To ensure a safe working environment, Alouette carries out painting work at various locations on the site every year. As vehicle-pedestrian coactivity is a major risk, ground signage must be clearly visible. In the past, personnel assigned to this task had to work at length, sometimes standing, sometimes crouching or kneeling, in marked-out areas.
Implemented since last summer following the idea of two employees, Jean-Marie Chouinard and Robert Allain, this innovation eliminates certain risks associated with this task, as well as considerably reducing the duration of the work. The project is also innovative in that it makes it possible to paint areas that are sometimes more restricted than commercially available equipment could reach.
"Eliminating injuries and risks is a priority at Aluminerie Alouette. That's why we're proud to win this award, recognizing the commitment of our employees and highlighting our good occupational health and safety practices," says Claude Gosselin, President and CEO. "We are happy to be able to count on employees who are involved and proactive in this area," he adds.
A health, safety and environment committee, made up of employees and management representatives, plays an active role in this area, in addition to promoting prevention within the company. Aluminerie Alouette is proud to work with its employees and partners to implement initiatives that support its ESG (environmental, social and governance) vision.
]]>
A total of $100,000 will be granted over five years at a rate of $20,000 per year. This donation marks the start of a major campaign for CAB le Virage, whose project to move to more suitable premises will become a reality thanks to this generous contribution.
“Being able to contribute to the expansion of CAB le Virage’s facilities means a great deal to Aluminerie Alouette. For more than 30 years, hundreds of employees from our large family have volunteered for many causes. During National Volunteer Week, we are very pleased to be able to make a difference in our community and for the most vulnerable among us,” says Claude Gosselin, President and CEO of Aluminerie Alouette.
CAB le Virage is deeply rooted in its community, providing essential services and resources to a large part of the population. The expansion will allow the organization to serve a greater number of people and broaden its client base. Karoline Gilbert, Executive Director of CAB le Virage, says: “With this new space and a kitchen that is twice the size of our current one, we will be able to serve more people with our meals-on-wheels service and welcome more volunteers to help us. A key reason for the move, of course, is the opening of our drop-in centre for seniors, which has been eagerly anticipated by the community and stakeholders. We also have many new projects in store for you in the coming years.”
Aluminerie Alouette plays a key role in the community by contributing to various causes related to community, culture, education, health, sustainable development, socioeconomics and sports and recreation. It invests more than $700,000 per year in the communities of Port-Cartier, Sept-Îles and Uashat mak Mani-utenam.
About Aluminerie Alouette
Established in 1992, Aluminerie Alouette is an independent aluminum producer. With over 850 employees and an annual production capacity exceeding 620,000 tonnes of primary aluminum, Alouette is the largest private employer in Sept-Îles and the largest aluminum smelter in the Americas. Sustainable development and innovation are at the core of the Sept-Îles facility’s operations.
About the Centre d’action bénévole le Virage
CAB le Virage’s mission is to promote volunteering for the benefit of the entire community by recruiting and training volunteers to work in non-profit community organizations and to foster public-spiritedness and improve social services in their community. CAB le Virage also works to alleviate the loneliness and isolation of dependent seniors and people with disabilities, chronic illnesses or low incomes by providing meals on wheels, a transportation service for medical appointments and other essential needs and appointments, an automated call service, and home visits.
Pictured (from left to right):
Claude Gosselin, President and CEO of Aluminerie Alouette
Karoline Gilbert, Executive Director of CAB le Virage
Maxime Pineault, President of CAB le Virage
Photo credit: Jean St-Pierre
]]>
SEPT-ÎLES, February 15, 2023 - In front of a hundred members of the Sept-Îles Uashat mak Mani-utenam Chamber of Commerce, Aluminerie Alouette announced a $170 millions investment for the refurbishment of two of its anode baking furnaces. The project, which is part of the company's sustainability vision, will result in an impressive construction project involving no less than 300 workers as of March 2023.
The announcement of the implementation of this project, the largest for the smelter since phase 2, represents good news for its future and that of the entire community. "By making the decision to continue producing anodes locally, we secure hundreds of quality jobs," says Jules Côté, the vice-president specially assigned to the major project. The main interested party also aims to improve performance following the modernization that will be brought about by a new design.
Essential components in the electrolysis reaction to produce aluminum, the carbon anodes made in Sept-Îles must be baked for several days before their main use. For this purpose, Aluminerie Alouette operates 4 anode baking furnaces continuously, 2 of which are the oldest from phase 1, more than 30 years ago. Each year, over 370,000 anodes are used. The coordination of the work represents a major challenge, while aluminum production will be maintained throughout.
Specialized workforce
To carry out the work, various trades are called upon to contribute, including over 100 masons who will build the furnace partitions on site, made of refractory bricks. In addition, apprentices from the first cohort of the Mitshapeu Katshishkutamatsheutshuap Adult Education and Vocational Training Center will have the opportunity to develop their skills as part of the project.
Proud of the confidence given by shareholders through this investment, the message from Aluminerie Alouette President and CEO Claude Gosselin to the business community was clear: continue to develop to ensure sustainability. "We have important challenges ahead of us for the next decades, we need to work together and bring the winning conditions for the deployment of other investments necessary for our sustainability," he emphasized. Improving health and safety, decarbonization and long-term securement of supply contracts are at the top of the list of essential elements.
]]>
SEPT-ÎLES, October 19, 2022 – The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) confirmed that Aluminerie Alouette’s aluminum production, maintenance, and service operations meet the Chain of Custody Standard, a guarantee that the metal produced in Sept-Îles and exported around the world is sustainable and responsible.
In July 2020, Aluminerie Alouette was certified against the ASI Performance Standard, which, according to the standard’s official documentation, “defines environmental, social and governance principles and criteria, which address a broad range of sustainability issues in the aluminum value chain.” Today, through the Bureau de normalisation du Québec—the independent body and auditor—the ASI confirmed that the 630,000 tonnes of aluminum produced annually by Aluminerie Alouette’s team meet its requirements and high standards in terms of procurement and subsequent stages of the chain.
“The fact that aluminum, especially Canadian aluminum, is a solution to climate change cannot be overstated,” said Claude Gosselin, President and CEO of Aluminerie Alouette, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. “This new certification adds value to our metal for our shareholders’ customers, who are increasingly looking to source green aluminum. Our entire team and our partners can be proud of this news. Everyone works hard every day. This is a key hallmark in today’s globalized world.”
Dr. Fiona Solomon, CEO of ASI, added, “We congratulate Aluminerie Alouette on achieving ASI CoC Certification for its Sept-Îles, Quebec smelting operations. With this certification, the company consortium made up of several ASI-certified Members demonstrates the overall collaborative spirit of our Members to create a responsible aluminium value chain. The noteworthy production capacity at the plant also provides a significant boost to the availability of ASI-Certified aluminium to downstream aluminium users.”
The full ASI certification is valid for three years during which surveillance audits are conducted periodically.
]]>
SEPT-ÎLES, June 21, 2022 – This week, Aluminerie Alouette successfully completed the implementation of natural gas into its operations, making it a pioneer among Côte-Nord industries. In collaboration with Énergir, a supplier of liquefied natural gas, Aluminerie Alouette used this opportunity to host a presentation and special tour of the site for partners and media representatives.
In October 2020, several years after launching joint efforts with the region’s business community, Aluminerie Alouette announced that it would convert its anode baking furnaces from fuel oil to natural gas, an overall investment of more than $23 million. This achievement was made possible through a partnership with the Ministère de l'Énergie et des Ressources naturelles and Énergir, which also announced the development of a dedicated service for the smelter.
The four anode baking furnaces are now powered by natural gas. All 75 manifolds have been replaced to use this new, more environmentally friendly fuel. Replacing fuel oil with natural gas reduces greenhouse gas emissions from anode baking fuels by about 30%.
“This project contributes to the modernization of our facilities and represents a turning point for our organization and all Côte-Nord industries,” said Michel Lussier, Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, and head of environmental department. “It’s yet another step towards decarbonizing our operations, which we aim to achieve by 2050.”
Online release of the 2021 Sustainable Development Report
The event coincided with the release of Aluminerie Alouette’s latest Sustainable Development Report, which is available online. By maintaining best operational practices and standards of excellence, Aluminerie Alouette once again meets all current source and ambient air emission standards and targets. The same applies to runoff water and residual materials.
The report, which describes Aluminerie Alouette’s remarkable performance over the past year, states that, “While hundreds of millions of dollars will be invested over the next few years to modernize and ensure the plant’s long-term viability, Aluminerie Alouette is more than ever committed to being a world leader in the production of green and responsible aluminum; a company that is highly connected and automated, 100% circular and carbon-neutral, but that, first and foremost, remains human in scale.”
]]>SEPT-ÎLES, May 3, 2022 – At the Mercuriades gala held on May 2 by the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Aluminerie Alouette won an award in the Productivity Improvement category. Alouette is very pleased with this recognition, which reflects its sustained continuous improvement efforts and the commitment of its employees and partners.
Mission accomplished: combining innovation and productivity
From 2018 to 2021, Aluminerie Alouette rolled out a strategy to increase productivity by implementing innovative ways to recycle and recover each of its targeted aluminum residues. This was made possible through the commitment of Alouette employees, tools and training introduced to bring new technology into daily operations, and regular communications to facilitate change management. With this major initiative, Alouette was able to add approximately 8,000 tonnes of aluminum allocated to its shareholders, as well as improve its health and safety record and reduce its carbon footprint.
“Leveraging the local expertise of our employees and partners to drive innovation is key to Alouette’s ability to remain a world leader in primary aluminum production and rank among the most efficient aluminum smelters,” said Claude Gosselin, President and CEO of Aluminerie Alouette. “It is a great privilege for us to be recognized as one of Quebec’s industrial leaders who is pushing the boundaries of innovation. I would also like to acknowledge all the excellent finalists in this edition.”