this july, elkem’s chicoutimi ferrosilicon plant will celebrate 50 years of operation since its first casting on 1 july 1967.
ever since then the plant has operated on a continuous basis, except from shut downs needed for replacement of major parts, such as the furnace shell or main high-tension equipment. the plant also had a two-month shutdown in in the summer of 2009, following the economic crisis, in order to control its inventory.
the elkem chicoutimi plant was founded under the name “les silicium de chicoutimi”, back in february 1966 by a consortium consisting of four companies, union carbide canada ltd, aluminium canada (alcan), montreal engineering company (monenco) and “la corporation de sécurité royale ltée”. elkem as acquired the plant in july 1984 from union carbide canada ltd, the sole plant shareholder at that time.
the plant employees and management of elkem chicoutimi have never spared any efforts in order to guarantee the plants continuity over the years, and hopes this philosophy will be passed on to the next generations, for at least another 50 years.