Alcoa disclosed that it permanently closed its Poços de Caldas primary aluminum smelter in Brazil on June 30, 2015.
The smelter has been curtailed since May 2014 and the underlying market conditions have not improved.
“The closure of the Poços smelter permanently removes a high-cost smelting facility from the Alcoa system and is another step in creating a more profitable primary metals business,” said Alcoa Global Primary Products president Bob Wilt.
Once the Poços smelter closed, Alcoa’s total global smelting capacity will have been reduced by 96,000 metric tons, to 3.4 million metric tons. The Poços mine, refinery, aluminum powder plant and casthouse will continue normal operations.
As a result of the closure, Alcoa expects to record restructuring-related charges in second quarter 2015 between $100 million and $110 million after-tax, or $.08 to $.09 per share, of which approximately 60 percent is noncash.
Published in the August 2015 Edition of American Recycler News
