Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) sponsors Mechatronics symposium

For the third consecutive year Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) sponsored the eighth International Symposium on Mechatronics and its Applications (ISMA) which was held at the American University of Sharjah from 10 to 12 April, 2012.

Mechatronics concerns the fusion of multiple engineering practices to create intelligent components to improve system performance. It is one of the most important emerging technologies that will help change the world in the future, and local students were able to hear from some of the leading experts in the field during the three-day event.

EMAL's President and CEO, Saeed Fadhel Al Mazrooei, said: "EMAL is delighted to continue its support of this international symposium. Mechatronics is one of the most important emerging fields of technology development in the world. It requires creative thinking and practical solutions, ideal for the type of processes, in which we operate within EMAL, where we continually strive to improve our performance."

VP, Projects of EMAL, Yousuf Bastaki, who made a speech during the opening session, said: "Those attending were able to hear from local and international experts, and actively participate in the symposium. Events such as ISMA are at the core of EMAL's long-term vision, as we invest today to reap benefits tomorrow. ISMA symbolises that quest for future improvement and helps to engage our future engineers for the exciting careers that projects such as EMAL can offer."

48 experts' papers were presented from 20 countries along with the presence of 20 engineers from the local industry. All students who attended the symposium received a signed certificate of participation and 30 of the students entered the competition related to the symposium.

EMAL is a state-of-the-art aluminium smelter complex supplying the world with high quality metal. The advanced smelter in Al Taweelah currently uses DX Reduction Cell Technology to produce 750,000 tonnes of aluminium annually. This will increase to 1.3 metric million tonnes by the end of 2014 upon completion of Phase II and the installation of the new generation DX+ Reduction Cell Technology to an additional 444 reduction cells, making it the largest single site smelter in the world. Early works on the estimated US$3.6 billion Phase II expansion began in early 2011. Combined with the US$5.7bn Phase I joint venture between Dubai Aluminium and Mubadala Investment Company, makes EMAL one of the largest industrial projects in the UAE outside oil and gas and one of the key projects leading the to diversification of the UAE's economy.

EMAL currently supplies over 200 customers around the globe with high quality ISO9000 certified aluminium which is available as sow, standard ingots, sheet ingots and extrusion billets. Sow and standard ingots are traded on the London Metals Exchange. An advanced infrastructure at the Al Taweelah site provides customers with guaranteed, reliable and sustainable production and distribution. The site currently includes a 2,000 MW power plant, which will increase to 3,000MW by 2014, carbon plant and flexible casthouse with a wide variety of world-class products. A purpose-built wharf at Khalifa Port shortens the supply chain of raw materials direct from sea to smelter.

EMAL uses the most sustainable technologies available worldwide to reduce emissions in line with Environment Agency Abu Dhabi requirements to minimise its carbon footprint.

EMAL has created 2,000 jobs with Emiratisation at the core of its employment strategy, which will rise to 3,000 upon completion of Phase II. The company has also introduced scholarship programs to provide technical training for local graduates with guaranteed job opportunities. EMAL's community engagement includes open days for the local community and support for social, sports and cultural organisations.

For further Information, please contact:
Rosine Feghali- Emirates Aluminium
Tel: 02 509 2290
Email: rosine@emal.ae

Nick Langmead, Impact Porter Novelli
Tel: 04 330 4030
Email: n.langmead@ipn.ae