Aluminium billet inventories rose 3,400 mt on week on larger arrivals

[SMM Aluminum Express News] The proposed US$4 billion EGA-Century aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma faces a further delay after the Inola Town Council unanimously extended its moratorium on primary aluminum smelting through April 7, 2027. On the same date, residents will vote in a town-wide referendum on whether to permanently ban primary aluminum smelting within Inola. The project, being developed by Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, a 60:40 venture between EGA and Century Aluminum, is planned to produce more than 750,000 tonnes/year, which would make it the largest US primary aluminum smelter. The extension adds another layer of uncertainty to the project, but does not mean the smelter has been cancelled. Oklahoma Primary Aluminum said it may pursue legal remedies against the town, arguing that tens of millions of dollars have already been invested under existing authorizations. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt also criticized the moratorium, while state Attorney General Gentner Drummond is separately seeking a preliminary injunction to block construction amid environmental concerns.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Taber Extrusions has opened an US$85 million expansion at its Russellville, Arkansas facility, adding what the company describes as the largest new direct aluminum extrusion press in North America. The 10,000-ton, 16-inch front-load direct press can produce profiles up to 600 mm wide and is designed for large, complex aluminum components used in aerospace, defense and heavy industrial applications. The expansion is expected to create 70 new jobs. The new press went online in June 2026, with limited production availability beginning in Q3. It can produce large single-piece aluminum profiles that replace more complex multi-part assemblies, while handling both hard and soft aluminum alloys. Taber first announced the project in July 2024, initially estimating investment at more than US$60 million, before breaking ground in April 2025.

[SMM Berita Kilat Aluminium] Perusahaan fabrikasi aluminium Kanada memperingatkan bahwa penjualan ke AS bisa secara efektif hilang setelah tarif tambahan AS berlaku pada 15 September, yang semakin meningkatkan biaya produk aluminium Kanada yang memasuki pasar. Apex Aluminum Extrusions yang berbasis di British Columbia, yang sebelumnya menghasilkan lebih dari 40% penjualannya dari AS, memperkirakan ekspor tersebut akan turun menjadi nol. CEO Darren McQueen mengatakan langkah-langkah terbaru dapat menghasilkan tarif efektif sekitar 100% dari harga jual produk, karena bea baru Pasal 338 ditumpuk di atas tarif Pasal 232 yang sudah ada. Dampaknya jauh lebih parah bagi produsen aluminium hilir Kanada daripada bagi pabrik peleburan aluminium primer. AS tetap bergantung secara struktural pada logam primer Kanada, membutuhkan sekitar 4 juta ton/tahun impor aluminium, sementara Kanada dapat memasok sekitar 3 juta ton. Namun, produk fabrikasi seperti ekstrusi menghadapi persaingan yang lebih besar dan dapat disubstitusi dengan lebih mudah, sehingga jauh lebih sulit bagi pengolah Kanada untuk membebankan biaya tarif tambahan kepada pelanggan AS.