The Italian-Swiss group that took over the Portovesme primary aluminum smelter from Alcoa is preparing to start up part of the plants while waiting for the revamping of the entire industrial complex to be completed. And thanks to a multi-year collaboration agreement for the supply of raw materials and products with the Glencore group, it also sets a rough date. «By July – says Eros Brega, general and legal affairs manager of the company that operates in Sulcis Iglesiente – we hope to have the first production from the foundry».
Multi-year contracts
The metallurgical company cited two years: 2022 and 2023. And four contracts. Two, those that will start from 2022 and have a multi-year duration, foresee “the supply for the foundry, starting from the current year, for part of SiderAlloys’ needs” and also the “withdrawal of aluminum products from the foundry, also in 2022, for part of the production of SiderAlloys ». For 2023, on the other hand, a “multi-year contract for the supply of alumina, for part of SiderAlloys’ needs” is envisaged “and a multi-year agreement” on the withdrawal of aluminum products from the foundry, starting from 2023, for a part of SiderAlloys production ” . These are the final stages of the preparatory process for restarting the plants that have been shut down since October 2012 when the electrolytic cells were turned off.
Investments of 150 million
Last October the last obstacle was overcome with the issue of regional authorizations. In the field an investment worth 150 million euros “and provides for the refurbishment of the smelter with the most advanced technologies capable of producing aluminum of the highest quality”. The project carried out by SiderAlloys, led by Giuseppe Mannina, provides for a revamping phase and then the start of production and the insertion of 370 direct and 70 contract workers, plus any other 50 in case of restarting an additional plant. About one hundred people currently work in the industrial complex. To support the entire plan, which aims to relaunch the production of primary aluminum, an investment program worth 150 million euros, of which 8 non-repayable, 84 financed at a subsidized rate, 20 made available by Alcoa and the rest to the new owner. “It will be the first factory in Italy – concludes Brega – that will produce primary aluminum from the processing of alumina through an electrolytic process”.