Hindalco lifts Q2 aluminium output by 8.3%, more growth to come

Hindalco, the flagship company of India’s Aditya Birla Group, reported 8.3% year-on-year growth in production of primary aluminium to 116,169t in the second quarter of this year (first quarter of the company’s reporting calendar). That growth came from the first-phase expansion of the company’s Hirakud smelter in the eastern state of Orissa from 65,000tpy to 100,000tpy. The second-phase expansion of Hirakud to 143,000tpy is “well on track”, Hindalco said, adding that the required lift in captive power capacity is due to go on stream by December this year. The company has a long list of expansion and greenfield projects, both at the smelter and alumina stage. First up will be the expansion of the Muri alumina refinery from 100,000tpy to 450,000tpy, which is scheduled to be commissioned in the third quarter of this year.