SHRI BAIS INAUGURATES INTERNATIONAL ALUMINIUM CONFERENCE
Press Information Bureau-India
The 3-day International Conference on Aluminium (INCAL'03) began here today with 700 delegates from India and abroad representing primary and secondary producers, researchers, academicians and end users. Sponsored by the Ministry of Mines the conference has been organised by the Aluminium Association of India (AAI). The Conference, fourth in the series was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Mines, Shri Ramesh Bais. The main theme of the conference is "Aluminium - the metal of sustainable growth."
In his inaugural speech, the Minister outlined the unique properties and diversified use of aluminium and stressed on increasing the per capita consumption in the country. It is as low as half a kilogram in India as against 2.9 kg. in China, 3 kg. in Brazil, 4 kg. in Thailand and Malaysia and 6.4 kg. in Venezuela. He said that aluminium, after its use, can be recycled repeatedly with less consumption of power. It is used in household utensils as well as heavy automobiles and powerful aircrafts.
The Minister said that this is a promising sector as India's position in bauxite reserves is fifth in the world and it has enough non-coking coal for power generation. Its skilled manpower can be best utilized to raise the production of aluminium in the country which is below one million tonnes compared to 4 to 4.5 million tonnes in China. He said that total production of aluminium in the world is nearly 25 million tonnes. The Minister assured all help and cooperation of the Government to the Aluminium Association of India and its members in their endeavour to boost the aluminium production in India. He hoped that the conference would open up new avenues for growth of the industry in India.
Dr.A.K.Kundra, Secretary Mines said that INCAL'03 would focus on
the sustainable growth in the context of aluminium being the metal of the future. It is a forum for Indian aluminium experts to exchange their views and learn regarding the global technology developments. The President of the Association, the Chairman, NALCO Shri C.Venkataramana said that spread over three days, the conference will have 45 theme lectures and 40 contributed papers on diverse topics. Nearly 30 papers are from the experts of foreign countries. Nearly 70 overseas delegates are participating in the conference. The conference will deliberate on several aspects of primary production, downstream processes and fabrications, recycling, life cycle analysis, products, applications and end-users, health, environment and ecology, marketing and finance.
In the exposition arranged at the conference the aluminium companies have displayed their facilities, focussing on every segment of the process, product and applications chain. It is an ideal market place for equipment suppliers and technology providers.
Dr.S.K.Tamotia, CEO Indal, Mr.Gerard Frochot, Sr. Vice President, Aluninium Pechiney, Shri A.K.Agarwal, Director, Hindalco Industries, Shri Shashi K.Moudgal, Chairman INCAL-2003; Prof. K.S.S.Murthy, Hony. General Secretary, AAI and senior officials of the Ministry of Mines and the industry attended the function.