based Emirates Aluminum (EMAL) has received approval from its board for a $4.5 billion investment that will almost double the aluminum smelter's annual capacity, the company said Sunday. Capacity will rise to 1.3 million metric tons on completion of its planned phase II project, the state-owned firm said. EMAL is a 50-50 joint venture between Dubai Aluminium Company Ltd (Dubal) and Mubadala Development Co. Mubadala), Abu Dhabi's investment vehicle. "Phase II will equip EMAL to grow the global customer base we have already established," said Saaed Fadhel Al Mazrooei, President and chief executive of EMAL. The company, which supplies customers in 36 countries, first started production from its $5.7 billion project located at Al Taweelha in Abu Dhabi in January 2010. The Phase II project will involve construction of a new potline within the EMAL complex at Al Taweelah in the oil rich emirate of Abu Dhabi. EMAL will also upgrade the technology installed in the phase I project, it said. The firm expects to complete the second phase in 2013-2014. The profile of the UAE's primary aluminum industry has again been successfully raised in the European market, this time through the joint participation of Dubai Aluminum Company Limited and Emirates Aluminium Company Limited at the 12th International Foundry Trade Fair and WFO Technical Forum which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 28-July 2, 2011. Aiming primarily to grow sales volumes in Europe, the combined DUBAL and EMAL exhibition stand at GIFA 2011 highlighted the world class primary aluminum produced in the UAE.
