Alba said in the final weeks of 2014 it was on track to exceed 2014 financial targets.

Earlier, the company had announced that total sales for the first three quarters of 2014 were $1.6 billion versus $1.5 billion in the same period of 2013. The company posted a net income of $165 million for the nine months of 2014, versus $176 million, the shortfall attributed to lower unrealised derivative gains in 2014.

The company continues to be a key benchmark within the aluminium industry as it prepares for future growth, its chairman Sheikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa said at a board meeting.

“As we head into 2015, Alba will continue to focus on creating sustainable value for both Alba and the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said the chairman. “On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to once again thank the management, the Alba Labour Union and all Alba employees and contractors on winning the 2014 Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC) Health and Safety award for Alba.”

The company won the award in the smelter category and the presentation was held as part of Arabal 2014 in late November. CEO Tim Murray said: “At Alba, we believe that the ownership of safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

The board approved the 2015 Annual Operating Plan and was given an update on the status of the Line 6 expansion project. Also, during the meeting, GAC secretary general, Mahmood Al Daylami briefed the board on the important role the GAC plays in representing the GCC aluminium industry.

The company bolstered its reputation as a leading energy-efficient aluminium producer with the addition of a new air compressor to its existing fleet of 13 units in the utilities wing of the power and utilities department. The new unit meets the growing demand for compressed air to match aluminium production creep targets.

Director for power and utilities Amin Sultan said: “The installation of the new unit was in line with Alba’s commitment to efficiency, where the company continually endeavours to upgrade its systems to ensure enhanced productivity. We successfully implemented this project in-house, where the cost was optimised by the packaging of contracts to optimum level, and did not opt for a turnkey project. I congratulate and thank the teams involved for their continual support.”

Alba provided gold sponsorship to the third Middle East Maintenance Conference & Exhibition (MaintCon) 2014, underlining its commitment to promoting a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends, developments and technologies in the maintenance field.

Organised by the Gulf Society of Maintenance Professionals in co-operation with the Bahrain Society of Engineers, MaintCon2014 was held from December 7 to 10 at the Gulf International Convention Centre, Gulf Hotel, Bahrain.

Alba’s director, Line 6 project and engineering, Shawqi Al Hashimi; manager for engineering A Rahim Mohammed and manager for Carbon 3 Gopichand J Talreja, along with other employees, represented the company at the event.

Commenting on Alba’s participation, Al Hashimi said: “Operational efficiency is a key motivator at Alba; we continuously work towards implementing technologies and systems that improve productivity and boost efficiency. MaintCon is well-known as an event that focusses on researches, inventions and technologies for maintaining industrial companies. We are pleased to support and participate in this event, which provides us with opportunities to interact with service providers and learn about the latest developments in the field of maintenance.”

Meanwhile, the company joined organisations and institutions across Bahrain in celebrating Bahraini Women’s Day. It held a ceremony at Alba Club which was organised by the Alba Labour Union and Alba management. More than 120 female employees were present.

Addressing the gathering, Murray said: “Women play a key role in our lives; they are crucial to the progress of society at large. The women of Bahrain have set examples not just for the kingdom but also for the GCC. Alba is proud of its female employees for their excellent leadership and immense contribution towards the company’s success. Celebrating Bahraini Women’s Day is just one of the ways we can show our gratitude to them.”