All about aluminium

31 March Oslo, Press release	Hydro to close precision tubing plant in Michigan Hydro has decided to consolidate its aluminium precision tubing operations in North America as result of the extremely challenging situation in the automotive industry, and will consequently close its aluminium tubing plant in Michigan.
31 March New York, Press release	Alcoa Completes Exchange with ORKLA ASA For 2 Norwegian Smelters and Anode Plant Alcoa today announced it has completed its exchange of stakes with ORKLA ASA for its Elkem Norwegian smelting partnership, which includes aluminum smelters in Lista and Mosjoen, as well as one of the world’s most modern anode plants, also in Mosjoen. Orkla, in turn, received Alcoa’s 45 percent share of the SAPA soft-alloy extrusion profile joint venture.
26 March Oslo, Press release	Hydro curtails aluminium production at Sunndal Hydro has decided to temporary close the oldest production line at its Sunndal plant, representing an annual production of about 100,000 tonnes. The closure is a result of the demanding market situation for aluminium.
17 March MELBOURBNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto appoints new Chairman Rio Tinto announces that Jan du Plessis will be appointed as Chairman of the Boards with effect from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of Rio Tinto Limited on 20 April 2009. He joined the Boards as a non executive director on 1 September 2008.
17 March MONTEREY, Press Release	Century Aluminum Announces Receipt of $79.7 Million Federal Income Tax Refund Century Aluminum Company on March 16 announced the receipt of a federal income tax refund of $79.7 million. This refund is in addition to the $10.1 million refund received from the Internal Revenue Service in February 2009 for estimated federal income taxes paid in the 2008 tax year.
13 March OSLO, Press Release	Last day for Søderberg technology in Hydro On Friday, March 13, at 09.01 am, the power in the Søderberg potroom at the aluminium plant at Karmøy in Norway was switched off. This marks the end of production in the very last electrolytic cell in Hydro to use the old Søderberg technology. With the closure of its Søderberg production, Hydro has met important environmental requirements. But Friday’s closure of the Søderberg potroom at Karmøy was in essence marked by sadness.
12 March MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL announces new appointments UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces the appointment of Mikhail Erenburg as the Executive Director of the Company. Prior to this new appointment, Mr. Erenburg held the post of the Director of the Aluminium Division.
6 March MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL signs a standstill agreement UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, today announces that it has signed a standstill agreement in relation to the restructuring of its debt to the international lending banks. The standstill will be effective for a period of two months with the possibility of extension for a further month and will provide RUSAL with additional liquidity.
4 March MOSCOW, Press release	RUSAL’S ARMENAL foil mill reaches design capacity UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that ARMENAL, the group’s foil mill located in Armenia, reached its design capacity of 25,000 tonnes.
4 March BRUSSELS,	EU Clears Alcoa Buy Of Elkem The European Commission Tuesday cleared a plan by U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. (AA) to buy all of Elkem, a Norwegian aluminum company.
3 March MONTEREY, Press release	Century Announces the Curtailment of One Potline at Hawesville, KY Smelter Century Aluminum of Kentucky, a wholly owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, today announced the orderly curtailment of one potline at its Hawesville, Kentucky Aluminum smelter. The Hawesville smelter produces approximately 250,000 tonnes of primary aluminum annually from five potlines. The potline curtailment will begin immediately and will be completed over the next several days. The action will reduce plant primary aluminum production by approximately 4,370 tonnes per month and will impact approximately 120 employees.

Aluminium News