Canada has been operating in the primary aluminium sector since 1901 when the Northern Aluminum Company (now Rio Tinto Alcan) established its first smelter in in Shawinigan, Québec. Canada ranks fourth in world aluminium production after China, Middle East and Russia contributing nearly 6% of world production. Québec lies at the heart of Canada’s aluminium production with the presence of Alcoa, Rio Tinto Alcan and Alouette, three major aluminium players operating eight world-class primary smelters in the province and producing 2.9 million tonnes of primary aluminium, or 60% of total North American production.
However, Québec is not only about the primary aluminium industry. The industry is also supported by a group of equipment and technology providers who not only supplies to the industry in North America but export to some of the largest aluminium makers all over the world. Besides that, Québec also has a growing downstream or transforming sector for aluminium that is comprised mostly of SMEs. Building on this foundation and in order to bring together the entire value chain of aluminium under one umbrella, the province has developed an aluminium industry ecosystem, which now makes up the Québec Aluminium Cluster.
Aluminium being one of the major strategic sectors for Québec and a true metal of the future has been in the priority list of the Government of Québec. The government has designed and launched the Québec Aluminium Development Strategy to stimulate growth and cover all parts of the aluminium value chain in the process.
Launched on June 19, 2015 with an implementation target over three years (2015-2018), the strategy has set clear cut growth vision for Québec’s aluminium industry. The strategy aims at developing an active processing sector in Quebec so that the province can add value to the amount of aluminium produced in the region. The government aims at doubling aluminium processing in Québec over the next ten years and facilitate supply security of metal to the aluminium processing sector. The strategy also aims at supporting investment projects, bringing about foreign investment and encouraging aluminium applications in the various sectors in the region. Showcasing Québec’s low carbon footprint primary aluminium and the technical expertise of the equipment providers remain another priority in the strategy.
The government has also entrusted a number of organizations to promote productive communication among aluminium industry stakeholders in Québec. AluQuébec is one organization that is expected to play a crucial role in coordinating Québec’s aluminium processing industry and equipment suppliers by bringing together OEMs, producers, processors, equipment suppliers and R&D centres to work on major projects. Side by side they are also supported by other sector organizations like Aluminium Association of Canada, Aluminium Valley Society (AVS) and Trans-Al Network and R&D institute like Aluminium Technology Centre of the National Research Council Canada.
AluQuebec also does an industrial mapping that contains more than 1,400 OEM and aluminium processors from the region in order to stimulate organized industrial growth. Some of the major names among the long list of equipment manufacturers and technology providers with a global presence are Stas, Advanced Dynamic, Mecfor, Canmec, Dynamic Concept, Jamec, Équipement Saguenay and Morin Enertech. They have been trusted suppliers of equipment to the primary and downstream sector of aluminium for years and continue to do so while constantly upgrading their technology and services.
Québec’s aluminium processing industry is growing fast because of the support from the government as well as the primary metal suppliers. Some well-known names the processors list includes are Verbom, which is a fast growing engineering company and a sheet metal processor that supplies parts to JLR and Tesla and many other automotive companies. Ball Technologies is a part of Ball Corporation and a Manufacture of aluminium slugs or metal disks that are impact extruded to make aerosol cans, automotive parts, gas cylinders, tubes, industrial packaging, and electronics. AD Prévost is an anodizer and manufacturer of quality architectural aluminium systems including doors, windows and skylights and curtain walls.
Aluminium industry in Québec is growing fast with the support of the Government and allied organizations. The industry is benefitted by its low carbon footprint hydro power, time tested technology and the presence of aluminium majors like Alcoa, Rio Tinto Alcan and Alouette. The region is perfect choice for investment in the processing sector considering the proximity to North America, one of the largest markets for aluminium products.
(The article is a part of a special coverage feature series by AlCircle on the Quebec Aluminium Industry. AlCircle Content Head Beethika Biswas went to Quebec as a visiting journalist, met some of the major industry players and explored the aluminium cluster in the region while visiting plants and offices around Montreal, Saguenay, Chicoutimi and Sherbrooke.)
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