Qatalum is owned 50/50 by Hydro and Qatar Petroleum. Aluminium production is planned for start-up in the fourth quarter of 2009.

“A major part of Hycast’s resources will be committed to supplying the Qatalum project over the next two to three years,” says project manager Stein Erlend Skei of Hycast.

FATA EPC, with whom the letter of intent has been signed, is a division of FATA S.p.A , the Italian design and construction company responsible for building the Qatalum casthouse.

At the moment Hycast is busily engaged in design activity to ensure that the project milestones can be achieved. At the same time negotiations with FATA EPC, regarding the contract that will govern project, are into their final phase.

Positive challenge

The construction of Qatalum’s billet casthouse commences in April 2008. The first deliveries of equipment from Hycast will be in place in Qatar in December 2008 and the equipment will be installed over a period of about one year. Hycast’s Qatalum engagement will be concluded in February 2010.

In addition to its responsibility for the design and the supply of casting equipment, Hycast will also have personnel stationed in Qatar to supervise the installation and commissioning of its own equipment. Some 10-12 Hycast personnel will be stationed in Qatar from time to time.

The Qatalum contract is very important for Hycast and will occupy a lot of the company’s resources for a lengthy period. Qatalum represents the biggest project in Hycast’s 17-year old history and must be considered a very positive challenge, in that Hycast is supplying an external company.

Highly competent

Hycast AS is wholly owned by Hydro Aluminium, with most of its project portfolio previously committed in-house to Hydro. And even though Hydro is ultimately a client here, through its ownership stake in Qatalum, Hycast AS will liaise only with FATA EPC throughout the entire project implementation phase.

The Sunndal company Hycast AS was established in 1990 and currently employs 45 people. Most of them are engineers, including chartered engineers, and technical personnel who are highly competent in their fields. In addition, Hycast has a lot of expertise in project management and administrative functions, all of which enable the company to implement projects of this magnitude.