Emirates Smelter Attracts Island Workers

by Ed
(Anglesey)

Emirates Aluminium (EMAL)is seeking to recruit former Anglesey Aluminium Metal (AAM) workers from the recently closed island smelter at Holyhead.

EMAL is recruiting worldwide as it prepares to start a new $5.7 billion smelting operation next year in the United Arab Emirates, at Al Taweelah near Abu Dhabi.

This new aluminium smelter will be the largest in the world and is attracting former AAM workers, albeit reluctantly, given the lack of opportunities on Anglesey and the north west Wales region.

EMAL is an $8 billion joint venture between Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi government investment company, and Dubai Aluminium. The company expects smelting operations to start at Al Taweelah around April 2010, and by December 20210 it will reach full capacity of 700,000 tonnes of aluminum.

The first phase of this project will have a capacity of more than 2,000 MW of electricity. Later, Phase II should see increased capacity to 1.4 million tonnes aluminum per year, expected to be completed between 2013 to 2014.

EMAL already has export orders from countries in the Middle East region and Europe, and later they expect to export to North America.

Local MP Albert Owen said greater effort is needed to keep these highly skilled people on Anglesey. He said that opportunities need to be created so that those who go abroad can then return to the island.

In many cases such a decision may well be right for now but it may put a strain on some families, as the workers are expected to be away for a number of months at a time.

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