GCC’s eminent aluminium players Alba and EGA sign MoU to explore production opportunities

On 31^st March 2022, the first aluminium smelter in the Middle East region which commenced its commercial operations in 1971, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the leader in global aluminium production, as well as one of the largest companies in the UAE to explore opportunities for further increase its production.

Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Board at Alba and His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the Vice Chairman of EGA witnessed the signing formalities of the agreement at Expo 2020 Dubai in the presence of EGA Board member Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali, EGA Chief Executive Officer Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Alba’s Chief Supply Officer Waleed Tamimi, Alba’s Chief Operations Officer Dr Abdulla Habib and EGA’s Executive Vice President Midstream Sergey Akhmetov.

The MOU undertakes that both the aluminium producers will seek avenues of cooperation to push production at Alba’s Potline 6 beyond its name-plate design capacity as well as explore using EGA technology and know-how in future expansions at the Alba smelter.

Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Board at Alba said: “This MoU cements our technology partnership with EGA, our partner of choice. We are pleased with the performance of EGA’s DX+ Ultra technology at Potline 6 and keen to work with EGA to further improve our Potline performance.”

“We are also excited to explore other opportunities to deploy EGA technological expertise at our smelter for the potential brownfield expansion of Potline 7, in another close cooperation between our two nations – the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.”

His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the Vice Chairman of EGA, added: “This agreement is in line with the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership to further deepen the brotherly relations between our two countries. Aluminium Bahrain was EGA’s first technology customer, in a landmark for the development of a knowledge-based economy in the UAE.”

“EGA looks forward to continuing to apply its technology expertise on a commercial basis to support its production ambitions. EGA’s goal is to be the technology supplier of choice in the Aluminium industry, with technology as a growing revenue stream for EGA as well as delivering competitive advantage for the company’s operations.”