Feb 12 2009
Hydro has decided to continue the production curtailment process at its primary aluminium plant in Neuss, Germany, due to weak market conditions and high energy costs for the smelter.
RHEINWERK NEUSS: The supervisory board of Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH has decided to further reduce the primary aluminium production at Neuss, Germany.
The plant has an annual production capacity of 230,000 tonnes. A controlled reduction in production, making the main parts of the plant ready for mothballing, will take approximately two months. The Neuss smelter has already reduced production by 30,000 tonnes per year.
The supervisory board of Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH decided Wednesday to further reduce primary aluminium production at Neuss toward a full mothballing of electrolysis, unless there is a fundamental improvement in relevant frame conditions.
The fabrication of anodes will be reduced accordingly, while the plant’s casthouse will continue remelt operations, producing sheet ingots to serve nearby customers.
“We have already cut high-cost production in Norway. The weak market situation requires us to take further actions to reduce losses. The Neuss smelter is at the very high end of the cost curve, mainly due to the German power cost level,” says Hilde Merete Aasheim, executive vice president of Hydro’s Aluminium Metal business area.
The plant has 650 permanent employees. Management is in dialogue with the local works council in order to find solutions for the employees affected.