Special Focus: The Quebec aluminium cluster and the growth of Quebec Aluminium Industry

Aluminium being one of the major strategic sectors for Québec and a true metal of the future has been in the priority list of the Government of Québec. The government has designed and launched the Québec Aluminium Development Strategy on June 19, 2015, in order to stimulate growth and cover all parts of the aluminium value chain in the process.

With an implementation target over three years (2015-2018), the strategy has set clear cut growth vision for Québec’s aluminium industry.  The strategy aims at developing an active processing sector in Quebec so that the province can add value to the amount of aluminium produced in the region. The government aims at doubling aluminium processing in Québec over the next ten years and facilitate supply security of metal to the aluminium processing sector.  The strategy also aims at supporting investment projects, bringing about foreign investment and encouraging aluminium applications in the various sectors in the region. Showcasing Québec’s low carbon footprint primary aluminium and the technical expertise of the equipment providers remain another priority in the strategy.

The government has also entrusted a number of organizations to promote productive communication among aluminium industry stakeholders in Québec by forming the Québec Aluminium Cluster. AluQuébec is one organization that is expected to play a crucial role in coordinating Québec’s aluminium processing industry and equipment suppliers. They are also supported by other sector organizations like Aluminium Association of Canada, Aluminium Valley Society (AVS) and Trans-Al Network and R&D institute like Aluminium Technology Centre of the National Research Council Canada.

AluQuébec

The role of AluQuébec , Québec’s aluminium industry cluster, is to work as a catalyst to actually bring together the constituents of the aluminium cluster. AluQuébec co-ordinates all participants in the Quebec Aluminium industry and creates synergies between the domestic companies and national and international customers. It is the connecting point among OEMs, producers, processors, equipment suppliers and research, development and training centres to work on major aluminium projects.

Expanding the aluminium processing industry and supporting the activities of equipment suppliers over the next decade remain the key goal of AluQuébec. The organization also promotes the expertise of the equipment manufacturers of Québec internationally and domestically.  They encourage companies to incorporate more aluminium into their product manufacturing.

Other sector organizations remain members of AluQuébec while acting as representatives for their respective members within the Cluster.

Aluminium Valley Society (AVS)

The Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region is a major aluminium transformation and original equipment manufacturing hub. The Aluminium Valley Society is an organization in the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region dedicated to support the emergence and growth of aluminium processing industry, OEM ventures and specialized equipment manufacturers. The key objective of the organization is to boost economic development, and to create and retain jobs in the Aluminium Valley in Quebec.

They also promote Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean throughout the world as an aluminium transformation and specialized equipment manufacturing hubs. Facilitating new businesses in the Aluminium Valley and co-ordinating the Aluminium Valley in Business Trade Show in order to invite investment in the region and to endorse the expertise of domestic companies remain one of the key areas of its operations.

Aluminium Technology Centre (National Research Council Canada)

NRC is an agency of the Government of Canada dedicated to industrial and other sectoral research and development. Aluminium Technology Centre is a part of NRC and is called NRC ATC together. The centre provides technological solutions for its clients from the aluminium processing sector by offering direct access to cutting-edge scientific infrastructure and expertise in process development and aluminium forming in order to improve their manufacturing processes. The centre works towards innovating product development processes that are advanced, cost effective and environment friendly and manufacture high-performance products. NRC ATC has research facilities dedicated to aluminium transformation processes and for testing the performance of the manufactured products.

The center is involved in R&D activities in relation to adhesive assembly, various welding techniques, semisolid casting, forming and extrusion, as well as techniques for evaluating mechanical resistance, environmental sustainability, and metallurgical and chemical characterization specifically for the aluminium metal.  The research findings and solutions have been applied successfully by domestic aluminium processors and they also do various innovative projects on request from the industry.

The laboratory at Saguenay, Quebec measuring nearly 1200 m2, contains oversized equipment like two robotic welding cells connected to a 10-kW laser, a friction stir welding machine, a 1000-ton forming press, and a 650-ton injection moulding press.

Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC)

Aluminium Association of Canada represents the three primary producers operating in Canada: Alcoa, Rio Tinto Alcan and Alouette. The AAC's mission is to represent the Canadian aluminium industry in its dealings with public authorities, international organizations and authorities, citizens, users of aluminium, as well as other participants in the Canadian economy.

Trans-Al Network

The growth of SME sector represents the true development of an economy or an industry sector.   The Trans-Al Network is the business network for Québec-based aluminium processors, mostly operating in the SME sector. Devoted to the growth of SMEs, it provides opportunities for networking, technological improvement, business deals for its 250 members across the province.

Canada is already in the global innovation race, competing with countries around the world with the newest technologies, and the fastest-growing companies along with companies with decades old legacy in the industrial sector. Quebec being the aluminium hub for Canada needs an agenda to spark growth in the processing sector in order to realize the complete value of the aluminium produced in the country. Government intends to accelerate business-led innovation clusters to deliver substantial results for the people of the province and the Quebec Aluminium Cluster is an amalgamation of such sincere efforts that plans to put the aluminium industry in the global forefront within a decade.

 (The article is a part of a special coverage feature series by AlCircle on the Quebec Aluminium Industry. AlCircle Content Head Beethika Biswas went to Quebec as a visiting journalist, met some of the major industry players and explored the aluminium cluster in the region while visiting plants and offices around Montreal, Saguenay, Chicoutimi and Sherbrook.)