UC RUSAL reports general production growth in H1 07

UC RUSAL, the global giant created from the merger of Russia’s two aluminium producers and the aluminium interests of Swiss trade house Glencore, reported rising production of alumina, aluminium and cast-house alloys in the first half of this year. Only the company’s bauxite operations under-performed. Production fell by 6.6% year-on-year to 8.495 million tonnes, reflecting lower production at the Timan operations in Russia and those in Guinea, the latter due to the general strike and political unrest in the early part of the year. Production of alumina rose by 4.6% to 5.584 million tonnes and production of aluminium rose by 3.8% to 2.037 million tonnes. Within that last figure, there was a faster growth rate for cast-house product—a key part of the company’s upgrade and investment programme at its Russian smelters. Output of cast-house product rose by 14% year-on-year to 1.065 million tonnes. The company increased the share of aluminium sales in Europe to 49% from 41% in the year-earlier period, reflecting continued robust demand growth in the region and falling demand in North America.