AFX International Focus
October 26, 2006 Thursday 10:09 AM GMT
Russia’s Rusal plans to boost Armenal foil output
LONDON (AFX) – Rusal, the Russian aluminium producer, is planning to
increase the annual ouptut of the Armenal foil mill in Armenia to
40,000 tonnes.
It just finished a 70 mln usd, two-year modernisation project for the
plant, which is designed to produce 25,000 tonnes a year.
Armenal is expected to operate at full capacity in the middle of next
year, said a statement from Rusal, which is merging with fellow
Russian Sual International and Switzerland’s Glencore International
AG.
‘Armenal is the only aluminium foil production facility in the
Caucasus and Central Asia and has already received enough orders to
operate at full capacity,’ said Alexander Burdin, the deputy chief
executive for Rusal’s packaging business.
‘Rusal is considering an opportunity to expand the plant’s production
capacity up to 40,000 tonnes of product per year,’ he added.
Armenal, once fully operational, will capture a 12 pct share of the
CIS market for foil products, which it will supply to the US and the
rest of Europe.
The three-way union of the companies to create the world’s largest
aluminium group is expected to be completed early next year, subject
to regulatory approvals.