Rio Tinto

Location: Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada
Commodity: Aluminum
Project Phases: Construction Execution / Sustaining Capital Projects

Client Overview

Rio Tinto is a global leader in the aluminum industry and operates the Kitimat Smelter in British Columbia, a premier facility powered by hydropower and committed to sustainable production. Following a $600 million investment in 2017, Rio Tinto has continued to prioritize operational efficiency and infrastructure renewal through a portfolio of sustaining capital projects aimed at modernizing and extending the life of this critical facility.

Client Needs

Rio Tinto required ongoing support to execute a series of sustaining capital projects designed to upgrade existing facilities, utilities, and equipment while maintaining continuous production. The projects demanded:

• Development of concept studies and execution plans for capital upgrades.
• Seamless integration with SNC‑Lavalin, the prime engineering and field services contractor, to ensure alignment in execution and reporting.
• Deployment of skilled personnel to manage project engineering, planning, and coordination.
• Shutdown and turnaround solutions to enable critical maintenance without interrupting key material flows to the plant.

TMG’s Contributions

• Sustaining Capital Project Execution: TMG played a central role in planning and implementing upgrades to aging smelter infrastructure, managing both minor and large‑scale capital projects within the portfolio.
• Project Execution Planning: Delivered detailed studies and execution plans for expansion and upgrade initiatives, ensuring readiness for subsequent approval and field execution phases.
• Secondment and On‑Site Support: Provided seconded personnel in partnership with SNC‑Lavalin and Giffen, filling critical roles in project engineering and coordination and ensuring effective integration with Rio Tinto’s core team.
• Collaborative Work Environment: Established strong working relationships with Rio Tinto and SNC‑Lavalin teams, fostering efficient communication and shared accountability for project success.
• Innovation in Maintenance Planning: Developed a process to enable routine maintenance of a critical piece of equipment without starving the plant of essential raw material, improving operational reliability.

Results

TMG’s support for the Kitimat Smelter capital projects delivered measurable benefits and strengthened Rio Tinto’s sustaining capital program:

• Completed Projects Across Portfolio: Successfully executed multiple projects of varying scale and complexity, demonstrating adaptability and capability.
• Promotions from Engagement Success: Two TMG personnel were promoted to Project Manager roles within months of the engagement, due to their strong operational performance and leadership.
• Cost Savings: Identified a conceptual project projected to save over CAD $1 million annually through operational optimization.
• Operational Reliability: Introduced new maintenance processes to minimize downtime and enhance plant resilience.

The Kitimat Smelter Sustaining Capital Projects highlight Rio Tinto’s commitment to ongoing modernization and operational excellence. TMG’s expertise in execution support, planning, and collaborative project management contributed to sustained performance improvements, positioning the smelter for continued success in the aluminum market.