Aluar facts for kids
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| S.A.I.C | |
| Traded as | BCBA: ALUA MERVAL component |
| Industry | Aluminium |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
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Key people
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Javier Santiago Madanes Quintanilla, (Chairman) |
| Products | aluminium products, aluminium alloys |
| Revenue |  US$14.6 billion (2017) |
| US$1.95 billion (2017) |
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Number of employees
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2,200 |
Aluar is a very important company in Argentina. It is the only place in the country that makes aluminium. It is also one of the biggest aluminium makers in all of South America.
How Aluar Started
Aluar began in 1970. It was started by a company called FATE, which made rubber, and a businessman named José Ber Gelbard. Other private investors also helped.
At that time, the government wanted Argentina to make its own aluminium. This metal was very important for industries. So, Aluar was given special permission to be the only company to produce aluminium in the country.
To make aluminium, a lot of electricity is needed. So, a large hydroelectric dam was built in Trevelin, Chubut Province. This dam helped power Aluar's first factory, called a smelter. A smelter is a place where metal is melted and purified. This factory opened in Puerto Madryn in 1974.
Growing the Company
By 1979, Aluar was one of the biggest companies in Argentina. It was making 140,000 metric tons of aluminium each year. The company's shares were also traded on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. This meant people could buy and sell parts of the company.
Aluar grew even more in 1983. It bought a company called Kicsa, which made aluminium products. This helped Aluar make more than just raw aluminium.
Later, in 1993, Aluar bought Camea. This was a local part of a big Canadian company called Alcan. Aluar bought another part of Alcan in 1996.
In 1995, Aluar also bought the Futaleufú Dam. This dam produced a lot of electricity, almost twice as much as their first dam. This helped Aluar make even more aluminium. In 1998, they bought Uboldi & Compañía, which helped them make more special aluminium products.
Aluar's Success
Around the late 1990s and early 2000s, Argentina faced some tough economic times. But Aluar did very well during this period. The value of Argentina's money, the Argentine peso, went down. This made Aluar's products cheaper for people in other countries to buy. So, Aluar sold most of its aluminium abroad.
By 2006, Aluar was producing 275,000 tonnes of aluminium. The company kept growing and improving its factories. By 2008, they were making 410,000 tons of aluminium each year.
How Aluar Makes Aluminium
The factory in Puerto Madryn has different sections, called reduction lines, where aluminium is made.
- Lines 1 and 2 each have 200 special cells called Montecatini P-155 reduction cells. These cells are like big containers where the aluminium is separated from other materials using electricity.
- Line 3 has 144 Pechiney AP18 reduction cells. These are another type of cell used for making aluminium.
In 2007, a new part of Line 4 was added. It has 168 Pechiney AP18 reduction cells. These new cells helped the factory make an extra 105 thousand tonnes of aluminium. Aluar plans to make Line 4 even bigger in the future by adding more cells.
See also
In Spanish: Aluar para niños
