June
8, 2004
Venalum smelter aluminum output
in May 37,305 tons
(Reuters) - "Aluminum production at
Venalum, Venezuela's largest state-run smelter,
rose to 37,305 tonnes in May from 36,411 tonnes
a year earlier as the plant surpassed its budgeted
output for the fourth consecutive month, the company
said Tuesday.
The smelter, run by the state industrial group
Corporación Venezolana de Guayana, produced
182,417 tonnes in the first five months of the
year, compared with 179,210 tonnes in the same
period a year ago, a spokeswoman said.
Venalum expects to produce 440,000 tonnes this
year, increasing its annual output from a record
436,558 tonnes produced in 2002 and 435,410 tonnes
last year.
Venalum has a nominal capacity of 430,000 tonnes
annually, but it is planning to add a sixth line
to raise production by 210,000 tonnes to 640,000
tonnes over the next few years.
Venalum is 80 percent owned by a subsidiary of
CVG, with 20 percent held by six Japanese companies
-- Showa Denko KK , Kobe Steel Ltd., Sumitomo
Chemical Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Materials Corp.,
Mitsubishi Aluminum Co. Ltd. and Marubeni Corp".
