The Australian Aluminium Council (the Council) has welcomed Australia’s largest extruder and distributor of aluminium products, Capral Limited, as a new member, highlighting the growing importance of end-to-end domestic supply chains and the ability to add value to the nation’s natural resources.
Capral is the Council’s first new member in a decade and will increase the Council’s downstream manufacturing representation.
Executive Director of the Council, Marghanita Johnson said “The COVID crisis has reinforced the advantages of being able to value-add within a domestic supply chain – from Australian bauxite, to Australian alumina, to Australian aluminium and on to Australian extruders like Capral.
“As Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of aluminium profiles, with eight operating extrusion presses and an annual capacity of 65,000 tonnes, Capral will bring diversity to the Council’s downstream membership.
“We welcome Capral and its 850 employees to the Council. Australia’s manufacturing sector employs people with significant technical, operational and managerial skills, and the development of this skill base can support Australian jobs into the future.”
Ms Johnson said “Today’s good news comes as Australia’s electricity-intensive manufacturing sector faces significant challenges. Electricity in the Australian market has, in recent times, been consistently priced in the highest quartile of global prices for electricity-intensive manufacturing. Regaining Australia’s competitive advantage, will require a restoration of internationally competitive energy prices.”
“We want a future where Australia’s world-class energy resources are translated into internationally competitive, low-emission, reliable energy that will ensure industrial production, emissions and jobs are not exported to other countries. This will enable Australia’s manufacturing sector’s future.”
About the Council
The Council represents the Australian bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting and downstream aluminium manufacturing industries. These includes five large and two small bauxite mines; six alumina refineries; and four aluminium smelters. The industry is partially vertically integrated, directly employs around 15,000 Australians and indirectly supports an additional 40,000 families in regional Australia, while also contributing more than $15B in exports earnings.
