OREANDA-NEWS. July 17, 2012. UC RUSAL (SEHK: 486; Euronext: RUSAL/RUAL; MICEX-RTS: RUALR), the world’s largest aluminium producer, is pleased to announce that the Company has become a member of  the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA), which is the most influential national non-profit organisation in the PRC which represents the interests of non-ferrous industry players. The membership of the CNIA represents another milestone in the Company’s strategy to secure its long-term presence in the Chinese market.

Membership of the CNIA will allow RUSAL to co-operate with the organization in terms of the long-term sustainable development of the aluminium industry, promotion of the use of aluminium, protection of the environment and other issues of mutual interest. Presently RUSAL produces 3.5 million tonnes of aluminium per year at its smelters in Siberia, and this is forecast to grow to over 4.8 million tonnes with the commissioning of the Boguchansky and Taishet smelters. Over 90% of this capacity is low carbon footprint  due to being hydro-powered and is ideally located to support China’s growing aluminium consumption which is expected to reach 30 million tonnes by 2016 from 19 million tonnes in 2011.

“We are very pleased to become a member of CNIA. RUSAL strives to continuously expand its activities in China by making full use of its market potential and industrial advantages through potential projects and possible partnerships in China. Growing urbanization and industrial development will continue to drive China’s dominant role in the global aluminium consumption, and RUSAL, as the world’s largest producer of the light metal, is ready to meet this demand,” said RUSAL’s Deputy CEO Oleg Mukhamedshin.

In 2011, RUSAL became the second foreign company to obtain China’s SHFE Aluminium Contract registration for its particular brands produced at the Irkutsk and Khakas aluminium smelters. In April this year, the Company announced the start of operations of North United Aluminium (NUA, the former Shenzhen North Investments) – the Shenzhen-based joint venture of RUSAL and NORINCO, specializing in aluminium, alloys and other non-ferrous metals trading on the Chinese market. UC RUSAL also operates the Shanxi Cathode plant.