At the Qatar Aluminium Symposium conducted by the Qatar University on November 24, Odd Ivar Biller, who serves as Qatalum’s Board Member and Hydro’s Senior Vice President, stated that aluminium production is technologically advanced and thus academics like the Qatar University has to train its students for manufacturing the metal of the future.
From left, Hans Jorgen Roven (NTNU), Abdel Magid Hamouda (Qatar University), Trond Furu (Hydro), Chris Devadas (Hydro QSTP), Stig Tangen (Qatalum), Magnus Langseth (NTNU), Ali Al-Sowaidi (Qatar Holding), Werner Jager (Hydro), Odd-Arne Lorentsen (Hydro), Tom Petter Johansen (Qatalum) and Djamel Ouahrani (Qatar University). Credit: Odd Ivar Biller.
Hydro, an aluminium company based in Norway, and Qatalum, a Qatar-based aluminium company jointly owned by Qatar Petroleum and Hydro, sponsored the aluminium symposium conducted in Doha. The conference focused on the entire aluminium value chain such as the use phase, manufacturing and fabrication of the material. It is targeted to illustrate aluminium’s important features that make it the material of the future.
Top executives and key experts from Hydro, Qatalum, Qatar Petroleum, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Qatar University delivered a speech at the conference. Dr. Mariam Al-Madeed, who serves as Qatar University’s Materials Technology Unit, launched the symposium chaired by Biller. In association with the conference, a plant visit to Qatalum was held on November 23 2011.
Biller, who also leads Hydro's office located at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), stated that the company is happy about hosting the aluminium conference in partnership with Qatalum and Qatar University. The novel material will assist the world in energy-saving applications in buildings, cars and much more.