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 Aluminum Express News] Canadian aluminum fabricators are warning that sales to the US could effectively disappear after additional US tariffs took effect on September 15, further increasing the cost of Canadian aluminum products entering the market. British Columbia-based Apex Aluminum Extrusions, which previously generated more than 40% of its sales from the US, expects those exports to fall to zero. CEO Darren McQueen said the latest measures can result in an effective tariff of around 100% of the product’s selling price, as new Section 338 duties are stacked on top of existing Section 232 tariffs. The impact is much more severe for Canadian downstream aluminum producers than for primary aluminum smelters. The US remains structurally dependent on Canadian primary metal, requiring around 4 million tonnes/year of aluminum imports, while Canada can supply roughly 3 million tonnes. Fabricated products such as extrusions, however, face greater competition and can be substituted more easily, making it much harder for Canadian processors to pass the additional tariff cost to US customers.