UC RUSAL boosts aluminum output

Jan,29--Moscow 13:21:29.United Company RUSAL (UC RUSAL) increased aluminum production by 6 percent to 4.2m tonnes in 2007, the press office of the Russian aluminum giant reported today. Alumina output exceeded 11.3m tonnes, which is 5.1 percent greater than in 2006. Output of high added-value casthouse products grew 16 percent to almost 2.1m tonnes. Foil production expanded by 28 percent to 72,059 tonnes. According to the company's management, the situation on the global aluminum market is expected to become less favorable for UC RUSAL. As a result, production costs are likely to go up, while demand for aluminum on the domestic market, as well as by foreign partners, is anticipated to decrease.