Industry EGA to build first US aluminium smelter in 45 years By Pramod Kumar May 19, 2025, 9:39 AM Wam The $4 billion US plant s expected to have a production capacity of 600,000 tonnes of primary aluminium per year EGA to develop $4bn plant Facility will be in Oklahoma Plans to be operating by 2029 Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), which says it is responsible for 4 percent of global output, plans to start building a primary aluminium production plant in the US by the end of 2026. The $4 billion smelter, the first to be built in the US since 1980, is expected to have a capacity of 600,000 tonnes per year, nearly doubling America’s output, the state-run Wam news agency reported. Nearly 85 percent of the aluminium needs of American industries, from automotive to aviation and construction, are currently met by imports. The announcement comes in the week after President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE and other Gulf states in which inward investment into the US was a major theme. The UAE and US will spend a combined total of $440 billion in the energy sector by 2035, the head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) said. Construction on the EGA smelter will begin after a feasibility study, with the first hot metal produced by the end of the decade, Wam said. The plant will be located in Oklahoma, subject to finalising a competitive long-term power supply, as well as agreeing state and local investment incentives and tax credit arrangements. EGA is in advanced negotiations with the Public Service Company of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma government, a statement said. The UAE company has already signed an option for a site in an industrial park at Tulsa Port of Inola, which is connected to the Mississippi River and provides for bulk freight movement. The project is expected to create up to 4,000 local construction jobs, while the aluminium facility is likely to generate up to 1,000 direct local jobs on site. EGA to buy 80% of US aluminium recycler EGA buys majority stake in US aluminium recycler EGA opts for green loan facility to buy Spectro stake EGA already has a presence in the US recycled aluminium segment through its 80 percent stake in EGA Spectro Alloys in Rosemount, Minnesota, which was acquired in 2024. The company is investing to expand the current 110,000 tonnes per year of recycled foundry capacity with an additional 55,000 tonnes recycled billet capacity. The expansion is expected to start production in the second half of 2025, with production ramp-up through the remainder of the year. “This is an important moment for EGA, and for the economic relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates,” Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, said. Register now: It’s easy and free AGBI registered members can access even more of our unique analysis and perspective on business and economics in the Middle East. Why sign uP Exclusive weekly email from our editor-in-chief Personalised weekly emails for your preferred industry sectors Read and download our insight packed white papers Access to our mobile app Prioritised access to live events Register for free Already registered? Sign in I’ll register later Register now: It’s easy and free AGBI registered members can access even more of our unique analysis and perspective on business and economics in the Middle East. Why sign uP Exclusive weekly email from our editor-in-chief Personalised weekly emails for your preferred industry sectors Read and download our insight packed white papers Access to our mobile app Prioritised access to live events Register for free Already registered? Sign in I’ll register later
