production as well as market responsiveness. Other topics that will be discussed are the dynamics of aluminium market, impact of accumulated inventories and the cost and price of structures of the metal.
Apart from issues relating to aluminium production, other expert panels will deal with questions of relief including use of the lightweight materials in the major structures and transportation. In addition, topics like additive manufacturing solutions for the present manufacturing technologies, impact of various market standards, adjustment of important industrial projects to the climate change as well as opportunities presented by new free trade agreement between European Union and Canada.
