ABI Al production unaffected by fire

A fire yesterday at Alcoa's ABI smelter in Bécancour, Quebec, will have no impact on primary aluminum production, the company told Argus today.

The fire occurred in an area for storing aluminum chips produced by metal saws, the company said.

ABI has one of the largest nameplate capacities of any primary smelter in North America, but its actual output has been cut back multiple times over the past year and a half following labor disputes.

Alcoa's aluminum shipments fell by 10pc to 709,000t in the first quarter from a year earlie, according to the company's most recent earnings. Alumina shipments were down by 2pc at 2.33mn t and bauxite shipments were up by 9pc at 1.2mn dry metric tonnes.