Oman has potential to be major hub for aluminium recycling center

 

 

Mr Frederic Rouyer CEO of Oman Aluminium Processing Industries LLC told delegates at the Sohar Aluminium hosted event in Muscat about the huge untapped potential for the creation of a viable aluminium recycling industry in the Gulf.

 

 

He explained that the amount of aluminium scrap produced in the GCC during the downstream process was set to double to an estimated 270,000 tonnes per annum by 2020 as the Gulf becomes an increasingly centre of global importance for the industry.

 

 

Mr Rouyer explained that recycling was a highly cost effective way to reinforce sustainability, was environmentally aware and can also help to generate new employment and economic growth.

 

 

Delegates heard that "Recycling has huge benefits for future generations by preserving energy and natural resources and there is clearly a case for looking to develop a sophisticated aluminium recycling industry here in Oman that could benefit all of the GCC smelters. Compared with the production of primary aluminium, recycling of aluminium products needs as little as 5% of the energy and emits only five per cent of the same amount of greenhouse gases as in conventional aluminium production. Recycling can be increased further by including an aluminium recycling plant with the downstream process."

 

 

Mr. Rouyer added that investing in recycling in Oman would help with direct and indirect job creation for Omani nationals, support long-term sustainability in the region, help with community and social development and provide fresh education and training opportunities.

 

 

OAPIL was established in 2007 and produces 50,000 tonnes of aluminium products every year that include aluminium rods, alloy rods and overhead line conductors with plans to significantly increase production in the future.

 

 

Conference delegates also heard about the way that Sohar Aluminium is helping to foster a growing downstream aluminium industry through projects such as the Oman Aluminium Rolling Company LLC that has been established with their Italian partner FATA EPC.

 

 

The project is an OR140m investment that will create 275 full time jobs and an additional 1200 construction jobs during the development of the plan that is set to start production in August 2013 with full commercial operations underway in 2014.

 

 

Producing an estimated 160 tonnes of product per year the plant will produce a broad range of aluminium products that will include aluminium food containers, foil wrap, automotive heat exchangers, residential and commercial air conditions and other industrial products.

 

 

The theme of this year's ARABAL conference was "Global Challenges for sustainable growth in the aluminium industry and the role of the Gulf smelters" issues affecting regional and global manufacturers, downstream industries and suppliers and has attracted an estimated 400 delegates from over 30 countries.