Century Aluminum Sebree LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, is investing in two new expansion programs at its Sebree, Kentucky, smelter, which will increase its production of both value-added and secondary aluminum. The programs will improve the smelter’s product mix by adding approximately 90,000 tonnes of additional billet capacity to the Sebree casthouse and to increase the smelter’s overall output by adding 20,000 tonnes of secondary (scrap recycling) capacity. This will enable Sebree to produce approximately 230,000 tonnes of both primary and secondary aluminum products in 2019, including approximately 175,000 tonnes of billet.
“These new expansion programs demonstrate our confidence in the future of the U.S. aluminum industry and the continued positive effects of the Trump administration’s Section 232 program,” said Michael A. Bless, president and chief executive officer. “With the 150,000 tonne restart of Century’s Hawesville smelter nearing completion, we are now able to continue to reinvest in our plants to increase value-added production and enter the expanding secondary market. These programs, along with the previously announced technology improvement program at Hawesville, should ensure the continued competitiveness of these plants well into the future.”
Mr. Bless continued, “This expansion is also a testament to the hard work of our excellent employees and we are proud to announce that, as a result of the programs, Sebree plans to add nearly 50 new employees.”
Both expansion programs at Sebree are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2019.