ARMENAL shows 12% improvement on its nominal design capacity

PanARMENIAN.Net - UC RUSAL, the world's largest aluminum and alumina producer, announced a marked increase in output from its ARMENAL foil mill, Armenia. In June, the foil mill produced nearly 2,500 tons of foil, a 12% improvement on its nominal design capacity, taking ARMENAL's half-year production to over 10,000 tons.  



ARMENAL reported a 77% production increase from January to June 2009 compared to H1 2008 and said it expected to see its output double by the end of this year. 



ARMENAL, in parallel with the expansion of output, was making improvements in practically every technical and economic indicator, including a 60% reduction in production costs and minimization of the rate of rejects due to production defects. 



"The keys to success for ARMENAL's workers were reduced material consumption rates, firmer process discipline, and a comprehensive program implemented to reduce costs and raise the yield ratio," said ARMENAL's Managing Director Sergey Borovik. "The yield ratio more than doubled in only twelve months to 72.4% and we are set to improve that important performance indicator to 75%."   



ARMENAL has enough orders on hand to keep the foil mill running until the end of this year. Its products are mainly exported to the United States with the Middle East becoming a rapidly growing market for them. 



Founded in May 2000 as part of the Kanaker aluminum smelter, ARMENAL is one of the largest industrial sites in Armenia and the only aluminum foil mill in the Caucasus and Central Asia. After joining RUSAL in 2000 the foil mill became part of the Company's Packaging Division, which also includes SAYANA Foil, SAYANAL, and Urals Foil. ARMENAL employs 670 people.



RUSAL is the global leader in the aluminum industry, accounting for approximately 12% and 15% of global production of aluminum and alumina respectively. RUSAL sells its products in 70 countries worldwide and employs 90,000 people in 19 countries, across 5 continents.