Romanian Aluminium Smelter ALRO Invests EUR 53 Million In 2018

Romanian aluminium company ALRO published an update on its 2018 investment programme into high value-added and very high value-added aluminium products. The investment plan focuses on increasing the company’s market share, enhancing the quality of its hot-rolled products and reducing production costs.

In order to increase the production of flat rolled aluminium products to 120,000 tonnes per year by 2022 (from 90,000 tonnes per year at the end of 2017) and meet market demand, ALRO is modernising one of its cold rolling mills and its grinding machine. At the same time, the company plans to introduce a profile control system for hot rolled products to improve the quality of these products. Moreover, the company is implementing a production planning system to avoid backlogs and optimise the delivery times for the hot-rolled products, and thus increase its competitiveness.

Concerning cost and energy efficiency, the Romanian aluminium smelter is developing the Eco Recycling programme – a way to optimise scrap processing with the aim to reach a capacity of 100,000 tonners per year by 2020 compared to 32,000 tonnes per year in 2017.

Marian Năstase, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ALRO, said:

“We remain committed to supplying high value-added products for selected industries, such as aerospace and automotive, where the quality is a key-factor in maintaining a long-term business relationship. At the same time, we invest in reducing production costs and, thus, we succeeded keeping our competitive edge on the international markets.”

 

ALRO registered a net profit of RON 154 million, in H1 2018, compared to a net profit of RON 187 million, in H1 2017. The company’s primary aluminium production reached 144,962 tonnes, in H1 2018, from 139,459 tonnes, in H1 2017, while processed aluminium production stood at 56,000 tonnes.

ALRO – founded in Romania’s southern city of Slatina in 1963 – is one of the largest vertically integrated aluminium producers in Europe by production capacity. In July, Russian-owned groups Vimetco and Conef – joint owners of the aluminium smelter – launched a secondary public offer for 54% of ALRO shares. The public offer failed to materialise when sellers, brokers and intermediaries could not reach an agreement on the final share price.