September
start on Alutrint plant
By Louis B Homer,
South Bureau
Trinidad Express
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
06 24 07
Construction of Alutrint's controversial billion-dollar
aluminium smelter is expected to begin in September
and full production of aluminium is targeted for
the first quarter of 2010, the company's managing
director, Renda Butler, has disclosed. He said
during construction, 900 nationals of Trinidad
will be employed on the plant and the company will
be sending a number of workers to China and Venezuela
to understudy aluminium production.
"Foreigners will only be here long enough
until they turn over the plant to nationals," Butler
told members of Point Fortin/Southwest Peninsula
Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday at the organisation's
monthly energy luncheon at the Point Fortin Borough
Council auditorium.
Outlining the current status of Alutrint's operations
at La Brea, Butler said one of the key factors
for locating the plant at La Brea was the availability
of an existing deep-water port. He said the National
Energy Corporation was expected to expand the existing
port to help take care of the industrial growth
now taking place at La Brea.
Alutrint, which is 60 per cent owned by Government
and 40 per cent by Sural of Venezuela, will occupy
100 hectares at Union Industrial Estate in La Brea,
and will have a state-of-the-art smelter.
Butler also disclosed that a three-storey administrative
building will be constructed on the site, as the
company proposes to be a part of the La Brea community.
"From day one, the community supported us
and we intend to stay close to the community as
part of our corporate image," he said.
Butler said the complex will also be involved
in the development of an automobile and truck wheel
fabricating plant for the manufacture of automotive
parts.
On the controversial issue of the disposal of
spent pot liner, Butler said arrangements had been
made for disposal of liners with a company in the
United States.
Trinidad
Express
Thursday, June 14th 2007
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