UPGRADING OF PLANT TECHNOLOGY

Tomago Aluminium was the first large scale AP18 plant to be constructed globally, and at the time (1983) used the best operating technology available.

In 2002, Tomago Aluminium once again announced it would be upgrading the smelter from AP18 to AP22 technology, or increasing the amperage of the electrical current flow from 180kA to 225kA.

Work on construction commenced in March 2002 and was completed in 2005 with its full potential expected to be reached in 2007.

Essentially the completion of the project will see production capacity increase from 460,000 tonnes per annum to 525,000 tonnes per annum through the increase in the operating amperage and we are currently producing around 520,000 tonnes per annum.

The project represents an investment of approximately $AU200 million and includes re-engineering the plant’s AP18 pots (so called because they were originally designed to run at 180kA) to run at 225kA or greater, thereby increasing production capacity.

The upgrade provides a platform for Tomago Aluminium’s continued international competitiveness and delivers a truly world class light metals manufacturing facility to the Hunter, NSW and Australia.

Work on the bake oven