Alcoa closing Blount smelting operation

Aluminum company Alcoa Inc. said today it will permanently close its smelter in Alcoa as part of a global reduction its smelting capacity.

The Pittsburgh-based company said it plans to slash its smelting capacity of 4.5 million metric tons per year by 291,000 metric tons.

The smelting capacity at the Blount County plant had been curtailed in 2009.

The cuts will "lower the Company's position on the global aluminum cost curve and improve Alcoa's competitiveness," according to a news release.

More at The Knoxville News Sentinel.

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