Aluminum
While short-term supply remains stable, prolonged instability could tighten availability, particularly for primary aluminum products.
Wood Mackenzie estimates the US military and defense industries consume 450,000 tons of aluminum annually.
A key concern is the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for both aluminum exports and raw material imports.
Alcoa mothballed its Whatcom County smelter in 2020 during a period of falling metal prices and later said the steep cost of needed equipment modernization precluded restart.
These closures add to existing supply pressures following a 500,000-tonne-per-annum smelter shutdown in Mozambique earlier this month.
The state-owned smelter said it is closely monitoring the situation while coordinating with suppliers and customers to manage deliveries and minimize disruption.
This approach supports the broader shift toward resource efficiency and sustainable industrial processes.
The facility is jointly operated with Qatar Aluminum Manufacturing Company.
Alcoa’s former Wenatchee Works site also faces cleanup and potential sale to a private entity, highlighting ongoing transitions for former aluminum industrial sites across Washington.
Hormuz is a key route for Gulf trade, and the region produces roughly 9% of global aluminum.
Alcoa Corporation announced that Emily Olson will join the company as Executive Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer starting April 6, 2026.
Iran has about 790,000 tons of annual aluminum smelting capacity, AZ China said in a note.
Greene County deputies have shut down Willow Run Road due to the fire at the Novelis facility.
In Kentucky, Century Aluminum sold its Hawesville plant to a TeraWulf affiliate for $200 million, creating a 750-acre data center campus with 480MW power capacity.
U.S. Aluminum Company becomes the first downstream firm to align with the developers.
However, they warn that rising aluminum scrap exports threaten material availability for European remelters.
Since the Section 232 program was reinforced last year without exemptions, Century has expanded U.S. primary aluminum output by nearly 10% through upgrades at its Mt. Holly, South Carolina smelter.
Under the updated framework, Alcoa will undertake a comprehensive Strategic Assessment covering existing and potential mining areas through 2045.
Alcoa still has one 54,000-ton-per-year production line idled at its Warrick facility in Indiana, but seems to be in no rush to restart it.
Trump doubled import tariffs on commodity-grade steel and aluminum to 50% in June, and later expanded them to cover derivative products including cans, cutlery and car parts.
Adjusted EBITDA decreased 5% to $348 million, impacted by approximately $54 million in losses from Oswego interruptions and $34 million in tariffs.
For downstream fabricators and engineering focused buyers, this consistency at the smelter level is crucial.
The policy imposes a carbon cost on certain imports into the EU.
However, a second fire last November delayed that schedule.
The facility is planned as part of a $4B investment announced by Oklahoma officials to build a smelter outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma.