Alcoa Primary Metals selected Hatch as their EPCM alliance partner for their Northeast Region, consisting of three smelters in Québec (Lauralco, Baie Comeau, and ABI / Becancour), two in Massena, New York, and the Fjardaal smelter in Iceland. The alliance will be responsible for managing and executing all engineering, procurement, and construction management for the US$100-million average annual capital expenditure program involving capital and maintenance projects.

Scope of Services
Hatch is performing all EPCM work necessary to scope, design, and implement the program. The majority of these assignments will be brownfield projects to improve operating efficiency and capacity for compliance with safety and environmental requirements. The initial phase of each EPCM project requires Hatch to work with plant operating personnel and reliability engineers to define problems, outline constraints, and identify projected results. Hatch will then prepare preliminary engineering, a cost estimate, schedule, and scoping documents to support the submission of a Request for Authorization (RFA). Once the RFA is approved, Hatch is responsible for managing and performing detailed design, procurement, and construction management to meet budget, schedule, safety, and quality goals. Often these assignments involve working with local engineers and contractors whose efforts must conform to Alcoa and Hatch Kaiser procedures and requirements.

Project Highlights

• At the Massena smelter, a Hatch structural engineer identified a non-capital solution allowing the continued use of a crane support system rather than a new capital expenditure.
• The alliance is a permanent relationship based on performance. It is anticipated that between 100-150 projects, each with its own schedule, will be executed annually.
• Mobilized team to sites within one month of selection and prior to contract negotiation in order to keep projects moving.
• Within the first four months, activated 27 projects through various stages of scoping, design, procurement and construction.
• Initiated US$20 million increased amperage project and associated off-gas treatment project.
• Established consistent EPCM program for region of six plants in three countries that were formerly owned by three different companies – Alcoa, Alumax, and Reynolds.
• The alliance employs 100 full-time Hatch staff as well as 80 full-time staff from third party engineering firms on a yearly basis.