Alro SA invested USD 15 million in the first five months of 2012 to increase energy efficiency of its operations

• As part of its continuous improvements programme, the Company cut down energy consumption by 75% in the processed aluminium division

Slatina, 28 June 2012 – Alro SA (BSE: ALR, “Alro”, “the Company”), the largest aluminium producer in Central and Eastern Europe, finalised investments worth USD 15 million in the first five months of 2012 aimed at improving energy efficiency. The investments are part of the long-term programme implemented by Alro aimed at improving energy efficiency of its operations.

“Alro has always put a strong emphasis on improving specific consumption, being it electricity, gas or other raw materials”, said Gheorghe Dobra, CEO of Alro. “We achieved impressive results in the energy efficiency segment resulting in noticeable cost reduction by increasing efficiency of the operations. The lower consumption per tonne of aluminium also helped us partially offset the continuous increase in energy prices.”

Following the investment programmes in energy efficiency, implemented by the Company over the past years, Alro reduced electricity consumption per tonne of aluminium by 75% in its processed segment from 2003 to 2011. The gas consumption also decreased by approximately 80% since 2003 to 2011 in the same segment.

Since 2005, Alro implemented an investment programme of over USD 77 million for energy efficiency. The investments targeted the primary and processed aluminium production processes, as well as the alumina refinery. The Company invested over USD 27 million aimed at increasing electric power intensity to the active electrolysis pot room series up to 120 kA. This led to higher production efficiency, with direct impact on reduction of the unit’s energy consumption. Between 2006 and 2008, Alro invested over USD 26 million in seven new power transformer groups and 14 rectifying cabinets on the pot rooms 5-8. This also led to a reduction in energy consumption.  

The continuous energy efficiency investment programme allowed the Company to increase its output from 240,000 tonnes of primary aluminium in 2005 to the peak of 288,000 tonnes of primary aluminium in 2008, without a significant increase in energy consumption.

For further information please contact:

www.alro.ro

Florenta Ghita
Premium Communication
Bucharest
Phone +40 (0) 21 411 01 52
Email florenta.ghita@premiumpr.ro
 

Notes to the Editors:

Alro is a subsidiary of Vimetco N.V., a global, vertically-integrated primary and processed aluminium producer. Alro is the largest aluminium producer in Central and Eastern Europe measured by volume with an installed production capacity of 265,000 tonnes per year.

The main markets for the aluminium manufactured by Alro are within the EU (Hungary, Poland, Greece, Germany and Romania). Alro also exports to the US and Asia. Alro is ISO 9001 certified for quality management and has NADCAP as well as EN 9100 certificates for aerospace production organizations. Alro’s products adhere to the quality standards for primary aluminium on the LME, as well as international standards for flat rolled products.

The contents of the website www.alro.ro are not incorporated into, and do not form part of, this announcement.