OREANDA-NEWS. On 19 June 2009 UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announced the start of domestic sale of aluminium produced at its Nigerian smelter – ALSCON. To date the total volume of contracts with local customers for ALSCON aluminium amounts to about 1000 tonnes.

For almost a decade Nigerian clients have been looking for the moment when they can purchase aluminium produced in Nigeria. ALSCON’s first customers are three local Nigerian company companies - members of the Association of Primary Aluminium Producers (APAP). APAP members use ALSCON’s metal to produce value–added products like aluminium roofing sheets, aluminium extruded profiles, packaging materials for food and pharmaceutical industries, kitchenware products, etc. The sale of aluminium to Nigerian companies has been high on the agenda of the company’s management for several months. In December 2008, ALSCON hosted the negotiations with APAP and reached the principal agreement on the basic terms and conditions of domestic sales. It took the company six months to fulfill all required procedures and operational guidelines.

Commenting on the sale the Acting Managing Director Mr. Andrey Terentyev said, “The start of domestic sale is a benchmark in ALSCON history.  ALSCON has once again proven to be a solid base for the country’s industrial development. It provides Nigerian aluminium companies with an opportunity to obtain their key raw material locally and thus reduce production, logistic and other ancillary costs they incurred whenever they imported the product. The overall current economic environment has made this long awaited local product even more competitive.”

Restarted by RUSAL in February 2008, ALSCON is a fundamental part of the Federal Government’s Vision 2020 Programme whereby Nigeria becomes one of the twenty most industrialised nations in the world by the year 2020. RUSAL’s modern production technologies and extensive management experience enabled the establishment of a technologically advanced production in Nigeria which contribute to the economic development of the region and creates new jobs. The company intends to continue to take an active part in further industrial and social development of the country. RUSAL is committed to adding to the general growth of social well-being in the country by delivering necessary infrastructure, helping to develop small and medium businesses and through social programmes.