ARMENAL FOIL ROLLING MILL IS UP AND RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY
ArmInfo
2009-03-04 11:19:00
ArmInfo. OC RUSAL, the biggest producer of aluminum and alumina oxide
in the world, informs about running of ARMENAL foil rolling mill
(Armenia) at full capacity of 25,000 tons.
According to the source, the volume of the annually produced output at
the enterprise has been increased 1,5 times since December, 2008, that
has become possible due to complex upgrading of the basic equipment
and assimilation of up-to-date foil production technologies. Since
early, 2007, after completion of complex upgrading, ARMENAL has
produced and sold about 30,000 tons of finished products. ‘A new
process policy has been developed and implemented at the enterprise,
the labour discipline has been much improved, as well as backgrounds
have been created for further assimilation of the upgraded equipment
design capacities and serious work has been performed on improvement of
the organizational structure, the forms and methods of the personnel
motivation and staff deployment – in short, the bases of a long-term
success have been laid’, Director General of ARMENAL Sergey Borovik
said. Considerable enhancement of efficiency of the work of ARMENAL
is testified by reduction of the prime cost of metal processing by
42% in December, 2008 as compared with July, 2008. Improvement of
the production indicators was also followed by almost 13% growth
of salary in the second half year, 2008, as compared with the first
half year. This was achieved due to change of the labour payment fund
structure and optimization of the personnel number.
At late, 2008, a delegation of the biggest European traders visited
ARMENAL to get acquainted with the improved production technology
and the foil quality. Upon the results of the meeting, the experts
concluded that the enterprise’s production meets the international
requirements. At present, the mill production is tested for compliance
with the specific requirements of the European clients, and positive
assessments have already been received. The enterprise’s products
will be supplied to the Near East and African countries, besides the
USA and EU states, in the near future.
Despite the world reduction of demand for the primary aluminum, the
foil-rolling products is still in demand in almost all the fields
of application. Running of ARMENAL at full capacity will allow the
Packing Division of RUSAL to meet the demand in foil-rolling products
which grows also because of reduction of the foil production volume
in Northern America.
It is also scheduled to increase production of an ultra-fine foil
with width of 7- 9 mkm which is strongly sought-for.
ARMENAL foil rolling mill was founded in May 2000 as part of the
Kanaker aluminum smelter. It is one of the biggest production
facilities in Armenia and is the only producer of aluminum foil in
the Caucasus and Central Asian regions.
On May 18th, 2000 the mill was integrated into United Company RUSAL
and in January 2003, the Armenian government and United Company RUSAL
signed an investment cooperation agreement, under which United Company
RUSAL acquired a 26% share and undertook modernization of the mill.
Together with two other foil mills, Sayanal in the Russian republic
of Khakasia and Urals Foil, ARMENAL forms the company’s Packaging
Division. The mill employs over 800 people. RUSAL is the leader in
the world aluminum industry. It occupies nearly 12% of world aluminum
market. RUSAL employs 90000 people. It is represented in 19 countries
on 5 continents.