Damco Aluminum Delfzijl Coöperatie U.A. (ALDEL), located in Delfzijl, Netherlands, reopened potline one, six years after it had been closed. Potline one has a total of 120 pot cells, of which 44 have been started up with the expectation that full operation will be achieved by the end of 2019. In combination with the smelters existing potline (184 cells), the full capacity of the smelter will be 150,000 tonnes of extrusion billets and rolling ingots per year.
The Aldel plant was established in 1966 by Alusuisse. Acquired by York Capital in November 2017, the smelter is currently is in the process of a significant, ongoing capital investment program to return the plant to its original production levels and increase jobs.
ALDEL serves as a critical supplier in the European aluminum industry and is the only remaining smelter in The Netherlands. The plant plays an important role in helping balance the Dutch energy grid which becomes more important as the renewable energy mix increases. Recycling continues to be an important focus for Aldel and is an integral part of the on-going business strategy. The company’s return to the European aluminum industry has been very well received and reflected by the strong support the business has received from customers and suppliers alike.
As a result of the current investment, ALDEL is looking to appoint personnel in production and technical support roles, as well as other positions in the commercial and IT departments.The company currently employs approximately 500 people on-site of whom 270 are employees, this is up from 175 when the business was acquired. Once at full production capacity, it is expected that more than 300 people will be directly employed at the smelter.