Dutch aluminium firm Damco Aluminum Delfzijl Cooperatie U.A. (Aldel) will become the next European aluminium smelter to draw down production, making the announcement that it is shuttering its Farmsum plant due to untenable power prices.
Aldel has chosen to shutter the plant about a year after closing its Delfzijl aluminium plant to primary aluminium production, though it has kept its recycling operations running.
The plant, which has a nameplate capacity of 110 thousand metric tons of primary aluminium and 50 thousand metric tons of recycled aluminium, is part of the only Dutch aluminium producer.
In a press release Aldel hinted that the closure may not be permanent, however.
“A controlled pause makes it possible for (Aldel) to be ready to start production again when circumstances improve.”
Aldel currently employs around 200 workers. It has emerged from bankruptcy and been purchased in the last few years.
The firm joins several other aluminium smelters that have reduced production capacity or shuttered it entirely. Last month Talum slashed its aluminium production capacity by 80 percent, while Alcoa cut a third of its aluminium production at its Lista smelter in Norway.
