Venezuela aluminum output normal despite strike

CARACAS, Jul 13 (Reuters) - Venezuela's state aluminum smelters operated normally on Monday despite the start of a strike by workers demanding the government address industry problems they blame on outmoded equipment and insufficient investment. Spokesmen for the Alcasa and Venalum smelters said some workers had stayed away, but there was enough staff to maintain production. Venezuela's government promised months ago to launch a plan to revive the aluminum industry, but has not yet done so. Industry officials have estimated it will take more than $1 billion to pay debt and invest in adequate new technology. Venalum is 80 percent owned by the state Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG), and the other 20 percent is owned by Japan's Showa Denko KK, Kobe Steel Ltd, Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd, Mitsubishi Materials Corp., Mitsubishi Aluminum and Marubeni Corp. Venezuela said last month it was interested in buying the Japanese firms' minority stake. The Japanese companies had expressed interest in selling after a dispute with the government over prices and shipments. Aluminum Co of America and Alcan have small stakes in the Venezuelan firms Alcasa and Bauxilum. (Reporting by Fabian Andres Cambero, writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by David Gregorio) ((Caracas newsroom, +58 212 2772660; fabian.cambero@thomsonreuters.com))