|
In
February 1969 Kaiser Aluminium & Chemical Corporation and
PREUSSAG Aktiengesellschaft took the decision to jointly
build an aluminium reduction plant in Voerde. Following
preparatory work the cornerstone for the smelter was laid
on October 28, 1969. It was only 14 month later when "KAPAL"
(Kaiser PREUSSAG Aluminium) took up production on January
1, 1971. The first change in the company name into "Kaiser
Aluminium Europe, Hüttenwerk Voerde" occurred in 1981, when
PREUSSAG terminated its participation.
While
everyone in the neighbouring villages is still prepared
to explain to visitors how to get to "KAPAL" the staff have
answered the phone by "Hoogovens Aluminium Hüttenwerk GmbH"
ever since the take-over of the plant by the Dutch Koninklijke
Hoogovens N.V. on December 1, 1997.
In 1971 the annual output of 188 reduction cells in the
electrolysis plant was 64,000 tons of primary aluminium
from aluminium oxide. It was processed in the casthouse,
which added value by making mainly rolling ingots and billets
extrusion. Technical progress alone made it possible to
increase hot metal production to 72,000 tons as early as
in 1974. In the meantime continuous process improvement
has led to an increase in metal production capacity to 84,000
tons per year, while the specific energy consumption per
ton of aluminium has been lowered significantly.
This
primary metal, alloying elements and recycled metal are
turned into 115,000 tons of aluminium products per year,
which are mainly delivered to extrusion plants and rolling
mills within the Hoogovens group as well as to independent
customers, e. g as foundry alloys for the automotive industry.
|
|
The
anode plant manufactures about 60,000 tons of electrodes
per year, which are supplied to the group's own and third
parties' electrolysis plants. Petroleum coke and aluminium
oxide, which are required for electrolysis, arrive by inland
waterway transport. Besides continuous process improvement
the plant in Voerde has developed a large number of metallurgical
innovations. They include an automatic residual anode butt
cleaning plant, which is a major contribution to a more
humane work environment, and ALUREC, a novel melting furnace
for efficient, environmentally friendly and salt-free processing
of aluminium dross, which was developed jointly with AGA
AB, Sweden.
The
well-being of a starfish in its environment largely depends
on the active interaction between its five arms. Similarly
an aluminium reduction plant depends on smooth interaction
between several factors: the overall economic climate, electricity
prices, cost-efficient production, staff with good performance,
innovation, acceptance in the environment and active environmental
protection. Only when these "arms" are looked after carefully
will there be long-term success for the company.
|
