Canadian producer Alcan has warned that the future viability of the Vlissingen primary aluminium smelter in the Netherlands is in doubt due to problems securing long-term power supplies at an acceptable price. It has launched a strategic review of alternatives, including the potential sale of its 85% interest in the plant. (The balance 15% is owned by Hunter Douglas.)
The smelter is part of a consortium of energy-intensive companies in the country trying to negotiate long-term competitive power supplies. But these negotiations appear to have failed to generate any solution.
"This review follows approximately two years of exploration for alternative energy sources for the smelter, which included extensive cooperation from the Dutch Government," said Wolfgang Stiller, member of the supervisory board of Alcan subsidiary Pechiney Nederland N.V. and president of Alcan Primary Metal European Operations.
"Alcan's on-going strategy is to invest primarily in low-cost smelters. At the energy price levels currently proposed by the consortium, the future of the Vlissingen smelter within Alcan is no longer guaranteed," said Jean-Philippe Puig, President, Alcan Primary Metal Europe.
The Vlissingen smelter employs approximately 700 people and has a capacity of approximately 200,000tpy, producing mainly billet for end-use in the European engineered products market.
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