By: Ahmed El-Shamsy
Mubasher: Ali Al Baqali, the CEO of the listed Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), told Mubasher in an Interview he hopes the company becomes one of the biggest aluminium smelters and producers in the world, noting that Alba’s ambition has no limits.
On the sidelines of the Gateway Gulf 24 event in Bahrain, Al Baqali spoke in detail about the two agreements signed with ARRAY Innovation as well as Japan’s Daiki Aluminium Industry Company during the investment forum.
Alba and Daiki Aluminium jointly aim to build a sustainable aluminium dross processing facility in Bahrain with an annual production capacity exceeding 25,000 tonnes. The CEO added that the two entities will work together for waste recycling and endorsement of sustainable solutions within the country.
This joint venture (JV) reflects not only the efficiency in both cost and effort but also Alba’s keenness to protect the environment, according to Al Baqali.
As for the other agreement with ARRAY Innovation, Alba’s CEO told Mubasher that this partnership aims to utilise the latest technologies to increase operational efficiency.
Al Baqali further said: “ARRAY Innovation’s solutions will enhance Alba’s operations through AI, which introduces new standards for production and safety in the aluminium sector.”
Market Diversity
Alba does not focus only on the Asian market as commonly said, according to the CEO.
He elaborated by adding: “Our vision is diverse, and we try to reduce the risks through being in different markets.”
Al Baqali noted: “The local market accounts for approximately 25% of Alba’s sales, while we target global markets in Asia, the US, and Europe with a range between 18% and 22%. However, the latest geopolitical challenges like the war between Ukraine and Russia in addition to the tensions in the Red Sea area have added pressure on shipping costs and guarantees, which made the company change its strategy swiftly.”
The CEO further confirmed that Europe and the US advance the markets in which Alba invests.
Al Baqali also cemented Alba’s aspirations to reinforce the Arab cooperation through the Gulf Aluminium Council, while confirming the importance of the technical and training partnership between Egypt and countries in the region. He concluded the interview by saying: “Egypt is a partner for Arabal.”
It is worth noting that Arabal is a premium trade event for the aluminium industry in the Middle East and is the only conference attended by every primary smelter in the region.
Translated by: Ingy ElSafy
