The enthusiasm seems to be mutual. Brandtzæg and Hydro's senior management team were warmly and enthusiastically received by new Brazilian colleagues in the first days of March.

With more than 4000 workers, Brazil is now alongside Norway and Germany in number of employees. While Germany is the largest and most important market, and Norway has a long tradition in energy and aluminum production, Brazil has large reserves of the fundamental raw material, bauxite - with many employees with the competence to extract it and refine it.

Brandtzæg was accompanied by Johnny Undeli, responsible for the new Bauxite and Alumina business area, HIlde Merete Aasheim, in charge of the Primary Metals area, and other members of Hydro's senior management at the time when the acquisition in Brazil finally became a reality.

From tip to base

What can Hydro's new employees in Brazil expect now?

“Probably the biggest thing is that they will move from being a relatively small part of Vale's overall business landscape to being an integrated part of Hydro's core business. For us, Pará is one of the key points of our future development. We ensure both raw materials and people with skills in Paragominas, one of the largest bauxite mines in the world, and in Alunorte, the largest alumina refinery in the world. In addition, we now have a majority shareholding in the Albras aluminum plant, which is very well operated.

Brandtzæg emphasizes that both management and employees will be satisfied to have these activities linked to Hydro now.

Challenge each other

“We strongly believe in continuous improvement and have been able to see several areas where we can perform even better. We will do this by working very closely together, ”says Brandtzæg.

“In some areas, without a doubt, we have many things to contribute, but we also have the greatest respect for our colleagues in Brazil, where there are highly skilled professionals who know what they are doing. So values like cooperation, respect and determination will be very important values in this process. Challenging each other in an open and respectful form of cooperation may well be the key to important advances. ”

“But first of all, it is important to focus on identifying the potential improvements that we have in this new business. I see that we have a solid competence and many trained employees in our team in Brazil. We have a good starting point. Now we are going to focus all our efforts to ensure continuity of improvements. ”

BARCARENA: When Svein Richard Brandtzæg and other Hydro executives visited Barcarena on Tuesday (01/03), about 1,500 employees at the refinery Alunorte, the Albras plant, the CAP project and contracted companies were present. & nbsp; (Photo: Marcelo Lellis)