Efforts Are in Full Swing to Restart Shuttered Magnitude 7 Aluminum Smelter

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Efforts by federal and state leaders are underway to open the shuttered aluminum plant in Marston, southeastern Missouri. Magnitude 7 Metals had declared closing of the plant by laying off its workers by end-January this year, citing unusually cold weather and lack of sufficient finances to keep the plant open. The plant employs roughly 500 people.

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In a letter sent to President Biden, Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley had notified about the company’s decision to shut down production at its aluminum smelter. The curtailment, in addition to putting nearly 500 jobs at risk, will be a huge threat to the national economic security of the United States. The shutdown will materially degrade the country’s defense posture, it added.

Congressman Jason Smith promised that he will look into every possible option to get the plant reopened at the earliest.

It must be noted that the smelter accounts for almost one-third of the country’s primary aluminum production.

Magnitude 7 Metals is one of the three key primary aluminum makers in the U.S. It operates smelters nationwide, with a total production capacity of 263,000 metric tons per annum. The company had accounted for 20% of the aluminum made in the U.S. before it shut its smelter last month.