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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Century Aluminum Brings Hawesville, Kentucky, Smelter to Full Production

04/06/2018
Century Aluminum Co., a global producer of primary aluminum, will invest approximately $116.5 million for improvements at its operation in Hawesville, Kentucky. The project will bring it back into fill production and create over 250 full-time jobs.

The company is a leading producer of primary aluminum in the United States and also produces aluminum in Iceland. In total, its facilities produce more than 1 million tons of aluminum per year. The company operates two smelters in the commonwealth, in Hawesville and Robards, and will employ over 1,000 people in the state after the Hawesville restart.

Century will use its investment to upgrade its smelting technology and to train new and existing employees to use the new equipment. The company will add employment that includes hourly production positions, mechanics, electricians, supervisor roles, technicians and engineers.

The Hawesville operation produces high purity metal required for the defense, aerospace and electrical industries. The improvements to the facility will allow the company to remain competitive in the marketplace and increase capacity.

“We are pleased to announce this investment to bring the Hawesville smelter back to full production and upgrade its technology to best in class,” said Jesse Gary, Executive Vice President of Century. “We are grateful to Governor Bevin, the Kentucky General Assembly and the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet for their leadership in making the Commonwealth of Kentucky such a great place in which to invest in and grow our business. Together with President Trump’s decisive action to implement effective Sec. 232 relief and the dedication of our excellent employees, these leaders have been instrumental in bringing these hundreds of jobs back to Kentucky.”

“Kentucky’s aluminum industry continues to build upon the momentum generated within the sector in recent years, and Century Aluminum has certainly been no exception,” Governor Matt Bevin said. “The more than 250 jobs created through this investment will be a boon for Hawesville and Hancock County. I want to thank the company for its dedication to the Kentucky workforce, as well as everyone who helped keep this investment and job growth in the commonwealth.”

To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $5.5 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.

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