Ing. Isaac Yaw Amankwah is the Director of the Cell Lines Department at Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO). With over 13 years of experience in the aluminum reduction industry, Isaac is a results-driven and visionary leader known for his ability to drive operational excellence and implement strategic initiatives that yield sustainable high-level performance. His expertise lies in leading cross-functional teams, optimizing processes, and fostering a culture of innovation, making him a recognized figure in the industry for his analytical and technical prowess.
Isaac's key achievements include spearheading the development and execution of a comprehensive restart plan that successfully restarted 122 cells in just twelve weeks. He implemented optimized cell feeding and voltage management initiatives, achieving impressive current efficiencies of 93.01%, 93.74%, and 95.27% within the first three months post-restart. Furthermore, he played a pivotal role in designing the technical architecture behind VALCO's productivity improvement incentive program, significantly enhancing employee engagement and productivity.
Beginning his career at VALCO as a national service personnel in 2006, Isaac's journey has included diverse experiences, such as cocoa processing at Commodities Processing Industries and a brief stint in downstream mining at Gold Recovery Ghana Limited. He co-founded Otisbios Limited, a small-scale pineapple juice manufacturing company, before rejoining VALCO in October 2010 to prepare for the 2011 restart. Throughout his tenure at VALCO, he has held various positions, progressing from assistant manager in the Cast House department to Process Control Carbon manager, and ultimately to his current role as Director.
In his current position, Isaac is charged with aligning the Cell Lines Department's objectives with VALCO's overall goals. He provides leadership, coordinates production activities, and ensures the timely flow of information to the management team to support informed decision-making in achieving the Plant Business Plan, all while championing the maintenance and upgrading of the Cell Line and Cell Repair facility.
Isaac holds a Six Sigma and Lean Professional Certificate from the Technical University of Munich, an Executive Master’s in Business Administration from the Graduate School of Governance and Leadership, and a B.Sc. Degree in Chemical Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
His skills include strategic planning, operations management, leadership and team building, innovation and technology adoption, additive manufacturing, supply chain optimization, stakeholder relations, and change management. He is a member of the Minerals Metals and Materials Society (TMS), the Ghana Institution of Engineers, and the KNUST Alumni Association.