At a time when 70 per cent aluminium companies world over have reported loss and the aluminium industry is reeling under heavy pressure due to sluggish international market, Government of India PSU National Aluminium Company limited (Nalco) has remained profitable all through by successfully handling the market downturn by focusing on its bauxite mining and alumina refining arm, besides effecting several cost-reduction measures, particularly in metal production.
In the process, the aluminium major has registered an all-time high production of 63,40,142 tonnes of bauxite in 2015-16 fiscal, i.e., 10.47 per cent higher and 19,53,000 tonnes of alumina, i.e., 5.51 per cent higher than the corresponding figures of the previous fiscal.
“These are the highest-ever production figures since inception of the company,” announced Nalco CMD Dr TapanKumar Chand on the occasion of celebrating the Utkal Divas here on Friday. Dedicating the achievement to the people of Odisha, Dr Chand said, “Perhaps this is the best possible tribute to the State, where Nalco was born and brought up since 1981.”
The Navratna PSU also produced 3,72,183 tonnes of metal registering an increase of 13.79 per cent compared to the corresponding figure of the previous fiscal, which included the highest-ever production of 1,01,380 tonnes of wire rods.
During the year, the metal sale was higher by 14.21 per cent at 3,72,424 tonnes and power generation was up by 13.84 per cent at 5841 million units compared to the previous year.
Notably, the mining lease of the South Block and the Central& North Block at the Panchpatmali bauxite mines of the company has been extended up to March 2020 by the State Government.