Century Aluminum Joins US Project

Chicago-based Century Aluminum Co. is joining Emirates Global Aluminium in the latter company’s plan to develop a primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Okla. Their joint-development agreement foresees Century Aluminum owning 40% of the estimated $4-billion installation, which EGA announced last spring.

The project now is planned to produce 750,000 metric tons/year of primary aluminum, 25% more than the original plan, and the partners anticipate starting construction of the plant later this year. Manufacturing would begin in 2029.

The new plant would be the first aluminum smelter built in the U.S. since the Sebree, Ken., smelter now owned by Century was built in 1980.

The demand for primary aluminum is robust from domestic automotive, aerospace, construction, defense, and energy sectors. Primary aluminum is also necessary to ensure the continued viability of the secondary (recycled) aluminum market, which supports structural and consumer products markets, among others.

More than 80% of U.S. primary aluminum requirements are met by imports.

U.S. primary aluminum capacity has declined to 1.36 million metric tons, and more than half of that volume remains idle due to global competition.

Most of the world’s primary aluminum is produced in China – with its 43 million metric tons representing 57% of the global total. Other major producer nations are India (4.2 million mtpy), Russia (3.8 mtpy), United Arab Emirates (2.7 million mtpy), and Bahrain (1.6 million mtpy.)

Emirates Global Aluminium produces primary metal at two smelters in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and it has bauxite mining and refinery capacity too.

Century Aluminum is the largest domestic producer of primary aluminum, with two smelters producing an estimated 450,000 metric tons/year. A third smelter is presently idle, and the company also operates an estimated 260,000 metric tons/year smelter in Iceland.

“Our partner EGA brings world-class smelting technology and construction expertise that are fast-tracking our collective efforts to realize President Trump’s vision of rapidly increasing domestic primary aluminum production,” stated Century CEO Jesse Gary. “Key industries, such as automotive, aerospace, construction, packaging and importantly, national defense, stand to benefit greatly from this expanded production of this critical metal, which will create thousands of new American manufacturing jobs.”

President Trump installed tariffs on primary aluminum imports in 2025, first at 25% and now at 50%.

“This partnership between Century Aluminum and EGA is the biggest step yet toward making the nation’s largest smelter featuring the world’s most advanced smelting technology a reality,” according to Mark Duffy, president of the American Primary Aluminum Assn.