Aluminum Bahrain (Alba), one of the world’s largest single-site aluminum smelters, has set a new record by exceeding its production to 1.36 million tonnes by the end of 2019. The annual production of Alba jumped by 35 per cent to 1,365,005 tonnes from 1,011,101 tonnes in the end of 2018, Bahrain’s official news agency quoted a company statement published on Wednesday.

Alba’s chairman, Sheikh Duaij bin Salman Al Khalifa said the company ended the year 2019 on a strong note posting good performance and setting new standards. “We have increased our production to touch 1.36 million tonnes, launched the sixth smelting line which became successfully operational and achieved a historic safety milestone.”

Alba achieved zero fatality and zero lost time injuries (LTIs) operations in 2019.

Sheikh Duaij exuded confidence that the launch of the sixth smelter line will stand the company in good stead and achieve more in the year 2020. Aluminium Bahrain’s expansion makes it the largest aluminium smelter outside China and will enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness in Aluminium and boost GDP.

The company has strengthened its expansion by launching a project to recycle waste from aluminum smelting operations. In December 2019, Alba signed an agreement to this effect with Australian company Regen as a technology partner.

Acting CEO of the company, Ali Al-Baqali, admitted that 2019 was full of challenges for the aluminum market, but Alba managed to post exceptional results by increasing production and achieving historical safety milestone. Alba touched 10 million working-hours without any Lost Time Injury (LTI) in August for the first time in the history of its operations since 1971.

Al-Baqali said, “2019, no doubt, has been a difficult year for the aluminium market; however, Alba has had an unparalleled performance with a never-before production and safety records. This is a testimony to our unwavering commitment to excellence and going above and beyond on Safety. I thank the Management, our employees and contractors for their contribution and efforts for all our successes in 2019.”

Half of Alba’s new production will be exported in the form of ingots, billets, foundry alloys and slabs to the US, Europe and Asia, including Japan. The remainder will be used within Bahrain to build added value through downstream industries.