Charl-Pol, a heavy equipment manufacturer in Canada, and Storvik, a Norwegian mechanical and technology company, have announced the creation of Alumotion, a joint venture specializing in the development of automation and robotics solutions for Canadian aluminum smelters.
By combining hands-on field expertise with proven automation technologies, Alumotion aims to improve operational efficiency, address workforce availability challenges and reduce workers’ exposure to certain high-risk or non-value-added tasks.
The partnership builds on the complementary strengths of the two companies: Charl-Pol brings its knowledge of the operating realities of Canadian aluminum smelters, while Storvik contributes the automation and robotics expertise it has gained in the European aluminum industry.
Putting robotics to work on anode assembly repair
Alumotion will focus in particular on robotic anode assembly repair, a task still largely performed by hand in aluminum smelters.
Stein Kjartan Vik, president and CEO of Storvik, says: “Alumotion is the natural extension of the relationship we have built with Charl-Pol. Each of our companies has more than a century of industrial experience, and we share a strong culture of innovation and of working with our customers to solve complex challenges.
“By combining our capabilities, we can make proven automation solutions more accessible to Canadian aluminum smelters and support them locally throughout the equipment life cycle.”
New horizons for Charl-Pol
For Charl-Pol, the creation of Alumotion represents the next step in a collaboration with Storvik that began two years ago. The partnership enables the Saguenay-based company to combine its know-how with that of a well-established European player in the aluminum industry.
This alliance also marks an important milestone as Charl-Pol expands its international collaborations.
Malcolm Caron-Boivin, vice-president, business development at Charl-Pol, says: “For a Saguenay company like ours, it’s especially exciting to partner with a European company that also has deep knowledge of the aluminum sector.
“Worker health and safety is a top priority for aluminum smelters here at home, and so are workforce challenges. By using robotics to take on demanding tasks like anode assembly repair, Alumotion backs their efforts with solutions that have proven themselves in Europe, and a local team to install and support them.”
