Restoration for one smelter in Middle East Initially Completed; YoY Decline in Aluminium Output Narrows to 2.4%

Published: Sep 30, 2026 10:00 (GMT+8)

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SMM News, September 30:

According to SMM statistics, total overseas electrolytic aluminium output in September 2026 fell by 2.4% year on year, mainly attributable to lower operating loads at aluminium smelters in the Middle East. The average daily overseas output rose by 2.2% month on year. The production ramp-up was driven by capacity resumption in the Middle East and ramp-up of newly commissioned projects in Indonesia and India.

Spurred by accelerated restart of Middle Eastern aluminium smelters, the total operational electrolytic aluminium capacity in the Middle East has recovered to roughly 4.5–5.0 million tonnes, while total overseas operational electrolytic aluminium capacity has rebounded to around 29.65 million tonnes.

On September 16, foreign media reported that Lines 4–6 at Alba Aluminium Smelter have resumed production, bringing its operational capacity to approximately 1.3 million tonnes. Lines 1–3 are expected to remain shut down. Following the acquisition of France’s Aluminium Dunkerque smelter, its overall capacity will recover to 1.6 million tonnes.

Looking ahead to October 2026, capacity resumption in the Middle East is projected to continue. Newly commissioned projects in Indonesia and India are expected to keep ramping up output. Nevertheless, several projects originally scheduled for commissioning in Q4 have encountered delays of varying degrees, and the growth rate of output is set to gradually moderate. Subsequent announcements from smelters in the Middle East, Indonesia, India and other regions warrant continuous monitoring.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

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