Kubikenborg Aluminium AB (KUBAL)

KUBAL is the sole producer of primary aluminium and the largest industrial facility in Sweden. The smelter's capacity has grown more than 10 times since it was launched in 1942. KUBAL's extensive modernization, carried out by RUSAL, has enabled the smelter to boost production efficiency and reduce the impact on the environment.

One of the largest industrial facilities and the only producer of primary aluminium in Sweden.

Built in 1942.

Half of KUBAL's products are shipped to Swedish customers and the other half goes to clients in Europe.


Products
Primary aluminium, alloys (slabs and billets)
Consumers
Automotive, construction and packaging industries
Annual production capacity
135,000 tonnes of aluminium
Smelting technology
Electrolysis using pre-baked anodes
Certificates
ISO 9001 (quality management standard), ISO 14001 (environmental management systems standard)
Development
RUSAL has carried out a large-scale modernisation of the smelter by switching its facilities from Soderberg technology to more environmentally friendly technology using pre-baked anodes. The modernisation programme enabled the smelter to increase its capacity by 30%, reduce energy consumption by 20% and completely eliminate aromatic hydrocarbon emissions.

One of the main achievements of KUBAL in 2015 was the reduction of the anode effect frequency at the plant to below 0.12 per electrolyser per day. As a result, between 2010 and 2015, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the plant due to anode effects has been reduced to approximately 70% of the average. This was made possible by training courses for the electrolyser operators, fine-tuning of the electrolyser programs, and specialized maintenance of the alumina point feeders.  In order to increase the responsibility of employees for the results of work at the plant, working schemes have also been introduced, which provide for the maintenance of groups of electrolysers by assigned operators.

In recent years the modernization of KUBAL has been aimed at upgrading equipment (magnetic stirrers for foundry furnaces, X-ray diffractometer with automated crushing station, new chip press). The use of larger anodes has been introduced in the electrolysis shop, which allows to increase efficiency and improve environmental performance in terms of air emissions reduction. 
Headcount
450 people