Nigeria: Alscon Exports 72 Tonnes of Aluminium to Holland

Source: allAfrica.com The Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria ,ALSCON, located in South-east Akwa Ibom State , has made its first shipment of 72 tonnes of aluminium ingots to Rotherdam, Holland. A statement from the company's Managing Director , Mr. Andrey Partsyanski, said the shipment marked a significant milestone for Alscon and represents new opportunities for stakeholders . Mr. Partyanski , also emphasised the company's commitment to the domestic market to boost local industry. The statement further disclosed that Russia's United Company , Rusal, which bought control of the plant for $250 million last year after a two-year privatisation process, would transform the smelter company into a major producer in Africa, satisfying a significant share of local demand for aluminium. In addition , the company said it had earmarked the sum of $300 million to completely modernise the smelter by 2010 and also dredge the Imo River, which is of strategic importance to the import of raw materials and export of finished aluminum. The aluminium smelter company , is reported to have a capacity of 193,000 tonnes per year when it was built by the government at a cost of $2.5 billion in 1997.But , it was poorly managed and produced just 40,000 tonnes of metal before it folded up in 1999