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New Madrid smelter signals shrinking landscape for US primary aluminium industry

New Madrid smelter signals shrinking landscape for US primary aluminium industry

The second-largest aluminium smelter in southeast Missouri is set to cut back its operations by January 28, leading to a situation where "most employees" will no longer be necessary, as reported by local news on January 24. The information is sourced from a letter issued by the plant management. The reduction in operations at the New Madrid smelter in Missouri means that only four primary aluminium producers are active within the United States.
The Magnitude 7 Metals LLC letter stated, "Due to abnormally cold weather, our operations have been severely impaired to the point where they cannot be restored while running."
The letter also mentioned that Magnitude 7 plans to actively seek additional funding from potential investors to resume operations at the smelter in the coming years. The facility, with an annual capacity of 263,000 tonnes, located in New Madrid County, Missouri, was brought back into operation in mid-2018 following its acquisition from bankruptcy by Swiss-based ARG International AG. Matt Lucke, a former trader at Glencore, led the acquisition.