MUMBAI: Larsen and Toubro's metallurgical and material handling (MMH) business has commissioned the 0.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) expansion project of Hindalco unit Utkal Alumina International (UAIL). Hindalco is Aditya Birla group's metals flagship company.
The plant is located at Kucheipadar, near Tikiri in Odisha’s Rayagada district. This expansion upgrades the refinery's alumina production capacity to 2 mtpa from 1.5 mtpa.
The expansion project was recently inaugurated by Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. MMH has executed several alumina refinery projects in the domestic and international markets in the past. This project, with its uniqueness in terms of complexity and environment friendliness paves the way for executing similar projects in the future.
"L&T MMH has executed this project in a time bound manner ensuring the most critical process units of the refinery are ready. The company used the modular erection methods with sophisticated machinery for speedier project execution. L&T MMH team overcame many difficulties at the remote location of the project including limited material availability, inadequate local skilled workmen, hilly terrain, and heavy rainfall with a prolonged rainy season, etc," the company said.
Moreover, the challenging work was completed during the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic, with 2,000 workmen working at the site with all due precautions and safety measures. The L&T MMH team ensured provided basic amenities, requisite medical facilities, and timely payment of wages to workmen maintaining their high morale and to protect them from infections during this period.
