Author: Signal Group

The American Primary Aluminum Association Applauds Congressional Revocation of Russia’s PNTR Status

 

WASHINGTON D.C., April 7, 2022 – Following the passage of the Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act, the American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA) released the following statement:

“The American Primary Aluminum Association applauds Congress and the efforts by the Biden Administration to revoke the United States’ Permanent Normal Trade Relationship with Russia. By stripping Russia of its Permanent Normal Trade Relationship status, the United States deprives Russia of significant revenue for its steel and aluminum exports used to fund its war against the peoples of Ukraine.

“Revoking PNTR status further prevents Russian industries from benefiting from the very economic turmoil that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has caused and is a necessary step in deterring further aggression.

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org

Section 232 Aluminum Tariffs – What has been their impact?

The United States domestic primary aluminum industry is expanding production, hiring workers, and increasing reinvestment. Policymakers should commit to keeping the Section 232 protections to support the U.S. domestic aluminum industry.

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 allows the President to impose import restrictions based on an investigation and affirmative determination by the Department of Commerce that certain imports threaten to impair the national security.

Find out about the impact that these tariffs have had on the domestic primary aluminum industry here.

APAA Supports the Biden Administration’s Tariff-Rate Quota Deal with the European Union

 

Washington, DC; October 30, 2021 – The American Primary Aluminum Association, which represents the majority of U.S. primary aluminum  producers and thousands of aluminum workers across the country, expressed its support for the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) deal reached between the Biden Administration and the European Union.

Mark Duffy, CEO of the APAA, noted that “The just announced TRQ deal will maintain the effectiveness of the Section 232 aluminum program, while allowing us to support continued investment in the U.S. primary aluminum industry and create more American aluminum jobs. Of critical importance, the arrangement supports America’s primary aluminum industry by setting the quota portion of the TRQ at very low levels that are well below pre-232 volumes.”

Prior to the Section 232 program, all of America’s primary aluminum smelters were slated for closure because of the collapse in prices due to excess global capacity. Since its implementation, the Section 232 program has helped America maintain its ability to produce primary aluminum, protecting and creating thousands of American aluminum jobs and leading to over $6 billion in new domestic capital investments (upstream and downstream).

As part of President Biden’s commitment to rebuild domestic manufacturing, the TRQ deal will allow U.S. primary aluminum producers to keep reinvesting and creating more good-paying American jobs as we work together to Build Back Better.

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org

American Primary Aluminum Association Strongly Supports the Continuation of the Section 232 Aluminum Program

Washington, D.C., Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA), whose members represent the vast majority of U.S. primary aluminum production and employ thousands of American aluminum workers, strongly favor the continuation of the Section 232 aluminum program. Contrary to claims made by associations representing foreign producers, the domestic primary aluminum industry supports a well-crafted tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for the European Union to preserve the effectiveness of the Section 232 program. These common-sense tariffs saved the American primary aluminum industry and are allowing the domestic industry to rebuild, which is critical to U.S. national and economic security.

Prior to the institution of the Section 232 program, all of America’s primary aluminum smelters were slated for closure as a result of the collapse in prices due to the global excess capacity crisis. As a result of the Section 232 program, the U.S. primary aluminum has stabilized and has begun the long process of rebuilding what was lost to decades of the devastating effects of global excess capacity.

Now, U.S. producers have the confidence that their investments are viable. Our members continue to increase domestic aluminum production, with active expansion and hiring programs across the U.S., including in places like Goose Creek, South Carolina, Hawesville, Kentucky and New Madrid, Missouri. The reinvestment in the U.S. primary aluminum industry has only just begun.

Calls from foreign trade groups seeking to phase down the tariff seek only to benefit their affiliated semi-finished European production rather than Building Back Better by investing in American manufacturing and American jobs throughout the entire value chain.

The domestic primary aluminum industry supports a well-crafted tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for the European Union to preserve the effectiveness of the Section 232 program and does not support a phase down of the tariff. The Section 232 program continues to drive investment, expansion and the creation of new jobs in the American aluminum industry, both upstream and downstream. The program should remain in place to allow this critical U.S. industry to continue to recover as we Build Back Better.

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org

Intended suspension of anti-dumping duties keeps floodgates for unfair and high-carbon Chinese imports open

This press release was first issued by European Aluminium on Sept. 10, 2021

Brussels, 10 September 2021 – European Aluminium, the voice of the European aluminium value chain, warns against the Commission’s proposed 9-month suspension of the definitive anti-dumping duties on Chinese aluminium flat-rolled products. A key contributor to the European Green Deal, the sector is worried about the block’s contradictory trade enforcement actions and sounds the alarm about the suspension’s devastating impact on EU industries beyond aluminium.

“On 30 August, the European Commission released its annual report on EU trade defence activity, in which it writes European companies and their workers can continue to rely on robust trade defence instruments that protect them against unfair trade practices. Only two days later, the Commission announced its intention to suspend the definitive anti-dumping duties on aluminium flat-rolled products from China. This news has sent shock waves through the aluminium industry and other industrial sectors. How can European industries trust in the urgently needed trade enforcement measures when the flood gates for high-carbon, dumped Chinese products stay so willingly open?” says Gerd Götz, Director General of European Aluminium.

European Aluminium warns that the impact of a suspension on the European aluminium value chain would be devastating and long-lasting. Tens of thousands of EU jobs and hundreds of millions of euros in decarbonisation and recycling investments are on the line. The EU risks further losing production capacity for a material that is critical to the EU’s green transition, compromising Europe’s strategic autonomy.  Furthermore, a suspension will boost Chinese imports with a high carbon footprint, endangering the EU’s climate ambitions. The carbon footprint of European primary aluminium production is one of the lowest globally: approximately 7kg of CO2 per kg of aluminium compared to the Chinese average of 20kg of CO2 per kg of aluminium.

European Aluminium also points out a suspension signals China’s unfair trade practices are tolerated and might set a dangerous precedent for anti-dumping cases in other sectors. A suspension could jeopardise transatlantic relations in the joint fight for free and fair trade on a global scale. Since the U.S. blocked all dumped imports of Chinese aluminium, a suspension of long-overdue anti-dumping duties in the EU could dissuade the U.S. from lifting its Section 232 measures on aluminium and steel. Europe needs the support of its allies to take joint actions against the root cause of the distorted aluminium market: subsidised Chinese excess capacity.

“The European aluminium industry is determined to pursue all avenues to challenge the proposed suspension because it’s fundamentally unwarranted and contradictory to the Commission’s trade and climate ambitions. We request the Commission not to suspend the definitive measures due for October 2021 and offer our support for an urgently needed in-depth and balanced investigation,” concludes Götz.

Century Aluminum on track for Berkeley County plant restart project

This article was originally published by Live 5 News WCSC on August 27, 2021

Earlier this year, Century Aluminum announced they would be investing more than $60 million into its Mt Holly plant, to re-open a half of its second potline that has been shut down since 2015.

The full project is expected to take three years.

“When we initially said the 60 million dollars, that was only for 2021. Additional monies gets us up to about $93 million and that is going to include 2022 and 2023 ,to reline all 270 pots which will bring us to 75% capacity,” Mt. Holly Plant Manager Dennis Harbath said.

By increasing operations, the Lowcountry economy will see a financial impact of $250 million.

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib said the project will benefit a lot of local businesses.

“There are several small businesses in and around our area who have benefited by their investment at this point. So, their impact is a billion dollars a year when they’re at full capacity,” Habib said. “They are probably going to be near that with the impact they have on our community when they’re at three quarters capacity. “

The news is a huge turnaround for the plant, considering last year officials said they might be forced to shut down if they couldn’t reach a new power agreement with Santee Cooper.

Looking to the future, Harbath said they hope to have the remaining portion of the plant up and running.

“Right now, we’re trying to secure a long-term deal with Santee Cooper and get that other 25% going. We’re trying to get that agreement and trying to get that last 25%,” he said. That would mean another 80 jobs, another $33 million investment, and another 90 pots up and going. That would make another $250 million impact in the Lowcountry economy.”

Century Aluminum CEO Jesse Gary: Section 232 program is vital for high-paying jobs

This article by Century Aluminum CEO Jesse Gary originally appeared in the South Carolina Post and Courier on June 4, 2021.

 

[This week], we were honored to welcome Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn to usher in a new era of growth for the Mount Holly aluminum smelter. Century Aluminum, America’s largest primary aluminum producer, is increasing production at the Goose Creek smelter by 50%, including investing more than $60 million and creating about 100 good-paying jobs.

 

This was only possible thanks to the leadership of Gov. McMaster, Rep. Clyburn and our Century team members in South Carolina as we work together to support Palmetto State families. We are proud that the Mount Holly aluminum smelter will now provide more than 400 direct aluminum jobs and create more than $500 million of overall economic activity in the Lowcountry.

 

Our smelter is the newest and most efficient smelter in the United States and produces products that are a vital part of our country’s national defense infrastructure. The aluminum produced in South Carolina is a key input for modern building materials, medical equipment, electrical vehicles and the renewable energy components that are essential to a low-carbon future in the United States. U.S. aluminum products also are used to create fighter jet skins and structures, armor plating for troop carriers and naval vessels, and propellants for missiles and other aerospace applications.

 

According to a recent report by the Economic Policy Institute, in order for the U.S. primary aluminum industry to keep producing the quantities of aluminum we need, the Section 232 program must remain in place. The EPI report highlights how the Section 232 program has led to more than $6 billion in investments in 55 aluminum manufacturing projects since the initiation of the program in March 2018, creating nearly 4,500 additional jobs.

 

Despite the success of the program, global overcapacity in aluminum is still a major problem. A recent study from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that nations around the world, from China to India to the Middle East, have poured billions of dollars into subsidizing and creating aluminum industries in their own countries given the critical role that aluminum plays in national security.

 

These subsidies have created significant overcapacity that has had a devastating effect on the U.S. industry. Since 2001, 17 smelters have closed their doors in the United States, leaving only six operating today. If the U.S. primary aluminum industry were to completely shut down, we would be forced to obtain aluminum critical for our national defense from our geopolitical rivals like Russia and China, and Middle Eastern nations.

 

The good news is that since the Section 232 program went into effect, the program has led to investments that have increased America’s domestic aluminum production by more than 60% and allowed plants like Mount Holly to create thousands of new American aluminum jobs. As the U.S. primary aluminum industry continues to rebuild, families in South Carolina and across our great nation benefit.

 

Just a few years ago, the forecast was cloudy for Mount Holly and the rest of the U.S. aluminum industry. Today, thanks to the 232 program, Century Aluminum is proud to be celebrating this new $60 million investment and 100 new jobs here in the Palmetto state.
 
Jesse Gary is the incoming president and chief executive officer of Century Aluminum.

Economic Policy Institute Report: Section 232 Tariffs Benefited Aluminum Producers and Consumers

A new report released by the Economic Policy Institute found that the Section 232 Tariff Import Measures helped Aluminum Producers and Consumers thrive, without negative downstream effects on the rest of the economy.

This report makes clear what APAA has been saying for years: the Section 232 Tariffs have helped our economy and improved our national security, and APAA urges the Biden-Harris Administration to keep them in place.

Read the full report here: https://www.epi.org/publication/aluminum-producing-and-consuming-industries-have-thrived-under-u-s-section-232-import-measures/

NEW Economic Policy Institute White Paper Launch on Section 232 Aluminum Tariffs: A Virtual Discussion

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — On Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. ET, Please join Thomas M. Conway, International President of United Steelworkers, Robert E. Scott, Senior Economist and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Research at the Economic Policy Institute, and Jesse Gary, Chairman of the American Primary Aluminum Association for the exclusive launch of the Economic Policy Institute’s new groundbreaking white paper examining the effects of the Section 232 program on the primary aluminum industry and downstream producers and consumers. With President Biden and his team committed to rebuilding American manufacturing, this timely white paper will share unique insights based on the latest economic research as we come together to Build Back Better.

To RSVP, please register here: https://aluminumnow-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/8616207649391/WN_FOQ4-q5LS_i3yC8q82vnvw

Who:

  • Thomas M. Conway, International President of United Steelworkers
  • Robert E. Scott, Senior Economist and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Research at the Economic Policy Institute
  • Jesse Gary, Chairman of the American Primary Aluminum Association

Where:

https://aluminumnow-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/8616207649391/WN_FOQ4-q5LS_i3yC8q82vnvw

Wednesday, May 26, 2021
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org