Production restarts at fire-damaged Welsh aluminum smelter owned by Rio Tinto, Kaiser Aluminum

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. (AP) - Aluminum products maker Kaiser Aluminum Corp. said Wednesday it is restarting production at a fire-damaged Welsh smelter. On June 12 a transformer fire cut power at the facility owned by Anglesey Aluminum Metal Ltd., in which Kaiser holds a 49 percent stake. London-based Rio Tinto PLC is Kaiser's operating partner in the facility. The fire, which cut output to about a third of the plant's 145,000 ton per year capacity, did not affect the smelter's core fabricated products business. There were no injuries or environmental damage from the fire. Kaiser said Wednesday workers are restarting production on the nonoperating portion of the first of two lines. Anglesey expects production on the first line to be fully restored by the end of July or early August. Anglesey also expects to begin restarting the second line in August with full production on that line coming about 12 to 16 weeks later. Shares of Kaiser rose 74 cents to $51.48 in morning trading, while American Depositary Shares of Rio Tinto rose $8.11 to $428.74. Source: canadianbusiness