Dutch aluminum maker Aldel halts remaining production

Dutch aluminum maker Aldel on Friday said it was mothballing the remaining capacity at its facility in Farmsum, citing continuing high energy prices and a lack of government support.

Aldel joins a growing list of companies cutting or halting European production as gas and electricity prices have soared hundreds of percent this year over 2021 levels.

Norway’s Yara has cut ammonia production, steelmaker ArcelorMittal is switching off one of its furnaces in Bremen, Germany and Belgian Zinc smelter Nyrstar is closing a Netherlands smelting plant.

Among aluminum makers, Slovenia’s Talum has cut capacity by 80% and Alcoa is cutting one of three production lines the Lista smelter in Norway.

“A controlled pause makes it possible for (Aldel) to be ready to start production again when circumstances improve,” Aldel said in a statement.

The company had halted primary production in Delfzijl in the Netherlands in October 2021 but continued production of recycled aluminum.

Aldel, the Netherlands’ only producer of primary aluminum, has capacity to produce 110,000 tonnes of primary aluminum and 50,000 tonnes of recycled aluminum annually.

After a bankruptcy and changes of ownership in recent years, the company has around 200 employees. Its full name is Damco Aluminum Delfzijl Cooperatie UA.

(By Toby Sterling; Editing by Jason Neely and Jane Merriman)