UAE primary aluminium industry well represented at Metef 2012

　　The 9th Metef International Aluminium Exhibition (Metef 2012), held from 18 to 21 April this year in Verona, Italy, featured a strong presence by the UAE's primary aluminium industry, thanks to the joint participation of Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal) at this high profile event.

　　Indeed, the core objectives behind the two companies' investment of time and resources were achieved - namely to highlight the potential contribution of the UAE sector to the European market; and to grow product sales into the region.

　　So says Sultan Al Sabri, General Manager Marketing & Sales: Europe & The Americas, who reports that the combined Dubal-Emal exhibition stand at Metef 2011 successfully promoted the two companies' extensive range of made-to-order, world-class, premium quality primary aluminium products of the highest purity being produced in the UAE and shipped across the globe; the smelters' adherence to the highest standards in environmental protection; and their foundation on sustainability principles.

　　Emal has been positioning its products in Europe and is able to draw upon Dubal's long-term experience in this market. Such collaboration will be vital in capitalising on the quality aluminium produced in the UAE. For Emal, this amounted to 288,568 metric tonnes of cast aluminium in 2010, and 748,000 metric tonnes in 2011; in addition to Dubal's own sales, which exceeded one million tonnes in both years. Al Sabri expects that over 27% of the 1,795,000 metric tonnes joint cast production of Dubal and Emal will be shipped to Europe in 2012; and that the major proportion of this will again comprise billet and foundry re-melt products.

　　"Since entering the European market in 1996, Dubal has been an active player in the region, shipping substantial volume of product each year to Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, France and Greece. As a result, Dubal and Emal's foundry products are already well known and used extensively by the European Union's automotive industry - comprising all the major carmakers - to manufacture wheels, engine components, plus the shiny rims and trims on high-end automobiles. Our products are also widely used to manufacture aeroplane sheet and plates for the European Union's aerospace industry," says Al Sabri.

　　"Judging by the number of visitors to our stand, and the interest in our products, we are confident of achieving continued growth in sales to this region in 2012. There is certainly abundant opportunity, given that the European Union as a whole needs to import approximately 60% of its primary aluminium requirements," he added.