Qatalum officials at the Aluminium China 2011 exhibition
Qatalum has wrapped up its participation in Aluminium China 2011, which took place from July 13-15 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Qatalum was a sponsor of the event.
Aluminium China is dedicated to the whole supply chain in the aluminium industry and its major application fields, showcasing the latest innovations in products and cutting-edge technologies.
The 2011 event brought together professionals and decision makers from the aluminium-related
industries.
Aluminium China is an important annual industry event that brings together industry players, and allows Qatalum to meet peers from around the globe to discuss opportunities and challenges, as well as to exchange information and receive updates on what is happening within the industry worldwide.
There has been a significant increase in the number of emerging aluminium producers, as well as an increase in global demand for the metal, particularly in Asia, making events such as this vital to its continued growth.
The Middle East is emerging as a significant new primary aluminium producer. GCC countries are rich in the energy resources required to produce aluminium, which also lowers the production cost in the region significantly.
Over the past 10 years, GCC member-states have begun implementing long-term strategies that aim to develop the region’s aluminium industry, and the region is now well positioned to be one of the world’s main producers.
The value of investment in the Gulf aluminium industry is $40bn, and the industry has 3.5mn tonnes of annual production capacity. Over 40,000 people are employed by the industry – 11,000 directly, and 30,000 indirectly – and the industry contributes 4-12% annually to the GDP of each GCC country.
Overall, the outlook for the Gulf’s aluminium industry – primary or downstream products – is extremely positive and the industry will continue to provide strong financial returns.
Qatalum was set up as part of Qatar National Vision 2030, and the smelter has an important role to play in the country’s economic development. With a first phase production capacity of 585,000 metric tonnes per year, Qatalum will make Qatar responsible for a significant portion of GCC production.
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