UC RUSAL invests USD 7.6 million in casting alloys quality improvements

2017-09-18

Sep. 11, 2017 – UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, is pleased to announce the completion of the modernization of Befesa-2 line for standard alloyed ingots production at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter (IrkAZ).

In 2018, RUSAL plans to commission another line, Befesa-1, and the total investment in both lines will amount to USD7.6 million.

The purpose of the project is to maintain share in the casting alloys market as well as to improve quality characteristics of the products to meet the demand of the IrkAZ’s customers in Europe and Asia.

Within the framework of the Befesa-2 line, the specialists of the Engineering and Technology Center of RUSAL jointly with the experts of the Spanish firm Befesa Aluminio S.L. modernised various aspects including: installing a new casting wheel, a metal distribution system, changing the ingot mold design for ingots production and improving the water cooling system with automatic water flow adjustment and an ingot extraction/transportation unit. Similar activities are planned for the Befesa-1 line. 

‘RUSAL completed a test operation at the first line for standard alloyed ingots production at IrkAZ which has allowed us to improve the quality of our products. Due to the commissioning of the two lines, the smelter will retain its positions in the casting alloys market in the amount of 55 thousand tonnes per annum, whilst gaining an even larger share in the foreign markets,’ said RUSAL Director of Aluminium Division Evgeny Nikitin.