Alcan closure begins in smelter's pot room

 

 

The power to the pot rooms at Rio Tinto Alcan’s aluminium smelter was switched off, the first step in the complete shut down of the facility which was confirmed earlier this month.

 

 

A union boss last night said it had been a “sad day” that signaled the end of aluminium production at the site.

 

 

She likened it to “turning the life support machine off”, claiming the cost and effort involved in switching the power back on would be prohibitive.

 

 

On March 6, the company confirmed the closure, following a 90-day consultation period on the move with staff and trade unions.

 

 

Rio Tinto announced that all 515 staff would lose their jobs in stages, with 323 from across all areas given 12 weeks notice that they would be made redundant at the end of May.

 

 

Yesterday afternoon, as planned, the hot metal section of the site was shut down.

 

 

Around 260 people worked in the pot rooms and most are currently working their notice.

 

 

Some will stay beyond the end of May to work on decommissioning the site.

 

 

Corporate affairs director John McCabe said: “We are switching off the power to the pot rooms today, which is the hot metal part of the operation.”

 

 

Last night, Keir Howe, a regional organiser with the GMB Union, said: “Obviously it is a major issue turning the power off in the pot rooms.

 

 

”It is like turning the life support machine off in the site.

 

 

“Once you turn the pot rooms off, you are not producing the aluminium again. That is effectively the closure of the site although the people are not leaving until the end of May. You can get them up and running again but it is time consuming, it is something that is extremely costly.

 

 

“It is a sad day that the power is being turned off and there is not a buyer.”

 

 

Some operational activity in the smelter’s carbon and casting plants, which currently employ around 200 staff, is continuing until later in the year.

 

 

A team of around 60 employees will remain on site beyond the closure of all operations to work on decommissioning and remediation.

 

 

Meanwhile, the company is holding a careers fair on April 3.

 

 

It will be attended by local, national and international employers, recruiters and support and training providers. Among the organisations that are expected to take part in the event are Nissan UK Ltd, Huntsman, Novelis, American Air Filters, Northumberland College, Northumberland County Council, Amec, Jobcentre Plus, Tharsus, Next Step, G4S, SMD and Banks Group.