Jun 14 2007
Hydro plans to supply 350,000 tonnes of aluminium foundry alloys this year to meet growing world demand, up from 230,000 tonnes last year.
"We will continue our strategy to increase efficient upstream capacities, making our primary portfolio more competitive," says Torstein Dale Sjøtveit, executive vice president of the Aluminium Metal business area in Hydro, in connection with the company's participation at the GIFA 2007 international foundry trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 12-16 June.
"New" Hydro with muscles for growth
"Following the planned merger of Hydro's oil and gas activities with Statoil this coming fall, Hydro will concentrate its efforts on aluminium and power, with the financial muscles to grow further," Sjøtveit says.
Adding volume is part of Hydro’s goal of extending customer service and technical support.
"As a start, we remain close to the market, also when it develops, as with the new casting lines at Sunndal in Norway and at our 55-percent-owned metal plant Slovalco in the heart of emerging Central European industries. In 2010, our planned project in Qatar will come on stream and add significantly to global capacity," Sjøtveit says.