Century idling Ravenswood potline, mulls total shutdown

Dec 17, 2008 | 08:36 AM | Tom Jennemann

Century Aluminum Co. will immediately idle one potline at its Ravenswood, W.Va., smelter and is considering halting all production at the site because of plummeting aluminum prices and slumping demand.

Century Aluminum of West Virginia, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Monterey, Calif.-based aluminum producer, has told workers at the Ravenswood smelter that it could curtail all plant operations on Feb. 15 if aluminum prices don't stabilize.

The company said it will begin the "orderly curtailment" of one potline at Ravenswood, which will be completed by Dec. 20, reducing the plant's primary aluminum production by about 3,540 tonnes per month, equivalent to nearly 42,500 tonnes per year. The Ravenswood smelter operates four potlines with 672 cells and has a nameplate annual capacity of 170,000 tonnes.....