The joint venture partners developing a $350m aluminium rolling mill at Sohar in Oman will make a decision regarding the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract in August, two months later than originally scheduled.

A source close to the project says that the joint venture partners, Bahrain’s Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (Garmco), Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (Adwea) and Takamul, the investment arm of the state-owned Oman Oil Company (Ooc), are still fully behind the project, but are taking time to ensure the correct company is selected.   

“The bids are still under evaluation and the announcement is expected after a board meeting in August,” the source says. “Once the winning contractor has the green light you will see the project start to move.”

The source adds that he is confident the completion date of the first quarter of 2013 is still the target.

When completed the rolling mill will boast a total capacity of 200,000 tonnes a year tonnes-a-year (t/y) of aluminium general coil, foil and paint stock products.

The proposed rolling mill will be located next to Sohar Aluminium’s 350,000-t/y smelter in the sultanate and will form the basis of Oman’s plans to develop its aluminium downstream industry.