Alcoa closing Blount smelting operation
Efforts by Alcoa Inc. to restart its idled Blount County smelting operation were dashed for good Thursday with the announcement the company will permanently close the facility as part of a decision to close or curtail 531,000 metric tons of smelting capacity.
Local Alcoa officials have been looking for aluminum prices to rise and were trying to negotiate a long-term power contract with TVA, all with the goal of restarting the smelter. In 2009, the company idled the operation because of plunging aluminum prices and laid off 450 workers. Now, it appears there will be no smelter where they can be called back to work.
"It is a sad day," said Christy Newman, spokeswoman for Alcoa's Blount County operations.
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