[SMM Aluminum Express News] Century Aluminum reported Q1 2026 results with net sales of $649.2M, net income of $337.5M, and adjusted EBITDA of $231.4M. Net income included one-time gains from the Hawesville asset sale and insurance compensation related to the Iceland equipment failure. Liquidity stood at $611M as of March-end. The company expects Q2 adjusted EBITDA of $315–335M, supported by higher aluminum prices and ramp-up at Mt. Holly.

SMM News, April 30: According to SMM statistics, the total primary aluminum output overseas in April 2026 fell 10.2% year-on-year, while the average daily overseas output dropped 10.0% month-on-month, mainly as the impact of production cuts at Middle Eastern aluminum smelters became more evident. During the period, despite accelerated production resumptions at overseas primary aluminum smelters amid high prices, the overall incremental volume was far lower than the scale of production cuts in the Middle East, leading to a notable year-on-year and month-on-month decline in overseas primary aluminum output in April. Per Alcoa’s Q1 earnings report, the company announced on April 8, 2026 that the restart of its San Ciprián aluminum smelter in Spain had been safely completed. According to Vedanta’s production report, its primary aluminum output in the 2026 fiscal year (Q2 2025 to Q1 2026) hit a record high of 2.456 million tons, up 1% year-on-year, mainly driven by improved operational efficiency. As per an official announcement from Century Aluminum, idle capacity at its Mt. Holly aluminum smelter in South Carolina has commenced restarting, with the first batch of primary aluminum production underway. It is expected that the resumed capacity will reach full operational status by the end of June, involving a total capacity of approximately 50,000 tons. In addition, the second production line at its primary aluminum smelter in Iceland has resumed production several months ahead of schedule. Staff are energizing the first batch of electrolytic cells for the second line and will accelerate the restart of remaining cells, targeting a near-full production level by the end of July. Looking ahead to May 2026, production resumptions at smelters in the US and Iceland, together with the ramp-up of new capacity in Indonesia, are expected to push average daily output higher month-on-month, though year-on-year output is projected to remain in sharp negative growth. Overall, given the unresolved situation in the Middle East, overseas primary aluminum output is expected to stay in sustained year-on-year negative growth in the short term. Market participants shall continue to monitor subsequent announcements from relevant aluminum smelters in the Middle East as well as global aluminum inventory trends.

According to foreign media reports, Century Aluminum's Norðurál smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland, has resumed production on its No. 2 electrolytic cell line, several months ahead of schedule. The smelter has already started the first batch of electrolytic cells on line 2 and will continue to accelerate the restart of the remaining cells, aiming to reach near full capacity by the end of July. Line 2 accounts for approximately two-thirds of the smelter's total capacity (320,000 tons per year). According to previous reports from World Aluminum Network, in October last year, a power outage forced the plant to reduce production at the end of the month, leading to regional supply shortages and pushing the European aluminum premium to $356 per ton, a one-year high.

According to the official website of Century Aluminum，Century Aluminum Company restarted production this week in the second potline at its Norðurál smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland, several months earlier than planned. Employees energized the first pots in Grundartangi’s second potline and will continue restarting the remaining pots on an accelerated schedule to reach close to full production by the end of July. In October 2025, the second potline at the smelter was shut down due to a malfunction, involving capacity of approximately 210,000 mt. The original plan was to resume production after 11-12 months, i.e., an expected resumption from September to October 2026. This production resumption is approximately 7-8 months ahead of the original plan.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Century Aluminum has restarted the second potline at its Norðurál smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland, ahead of schedule, with full capacity expected by end-July. The potline accounts for about two-thirds of total capacity, with operations resuming after transformer repairs following an unexpected failure. Permanent replacements are set for installation in autumn. The restart strengthens Century’s primary aluminum output, alongside recent expansion at Mt. Holly, to meet market demand.

According to an announcement on Century Aluminum's official website on April 16, the first aluminum production from the restarted capacity at its Mt. Holly aluminum smelter in South Carolina has begun, with full production expected by the end of June. This will increase total US primary aluminum production by 10%. The total capacity involved is reportedly around 50,000 mt.