National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Navaratna central public sector enterprise (CPSE), is pursuing brownfield expansions in alumina and aluminium production as part of its strategy to secure Maharatna status.
NALCO plans to invest INR 17,163 crore (USD 2.06 billion) to enhance smelter capacity by 0.5 million tonnes per annum and an additional INR 12,000 crore (USD 1.44 billion) to set up 1,080 MW of power generation capacity, with land acquisition for the smelter project nearing the final stage of completion.
In addition, the company is also developing advanced plans to expand its alumina refinery capacity through a fifth stream of 1 MTPA with an investment of INR 5,677 crore (USD 681 million), alongside an INR 1,961 crore (USD 235 million) project to develop the Pottangi bauxite mines.
In the recent financial report released by the company, it reported broad-based operational growth in Q1, with bauxite transportation up 6.56 per cent, alumina hydrate output rising 35.5 per cent, calcined alumina production increasing 52.25 per cent and aluminium cast metal output higher by 2.68 per cent year-on-year. On the sales side, alumina exports surged 209 per cent, while domestic alumina sales climbed 190 per cent, driving the company to record its highest-ever Q1 domestic sales of alumina and aluminium.
The robust Q1 performance underlines the company's strong operational momentum, reinforcing its expansion drive towards Maharatna status. These gains position the company to meet rising domestic and global aluminium demand with greater efficiency.
In a press conference held on Tuesday, Brijendra Pratap Singh, the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NALCO, stated, "We want to strengthen our production base through expansion projects, enhance global competitiveness with improved efficiency and diversify our product ranges. There will be massive use of artificial intelligence in different processes to reduce dependence on manpower. Our objective is to become a Maharatna company."
Rising infrastructure development, power network expansion and growth in the transportation sector are fueling aluminium demand in India. Consumption is projected to grow at 1.5 times the GDP rate, reaching 7 to 8 million tonnes annually by 2030. The firm aims to meet this surge by scaling up its production targets.
The firm is also eyeing opportunities in the UK market, leveraging the recently signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with India to tap into the country's growing aluminium consumption potential.
Also read: NALCO’s stock price witnessed an upward trend on May 14, 2025
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