Good chrome production in 2007

TIRANA, Jan. 3 – Albanian Chrome ACR – a subsidiary of DCM DECOmetal (Austria) and Terwingo (Russia ) -has completed its annual investment plan in its facilities as called for in the concessionary contract the company took over from the Italian DARFO srl in spring 2007.
In the last eight months Albanian Chrome ACR completed a series of investments to rehabilitate and modernize the Bulqiza mine, where 660 miners are employed.
It should be noted that due to technical shortcomings five miners have died at this mine, which pushed the government to temporarily suspend work there until the company provided the proper renovations.
“New equipment for mechanized reloading, electric transportation as well as modern equipment for ventilation systems arrived at the mine and, step by step, is being introduced in the operations. The electrical system and the ventilation system shall be fully renewed, while investments to increase the level of security at work continue,” according to the mine’s administrator, Petrit Duva.
“We inherited a mine devoid of any investment and plunged into miserable technical conditions. Albanian Chrome ACR is striving to complete a full range of investments in order to improve the safety at the existing levels as well as to implement an in-depth mine development plan which guarantees to prolong the life of the mine for at least 20 years,” claimed Dr. Rohtraut Skatsche-Depisch, an owner of Albanian Chrome ACR.
The company has so far invested ca. 3.5 million Euro into the Albanian mine. By the end of 2010, Albanian Chrome ACR will have invested 15 million Euros into the site.
From January 2008 onwards, the Bulqiza mine is scheduled to produce 7,000 tons of chrome monthly. The goal of the company is to produce 240 -250 thousand tons of chrome annually.
“Our aim is to have Albania exporting not just the mineral, but processed ferrochromium”- says Heinz Mueller, an owner. At the Ferrochromium Plant in Elbasan Albanian Chrome ACR shall restart the production with the first furnace during the first quarter of 2008. Second and third furnaces will be started in the second half of 2008 and the beginning of 2009.
The current investments are over 2.5 million Euros, while the company plans to spend 10 million Euro at this plant.
The overall industrial investments of the Albanian Chrome ACR are expected to reach 25 million Euros within the next four years.
By 2009, Albanian Chrome ACR plans to export 50,000 tons of ferrochromium, of both high and low carbon quality. In its best days, the Ferrochromium Plant of Elbasan had an annual capacity of 30,000 tons of production.
Albanian Chrome ACR employs a workforce of over 900 people, representing the largest industrial employer in the country.
“For that reason, the company has been highly sensitive to the social problems and we have adopted significant measures in this regard,” explained Elton Beqi, Albanian Chrome ACR administrator in Tirana.
To assist returning workers at the Ferrochromium Plant in Burrel, Albanian Chrome ACR subcontracted ITALKROM Albania.
130 employers will resume work at the Ferrochromium Plant in Elbasan in January 2008, though most of these employees will be engaged in the implementation of the ongoing renovations.
At the Bulqiza mine, the salaries of all employers increased by 50 percent, though the improvement of the working conditions and of the services to miners have been of core importance.
Albanian Chrome ACR has told its employees that care and attention towards them shall not diminish and invites them to cooperate to strengthening the safety at the mine.
“This requires keeping the mine working without interruptions, while the work discipline should be enhanced as workers fully respect the orders of the administration and follow closely all technical safety rules, to avoid risking the lives of people,” says Mikhail Ushakov, an owner of Albanian Chrome ACR.
“Together with the trade unions, we have to think about safe conditions at the mine, about discipline and how to improve miners’ lives. We are staying in contact with the two main unions which represent the majority of workers. We are fulfilling all our agreements with both unions and expect them not to escalate conflicts at the mine, but help to solve all problems in a peaceful way,” concludes Mikhail Ushakov of Albanian Chrome ACR.