Can Oklahoma reshape US aluminium supply? EGA’s Ziad Fares explains the project
As the US seeks to rebuild its domestic aluminium production capacity, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and Century Aluminum are advancing plans for a new primary aluminium smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, targeting more than 750,000 tonnes of annual production. In this exclusive conversation with AL Circle, Ziad Fares, Project Director for Oklahoma Primary Aluminum , discusses the project’s strategic rationale, progress towards a targeted construction start in early 2027, planned smelting technology, power and infrastructure requirements, investment considerations, and its potential impact on US aluminium supply chains. He also addresses environmental safeguards and stakeholder concerns. Fares brings more than 20 years of experience across engineering, strategy, finance, metals and mining, and...
The lower the aluminium content of the dross, the greater the aluminium recovery benefit RAME can achieve
In a recent conversation with AL Circle, Eric Lefebvre, Vice President of Business Development at Lefebvre Industri-AL, discussed the company’s approach to recovering and recycling aluminium residues and its role in advancing the circular economy. Based in Quebec, Lefebvre Industri-AL develops solutions, including RAME technology, that transform aluminium residues into reusable resources while helping producers reduce their environmental footprint and improve operational efficiency. With extensive experience in the industrial sector, Lefebvre works with aluminium producers, technology partners and other industry stakeholders to develop strategic partnerships and expand markets. His approach focuses on turning the industry’s environmental challenges into economically viable opportunities...
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“EnPot can have a positive impact on aluminium smelters’ carbon footprint; particularly those that have access to variable renewable electricity but struggle to take advantage of it because of its variability,” Karyna Young, CEO of EnPot
Karyna Young is associated with EnPot since inception in 2016 and now serving the company as Chief Executive Officer from early 2021. EnPot is an innovative new technology that fundamentally changes the way smelters use energy to produce aluminium. Karyna started her career as a commercial lawyer and finance company director in both New Zealand and Australia. In addition to leading EnPot, she is the CEO of Yunca Group, a manufacturing and engineering business and supplier to the global aluminium industry. We are extremely delighted to have her with us in our “European Aluminium Industry Focus 2022” e-Magazine, and here is an excerpt from her interview. AlCircle: EnPot technology enables smelters to vary their energy usage to better match electricity price fluctuations. Could this help...
“We have been shocked and appalled by the events in Ukraine and we have publicly expressed our desire for an early end to the conflict”, Roman Borisov, Sales Director for EMEA at Rusal
Roman Borisov is the Sales Director for Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) of Rusal with more than 15 years of commercial leadership experience in the aluminium industry. In his role, Roman is responsible for Value Added Product and Low Carbon Aluminium sales across the region, supporting key vertical markets including Automotive, Packaging, Construction and Energy Transition. AlCircle: How would you rate Rusal’s performance for 2021 and envision the year 2022? Mr Roman Borisov: In general, 2021 was a very solid year for RUSAL. The Company showed resilience in withstanding the COVID-19 pandemic and various challenges particular to the aluminium industry. We supported our clients around the globe, providing flexibility and options required to absorb the supply chain disruptions, and...
“In South Africa, among the various industrial sectors, packaging is the current major aluminium demand driver”, Mr Muzi Manzi, Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Federation of South Africa (AFSA)
Mr Muzi Manzi is the Chief Executive Officer of AFSA and is responsible for the management and governance of the Federation. He is also a member of the AFSA Board of Directors, responsible for development and implementation of the South African Aluminium Industry Roadmap (SAAIR). One of the deliverables of the SAAIR is to elevate the local industry to become competitive to be able to double local aluminium demand and ultimately for the country to become a net exporter of value-added aluminium products. Muzi Manzi, a qualified Metallurgical Engineer and MBA, has an extensive experience in the aluminium industry, especially related to policy development and stakeholder engagement. Being an integral part of the aluminium industry, especially in South Africa, he has shared his projections...
“The unfortunate situation with Russia and Ukraine will also affect our industry and we are waiting to see how the various sanctions will further impact our occidental clients”, Eloise Harvey, CEO of EPIQ Machinery.
Born in Montreal, Éloïse Harvey obtained her Bachelor of Engineering & Management from McMaster University (Hamilton, ON). In 1999, Éloïse joined Mecfor (equipment manufacturer), the youngest of the four companies in the family group (Ceger) as a Technical Sales Representative. Over the years, her dynamism and her vision for business development led her to work her way up within the growing organization. Indeed, from 12 employees and 2 million in turnover when started, Mecfor saw its number of employees and its volume multiply by 10 during the first twenty years of Éloïse's career. In 2018, Éloïse and a group of a few operator partners bought Mecfor from Ceger. The arrival of a patient financial partner who invests in the long term represents the first step towards an aggressive program...
“EGA plans to build a 150,000 tonnes per year aluminium recycling facility, which will be our first and the largest of its kind in the UAE”, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium
Abdulnasser Ibrahim Saif Bin Kalban is Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). Before he was appointed CEO in 2020, Mr Bin Kalban had served as an Alternate Board Member of EGA since May 2017. He is a member of EGA’s Technical and Project Committee and its Finance and Commercial Committee. However, he also sits on the Board of Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), EGA's bauxite mining subsidiary. As Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bin Kalban is responsible for managing EGA’s ongoing operations and business and reports to EGA’s Managing Director. Mr Bin Kalban joined DUBAL in 1996 and worked in both Major Projects and the Power and Desalination Department. (DUBAL merged with EMAL to form EGA in 2014). In 2014, Mr Kalban left his position as General Manager of Power and...
“The aluminium industry’s specific issues related to regulation, geopolitical risk, legal limits on the use of natural resources, have created additional challenges”, Frederic Pereira, Head of Marketing at Fives Aluminium
Frederic Pereira is Head of Marketing at Fives Aluminium. In this role among others, he is responsible for leading the business strategy for services and digital innovation. After studying industrial engineering in France, he started working within the automotive industry moving to the aluminium sector in 2006, joining French company ECL which now forms part of the Fives Aluminium division. He has extensive experience in engineering, project management, and business development. AlCircle: How do you think the year 2022 will shape the demand-supply scenario of the global aluminium industry? Mr Frederic Pereira: We can see that the demand for aluminium is set to grow at an increasing rate going forward, driven largely by a growing appetite for environmentally friendly solutions in...
“The current situation, with its significant dose of uncertainty regarding the future, has pushed many companies in the sector to reconnect with their essence. In the case of Insertec, we are facing this new era of aluminium by dedicating our efforts to developing solutions that reconcile people, technology and the environment”, José Ignacio Sesma, General Manager at Insertec
AlCircle: How do you envision the year 2022 for the global aluminium industry and foundry segment following the economic impact caused by the Covid pandemic? Mr José Ignacio Sesma: In Europe, just as we were recovering from the pandemic, where all industrial sectors have been impacted over the last two years, we are now facing an unprecedented increase in energy prices. This situation is causing a mismatch in raw material prices and production costs, affecting all sectors including the aluminium industry. On the other hand, the automotive industry is trying to migrate from the combustion engine to other more environmentally friendly technologies (electric motors, hydrogen, etc.), which has caused consumer uncertainty, slowed down vehicle sales, and directly affected the aluminium smelting...
Progesys has been very active in helping clients with projects targeting the net-zero emission”, Riad Four, CEO at Progesys
Riad is the founder and CEO of Progesys that is responsible for providing leadership and managing the growth of the company. He has over 23 years of experience in project management and executive leadership throughout North America and abroad. He started his career in the aluminium industry in Canada and then the USA. He worked with owners of assets and projects as well as, and engineering firms before he founded Progesys in 2003 and has since been responsible for its growth and expansion to many industries and regions including Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. He received the UQAM performance award in 2016 for leadership, entrepreneurship, and international development. Riad is a registered professional engineer. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from École...
“Although higher aluminium prices may add to the financial bottom line in the short run, we must also remember that aluminium as a material competes with other materials, so artificially high prices over time will also have a potential downside”, Hilde Merete Aasheim, President & CEO at Norsk Hydro
Hilde Merete Aasheim is the President & CEO of Norsk Hydro. A Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, Norsk Hydro ASA is headquartered in Oslo. It is one of the largest aluminium companies worldwide, with operations across 50 countries. Starting from bauxite and alumina, Hydro produces low-carbon aluminium, extruded profiles, building systems, precision tubes, rolled products, and casthouse products. Besides, the company has reckoned a name in the industry by offering a variety of services with unmatched capability and knowledge. It currently has 16 ASI certified extrusion and fabrication facilities. We are grateful to have Hydro with us in our flagship e-magazine LeaderSpeak 2022, where the company’s President and CEO have shared the new plans and strategies for 2022 and also...
“We also believe that aluminium is an important component for a growing and greener society and are fully committed to this industry for the long term”, Jean-Denis Carrier, Global Director for Aluminium & Alliances at Hatch
Mr Jean-Denis Carrier is passionate about the development and delivery of aluminium smelter projects and technologies for over 20 years. He currently is the Global Director for Aluminium & Alliances at Hatch where he leads one of the largest technical teams in the aluminium industry. Mr Carrier’s career has taken him from North America via North Africa to the Middle East, where he was previously the Regional Director for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) for Hatch’s portfolio in the region for the Aluminium, Minerals and Infrastructure industries. This role included the realization of several large execution projects as well as long-term service agreements with Hatch’s key clients in the region. Mr Carrier is a chartered Civil Engineer holding an Executive MBA from INSEAD. Throughout...
“Modern smelters fitted with EnPot modulation technology can maximise operating performance and reduce their CO2 emissions profile by flexing their energy use to match electricity generation fluctuations”, Karyna Young, CEO of EnPot
We are glad to have Karyna Young join us at LeaderSpeak 2022, a Chief Executive Officer of EnPot since early 2021, after being involved with the company since its inception in 2016. EnPot is an innovative new technology that fundamentally changes the way smelters use energy to produce aluminium. It is helping the world achieve net zero emission sooner by reducing aluminium’s carbon footprint. Karyna started her career as a commercial lawyer and finance company director in both New Zealand and Australia. In addition to leading EnPot, she is a CEO of Yunca Group, a manufacturing and engineering business and supplier to the global aluminium industry. AlCircle.com: How is EnPot technology supporting the world to attain net-zero emissions? Karyna Young: EnPot supports the rapid uptake of...
“For 2022 we will see high aluminium prices throughout the year and even further on. This will increase investments in the aluminium sector and therefore the project pipeline will further grow”, Patrik Ernst - Director Aluminium Division at REEL International
AlCircle: What was the motive behind the screen that drove REEL International to acquire the Aluminium Emission Control business of GE Steam Power in Norway? Mr Patrik Ernst: Over the last years REEL realized that our clients would always go for bigger packages when executing either brownfield or Greenfield projects in the aluminium industry. This was particularly true in the courtyard of an aluminium smelter where the Gas Treatment Center (GTC) was often awarded together with all materials handling equipment. With the expert materials handling company Alesa already in the REEL portfolio, the missing link was the emission control aspect to provide our clients out of one hand the full courtyard portfolio. REEL has worked in the past with the emission control team of GE either as a supplier...
“BALCO is a strong proponent of leveraging next-generation technology to make its manufacturing process sustainable”, Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director of Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO)
AlCircle: What is the present situation of BALCO’s capacity and products manufactured? Mr. Abhijit Pati: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. BALCO specializes in ‘Hot Rolled Products’ and has several firsts recorded under its name such as we have one of the earliest mills in the world...
“Over recent years, the automotive industry has been the key driver for aluminium casting, and I believe that the industry will continue to keep this position”, Mr Alexander Krokhin, Director - Developments of Casting Technologies and New Materials at RUSAL
Alexander Krokhin graduated from the National University of Science and Technology and is a qualified engineer specialising in “Machines and Technology of Metal Processing by Pressure”. Alexander was previously the Technical Director of the Rusal's "Moskabelmet" plant based in Moscow, which focused on the production of rolled non-ferrous metals and cable and wire products. Whilst there, he was responsible for the Company’s technological development, research, and innovation activities. He is a highly regarded individual in his field, recognised as a pioneer for technological processes and aluminium materials. AlCircle: What are the major challenges global aluminium foundries are experiencing? What are the ways forward to overcome these challenges to sustain the aluminium foundry industry?...
“Our focus will be on continuing to progress our technology roadmap to enable decarbonization across the value chain, growing demand for our leading portfolio of low-carbon products and drive sustainable value”, Benjamin Kahrs, EVP and Chief Innovation Officer at Alcoa
Benjamin (Ben) Kahrs, the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of Alcoa is responsible for the American industrial corporation’s breakthrough innovation and global Information Technology and Automated Solutions (ITAS). He is also a member of Alcoa’s Executive Leadership Team, which sets the strategic direction for the Company. Ben holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University and an MBA from The Citadel plays a vital role in the company’s breakthrough innovation. He oversees Alcoa’s Technical Center, the Company’s Research and Development (R&D) facility for breakthrough smelting technology. He also administers progress on Alcoa’s technology roadmap and his responsibilities for the ITAS team focus on optimizing our global information technology...
“Currently, the EV car and truck industry is growing in addition to the aircraft industry. They will likely have the largest effect on the global aluminium foundry,” Charles W. Vivian, Director - Light Metal Applications & Special Projects, Inductotherm Corp.
Charles W. Vivian started at Inductotherm Corp. in Rancocas, NJ in 1975, working as a mechanic on the manufacturing floor. However, in 1980, he moved from manufacturing to the Sales Department. In 1990, Charles was promoted to District Manager. During his years as District Manager, he covered Mexico, Michigan, the Midwest States and Ontario, Canada. His work took him to all types and sizes of melt shops, including foundries, vacuum casting suppliers, ingot makers, shot makers, recycling operations, precious metal refiners and other scrap reclaiming operations. Charles was promoted to Sales Manager-NAFTA Region in 2017. Currently he is Director of Light Metal Applications and Special Projects. AlCircle: Being a producer of foundry equipment, how far do you think the use of technology has...
“BALCO has been an early adopter of smart technologies for heightened operational efficiencies, which further bolsters the culture of energy optimization, safety, and productivity that we have meticulously fostered across the organization”, Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director of Bharat Aluminum Company Limited (BALCO)
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) was established in 1965 as a Public Sector undertaking in Korba, Chhattisgarh. After its disinvestment in 2001, the Vedanta Group has taken over its management. The plant is hailed as one of India’s greatest disinvestment turnaround success stories, with a massive production capacity of 575,000 tonnes from its initial production of 100,000 tonnes when Vedanta acquired a 51% stake in the plant. Mr Abhijit Pati is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Director of Bharat Aluminum Company Limited. Mr Pati is a name to reckon with the Aluminium Industry for the past three decades and he has joined BALCO after a long stint as Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Limited’s, Jharsuguda unit, which is one of the largest single location smelters in the world,...
“Looking ahead, production is expected to largely recover by mid-2022, with 2023 on track to again be a record year for Australian bauxite production”, Marghanita Johnson, CEO at Australian Aluminium Council.
Marghanita Johnson has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Aluminium Council since 2019. She has over 20 years of experience in the Australian mining and manufacturing sectors, predominantly within the aluminium industry. Before joining the Council she led government engagement and advocacy on behalf of Rio Tinto’s Pacific Aluminium assets and before that held key climate and sustainability roles at Rio Tinto. Marghanita has Environmental Engineering and Chemistry degrees from the University of Western Australia. She is currently a board member of the Energy Users Association of Australia and Vice-Chair of the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network and has previously been a non-executive director on the boards of the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter and the Tomago Aluminium...
