Bratsk aluminum smelter: history, modernization, management system

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The Bratsk Aluminum Plant is the largest enterprise by world and domestic standards, producing 30% of the total volume of domestic aluminum and 4% of the world's metal production.

History

The Bratsk aluminum plant was launched in 1966, until 1973 additional capacities were launched. The energy supply to the enterprise is provided by the Bratsk HPP. In 1980, the company gained worldwide recognition by being awarded the "Golden Mercury" award, given for merits in the field of international cooperation and production development.

The change of ownership took place in 1993: the company became an open joint-stock company OJSC Bratsk Aluminum Plant. The total number of issued shares has not changed since then and is 5,505,305 units.

Until the beginning of the 21st century, the company changed owners several times. From 2000 to the present day, the enterprise has been under the control of the RUSAL concern. The Bratsk aluminum smelter is one of the largest assets of Russian Aluminum. In 2001, BrAZ celebrated the anniversary meltingaluminum, since the founding of the plant, 25 million tons of aluminum have been issued. The thirty millionth ton of metal was smelted in 2006.

Production

At the moment of launching the capacity of the enterprise, they were designed to produce 915 thousand tons of metal per year. Since 2007, a large-scale modernization has begun at the plant, the process is still ongoing. During this time, the Bratsk aluminum plant was able to produce one million tons of products per year, for the first time new capacities were demonstrated in 2008.

Primary aluminum is produced at the plant in electrolyzers using Soderberg technology. The company's assets include 25 buildings, which make up three electrolysis shops, an anode mass, fluoros alt shops and production areas for the production of crystalline silicon. As part of the modernization and in order to produce competitive products in 2008, a foundry complex for the production of flat ingots was put into operation, its capacity is 100 thousand tons of products per year.

JSC RUSAL Bratsk aluminum smelter receives energy from the Bratsk hydroelectric power station and consumes up to 75% of the total generated power of the station. Raw materials for production are supplied from Kazakhstan, as well as from partners from Guinea, Italy and other countries.

Main products:

• Aluminum in high purity ingots weighing 15 kilograms (grades A995-A95).
• Technical grade metal in T-shaped ingots.
• Aluminum ingots, aluminum alloys marked AMg2, AMg3. Metal for rolling mills.

All productscertified according to international standards and protocols ISO and OHSAS.

Production modernization and social policy

The main task of the enterprise is to increase the output of quality products in accordance with the demands of the global consumer market. In 2012, the Bratsk Aluminum Plant began to produce more than ten new types of metal ingots and alloys. In the same year, new equipment was launched to achieve better work results and quality evaluation of the products received. The Wagstaff foundry received state-of-the-art agitators, and the Limca unit began to evaluate the purity of aluminum during the smelting process.

In order to improve the environmental situation and reduce the impact on the environment, the Bratsk aluminum plant is implementing the Ecological Soderberg program, in 2012 a new gas purification unit was installed in building No. 25.

The social policy of the enterprise is implemented in compliance with all norms of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and the construction of housing for employees. About 14.5 thousand people are expected to take part in the housing program. Housing is purchased by employees of the company on preferential mortgage lending, part of the funds (about 50%) is repaid by RUSAL. During the summer, the plant's employees have the opportunity to send children to a camp located in the Krasnodar Territory for free.

Production management system

Brotherly became the leader in many undertakingsaluminum plant. The production system implemented at the enterprise is the result of a deep study of world-class management standards, our own rich work experience and the possibilities of the Russian market. The main postulate of the program is the statement that the interests of the staff are paramount. Thus, it became necessary to create a middle class at the enterprise, for which an average salary was determined - at least 2 thousand dollars a month, a high level of responsibility in its place, quality education with the opportunity and desire to raise its level.

"Break the stereotype!" - the production system of the Bratsk aluminum plant. A book describing the system was published by the Managing Director of BrAZ in collaboration with several experienced managers of the company. The essence of the system is to solve problems step by step while moving towards the goal, in total 18 steps are described. According to the authors, each subsequent step can be carried out only after understanding and obtaining a complete picture of the results of the previous ones. Based on a comprehensive analysis, the next step leading to the final goal is crystallized.

System performance

After the introduction of a new type of management at the enterprise, profits have increased markedly, product quality has improved, and the attitude of staff to their work and to the company as a whole has changed for the better.

Major Achievements:

• Metal production increased to 1 million tons per year (it was 920 thousand tons per year).tons).
• Increase in labor productivity up to 2.9 times, optimization of the number of personnel occurred by reducing the staff from 11 to 4 thousand people.
• The time between overhauls of equipment has been reduced by up to 15%, which indicates its reliability.
• The amount of stocks of raw materials in warehouses has decreased by 10-30%.
• The quality of products does not depend on the performance of raw materials, remaining consistently on top.
• Reduced accidents at work.
• Through the introduction of new environmental protection systems, the amount of emissions into the atmosphere has been reduced.
• The cost of production produced by the Bratsk Aluminum Plant is one of the lowest in the world.
• The company's production capacity is fully loaded despite the crisis.
• There were practically no investments in the company, efficiency was achieved through operating activities.

Address

The Bratsk Aluminum Plant is a city-forming enterprise. The main facilities are located in the Irkutsk region, the city of Bratsk.