Vedanta’s BALCO unveils museum to preserve its celebrated origins
26th April 2023
Balconagar; 26th April 2023: The Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, has unveiled the BALCO Museum and Learning Centre, an initiative to preserve its celebrated origins as independent India’s first Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), which has since contributed significantly towards leading the nation onto the path of industrial progress. In the spirit of World Heritage Day (observed on April 18), which recognises the need to protect and preserve sites of cultural and historic importance, the museum also seeks to record BALCO’s continuous evolution and ascent ever since first commencing operations.
The museum houses several items representing BALCO’s rich legacy, in the form of industrial and office equipment from its earliest days, first bauxite mined and alumina powder produced, miniature versions of the first products (Ingot, Rolled Sheet and Wire Rods) ever manufactured, a Wall of History depicting the journey of the company over the years, and other exhibits. The BALCO Museum also acts as a learning centre for new recruits to truly appreciate the journey of India’s aluminium industry and get inspired by the several milestones notched by the company since its inception. Located within BALCO’s plant premises in Korba, Chhattisgarh, guests visiting BALCO can request a tour of the Museum.
BALCO was incorporated in the year 1965, conceived as a ‘Temple of Modern India’ by India’s first Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. In 2001, the Govt. of India divested 51% of BALCO’s shares to Vedanta Limited, marking the beginning of one of India’s greatest privatization success stories. Since then, the company has clocked unprecedented growth from 100 KTPA in FY01 to 575 KTPA in FY20, through the deployment of world-class technologies and operational excellence.
Speaking about the development of the BALCO Museum, Mr Rajesh Kumar, CEO and Director, BALCO said, “Since its inception, BALCO has been at the forefront of India’s industrial growth, scripting the dawn of the nation’s aluminium revolution. The BALCO Museum serves to preserve its rich history over the years, acting as a reminder of how far we have come and inspiring us to reach for higher benchmarks. What started with rudimentary equipment and simplistic products, has now evolved into one of India’s leading aluminium producers with unbeatable operational excellence and an illustrious multi-country customer network. As India’s iconic aluminium producer, we recommit to leading India’s manufacturing prowess, making high-quality aluminium products for India and the world.”
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is also a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
About Vedanta Limited:
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2022. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.
For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com
About Vedanta Aluminium Business:
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
For more information, please log on to www.vedantaaluminium.com
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