SUAL group of companies is pleased to announce production statistics for the year 2002. Production volume of bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium was considerably increased. At the moment SUAL group of companies" enterprises are developing faster than the overall market and entirely provided its aluminium smelters with own alumina.

SUAL group of companies fulfilled 2002 production plan for bauxite, alumina, anode mass and primary aluminium. It produced 1.75 million mt of alumina, which is 49,000 mt more (+2,9%) compared to the same period of 2001 (not including newly joined enterprises of Sevzapprom). To cut primary aluminium production expenses SUAL group of companies developed and implemented a program of alumina quality improvement at its enterprises.

In 2002, primary aluminium production at SUAL group of companies" aluminium smelters increased by 3.2% and reached 695,000 mt of primary aluminium, which is 21,600 mt more compared to the same period of the previous year (not including newly joined enterprises of Sevzapprom).

Cheremshansk Quartzite, SUAL group of companies" enterprise, enlarged the number of its consumers, thus allowing the production to grow. Quartzite production volume in 2002 accounted at more than 234,000 mt and exceeded the level of the previous year 2001 by 18,6%.

In 2002, SUAL group of companies successfully continued to implement the program of capital expenditure, conducted the current equipment modernization and technology improvement at its plants.