Atlas Copco wins major order in Qatar for world’s largest aluminum plant

Stockholm, Sweden, February 6, 2008: Atlas Copco has been awarded a turnkey contract to supply the complete compressed air system for Qatalum, which once completed will become the world’s largest primary aluminum plant. The order, to be booked in the first quarter, has a value of more than MSEK 100 (MUSD 16).

Qatalum (Qatar Aluminium Ltd.), a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Norsk Hydro ASA, will have an initial production capacity of nearly 600 000 metric tons per year. With future capacity set to double in the second phase of development, it will become the world’s largest aluminum plant.

Atlas Copco’s Oil-free Air division will deliver 10 three-stage centrifugal compressors and 10 heat-of-compression dryers; for a combined capacity of over 100 000 m3/hr to be used in the aluminum smelting process. The whole compressed air system will be controlled and monitored with an innovative energy saving central controller.

“Our ability to deliver a system that will provide significant energy savings and our extensive experience from similar projects, proved essential in winning this order,” says Ronnie Leten, President of Atlas Copco’s business area Compressor Technique. “It is an important contract for future reference as we see great development potential in the aluminum industry in the Middle East.”

Located on the southern coast of Qatar, the machines will need to operate in challenging conditions, having to cope with the high ambient temperatures, dust and salt in the Middle East.