The event gave Qatalum the opportunity to highlight automotive quality certification, and innovations in efficiency leading to reductions in its business cost.
Qatalum participated in Aluminium 2014 at the 10th World Trade Fair and Conference in Dusseldorf Germany. It highlighted its environmental and technological innovations to attendees from within the aluminium industry made up of producers, manufacturers, processors and suppliers and also end-consumers along the whole aluminium supply chain.
The world's largest trade event of the aluminium industry, Aluminium 2014 allowed Qatalum and the world's other leading aluminium producers and converters to meet with suppliers of technologies and equipment for production, further processing and finishing. With the support of GDA, the German Confederation of the Aluminium Industry, and EAA, the European Aluminium Association, the trade fair shows the industry's full performance spectrum every two years: from the production of the base material through to its processing and the finished product. More than 950 exhibitors were expected to have attended this year's fair.
For Qatalum, contact with such a variety of industry experts and stakeholders is crucial to retaining its place at the cutting edge of industry innovation. With a first phase production capacity of 585,000 tonnes per annum of primary aluminium, and now in excess of 600,000 tonnes annually, Qatalum is providing significant support for GCC aluminium production – an increasing percentage of which feeds the automotive sector's increasing demand for the strong, lightweight and durable metal, something reflected in the focus of this year's conference.
Automotive engineering and construction are among the chief growth and innovation drivers of the aluminium industry. Aluminium 2014 dedicated two special areas to the latest developments in both segments: entitled "Automotive Innovations" and "Building Innovations" – both of which are supported by Qatalum's world-class products.
Recognition for the quality of Qatalum's product in the automotive sector is already international. In 2013 Qatalum received ISO/TS 16949:2009 certification for the automotive industry - a global standard for quality that defines the quality management system requirements for the design and development, production and installation and service of automotive-related products. It is applicable to those sites of the organisation where customer-specified parts, whether for production or service, are manufactured.
Said Qatalum Communications Manager, Mr. Ibrahim Fakhri at the conclusion of the fair: "This biennial event is the single biggest opportunity for us to meet with all other parts of the aluminium global supply chain, to promote our innovations in quality and efficiency, and showing customers how world-leading the GCC aluminium industry, and Qatar's in particular, have become".
Mr. Yahya Al Rashdan, Chief Supply Chain Officer said: "As one example, the leading global commodities consultancy CRU recently rated Qatalum 4th among global smelters based on criteria of increase in efficiency and lowering of business costs".
"The conference has also been an opportunity for us not just to network but to learn from others – ensuring we remain on top of international best practice in all aspects of what we do. So a B2B event like this has allowed a fantastic exchange of information, as we could meet with current and potential partners as we continue to grow and reach new markets".
