We are proud of our achievements, which milestone DUBAL’s progress into a global leader in the aluminium sector.

Major milestones
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Major milestones

Since the commissioning of our Jebel Ali plant in 1979, DUBAL's corporate journey has been marked by numerous milestones, the more significant of which are listed here.

1975 Decree issued by the late H H Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (early-May)

H H Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum laid the foundation stone (mid-October)
1976 Construction began (May)
1979 Queen Elizabeth II opened the Desalination Plant, in the presence of
H H Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (end-February)

First reduction cell powered up (end-October)

First metal tapped (early-November)
1980 Commercial production began: three potlines with a combined production capacity of 135,000 mtpa (January)
1987 One millionth tonne of aluminium products produced (September)

DUBAL sponsored ARABAL
1990 Start-up of Potline 4, adding 100,000 mtpa to production capacity to (October)
1992 DUBAL sponsored Dubai Desert Classic for the 1st time
1995 DUBAL sponsored ARABAL
1996 Start-up of Potline 5 'Falcon', adding 145,000 mtpa to production capacity (September)
1997 Potline 5 officially opened (March)

Start-up of 5 'Eagle' development cells (December)
1999 Start-up of Potline 6 'Condor', adding 150,000 mtpa to production capacity (May)
2004 Start-up of Potline 7 and Potline 9 'Kestrel', together adding 150,000 mtpa to production capacity

Seven millionth tonne of cast aluminium production (June)

25th anniversary of metal production (November)
2005 Abdulla Jassim Kalban became first UAE National Chief Executive Officer (April)

Understanding with Larsen & Toubro to set up a JV bauxite mining-alumina refinery project in Orissa, India (March)
2006 Joint Protocol with Mubadala Development Company to develop green-field smelters using DUBAL's proprietary DX reduction cell technology (February)

Start-up of Potline 9B and Potline 7B, together adding 100,000 mtpa to production capacity (June and September)

DUBAL sponsored Dubai Ladies Masters for the first time (December)
2007 Joint Venture Agreement with Mubadala to build Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) smelterc complex at Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi (February)

DUBAL hosted 71st International Aluminium Institute meeting (March)

Framework Agreement with Mubadala and Sonatrach for a smelter complex at Béni-Saf, Algeria (April)

Memorandum of Understanding in Republic of Guinea to develop a JV alumina refinery with associated bauxite mine (May)

Implementation of SAP across DUBAL completed, went live (June)

First Technology Licence Agreement relating to DX Technology (October)

10 millionth tonne of aluminium products produced (October)

Start-up of Potline 5B, increasing production capacity to 883,000 mtpa

Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement with Masdar, for a Clean Development Mechanism project under the Kyoto Protocol

DUBAL sponsored 22nd Metal Bulletin International Aluminium Conference in Dubai (September)
2008 Memorandum of Understanding with Mubadala and Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority and Emaar, The Economic City, for a green-field smelter complex in King Abdulla Economic City, Saudi Arabia (January)

10 millionth tonne of aluminium produced (July)
Start-up of Potline 6B (renamed Potline 8), comprising 40 DX cells, increasing production capacity to 950,000 mtpa (February)

DUBAL sponsored 13th International Arab Aluminium Conference and Exhibition (September)

DUBAL published first Sustainability Report
Abdulla Jassim Kalban named Businessman of the Year in the 2nd annual Middle East Business Achievement ("MEBA") Awards

Joint venture with Hindalco and Hydromine to develop a green-field bauxite mining and alumina refinery project in northern Cameroon, known as Cameroon Alumina Limited ("CAL")
2009 Joint venture with Vale and Hydro Aluminium to develop a green-field alumina refinery in Brazil, known as Companhia de Alumina do Paré ("CAP")

30th anniversary of hot metal production (November)

Casthouse production exceeded one million metric tonnes in one year for the first time
2010 Smelter production exceeded one million metric tonnes in one year for the first time.