The Qatar Projects Conference, which opened on 5 February at the Grand Hyatt, Doha, is one of the most important events on the business calendar, attended by more than 500 speakers, VIPs, guests and delegates, for networking and learning about the opportunities emerging in Qatar, the world’s fastest growingeconomy, with 16 per cent GDP growth in 2011.
For Qatalum, the company’s sponsorship of the conference is about demonstrating its liquid metal production capabilities and latent downstream support potential, offering promising opportunities to the fast-developing country as it continues to diversify its industrial base.
For the country, Qatalum is a key part of its economic future. It produces 585,000 tons of high-quality primary aluminium products per annum from twin 1.2 kilometre potlines and boasts complex facilities include a carbon plant, port and storage facilities, as well as a captive power plant.
The map of global aluminium production is changing: economic uncertainty and high power prices are forcing smelters to close in the West, opening the way for emerging market and other regional smelters to contribute to the world’s demand for primary aluminium.
These trends, according to Qatalum CEO Tom Petter Johansen, present a wealth of opportunity for previously-unforeseen partnerships. “Qatar Projects 2012 is perhaps the most important forum for bringing together investors, analysts, technical experts, opinion-leaders and policy-makers to capitalise on the massive diversification taking place in the booming Qatari economy”.
As a Strategic Partner of the MEED Conference, we have sought to ensure that Qatalum’s new initiatives are exposed to the widest possible audience, and ensure that the company’s prosperity will continue to run in tandem with that of Qatar”.
