Hydro Extrusions Expanded Automotive Aluminum Semis Extrusion Capacity at Its Tønder Plant in Denmark According to foreign media reports, Hydro Extrusions recently officially commissioned a brand-new 12-inch, 60-meganewton extrusion press at its aluminum extrusion plant in Tønder, Denmark. The equipment had held its official inauguration ceremony in September 2025, becoming the centerpiece of the plant’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The multi-day event invited clients, suppliers, and both former and current employees to participate.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Alvance British Aluminium has boosted output by ~10% at its Lochaber smelter in Fort William, Scotland (UK’s only primary aluminium plant), thanks to recent US tariff changes. The GFG Alliance-owned facility (48,000 tpy capacity, hydro-powered) now exports about half its production to the US for the first time. Managing Director Tom Uppington: “We increased production in response to shifting trade flows after US tariffs, entering the US market while serving UK and European customers.” President Trump set a 50% global tariff on steel/aluminium imports, but the UK secured a preferential 25% rate (vs. 50% for Canada), making UK metal more competitive. The US still relies on imports for automotive and aerospace sectors.

Hydro has decided to further strengthen its aluminum extrusion business in Europe and has proposed closing its extrusion plant in Lucé, France. This move is intended to optimize its European extrusion business segment and enhance competitiveness. The planned closure of the Lucé plant will affect the livelihoods of approximately 80 employees, and a formal consultation process with the plant’s employee representatives will begin soon. If an agreement is reached between labor and management, the plant will close in 2026.

On Tuesday, March 3rd, Norsk Hydro stated that QatarEnergy has issued a declaration suspending the production of certain downstream products within Qatar, including urea, polymers, methanol, and aluminum.

PT Arkora Hydro Tbk (ARKO) officially commenced commercial operations of its 5.4 MW Kukusan 2 run-of-river hydro project in Lampung on February 6, 2026. With an annual output of 35.02 GWh, the plant marks ARKO's fourth operational project and accounts for 17.8% of its projected 2026 power production. Backed by a 25-year PPA with PLN, the facility is estimated to power up to 7,000 households while supporting Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission 2060 goals through minimal environmental impact.

On March 17, Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company Hydro held a groundbreaking ceremony in Torija, marking the commencement of its latest project in its expanding recycling portfolio. The investment of 180 million euros to build a state-of-the-art recycling plant north of Spain's capital is part of Hydro's ongoing efforts to strengthen Europe's circular economy by incorporating more post-consumer scrap into the recycling loop.

Hydro Begins Construction of Flagship Aluminium Recycling Plant in Torija, Spain On March 17, 2025, Hydro broke ground on its flagship aluminium recycling plant in Torija, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. The €150 million facility is set to begin operations in 2026, producing 120,000 tonnes of aluminium extrusion ingots annually to supply key industries such as transportation, automotive, construction, and energy with low-carbon recycled aluminium. The new plant will operate in synergy with Hydro’s existing facility in Azuqueca, bringing their combined capacity to over 200,000 tonnes. Utilizing advanced sorting and production technologies, the Torija plant will recycle up to 70,000 tonnes of post-consumer scrap per year, manufacturing high-recycled-content specialty alloys. Hydro plans to hire 65 new employees ahead of the plant’s launch, reinforcing its commitment to aluminium circularity and European industrial competitiveness.

On March 17, Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Hydro marked the start of construction of the latest addition to its expanding recycling portfolio with a groundbreaking ceremony in Torija. The EUR 180 million investment in a start-of-art recycling plant north of the Spanish capital is part of Hydro’s continuous efforts to strengthen the European circular economy by keeping more post-consumer scrap in the loop.With an annual production capacity of 120,000 tonnes of extrusion ingots, it will complement the offerings from Hydro’s nearby Azuqueca plant, bringing the combined capacity to more than 200,000 tonnes of low-carbon, recycled aluminium. Hydro plans to recruit 65 new employees well before the scheduled start of operation in 2026.

[Hydro to Close Extrusion Site Amid Downstream Market Weakness] Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro has announced the closure of its extrusion site in Birtley, UK, and an anodising facility in Luce, France, citing continued weakness in the downstream aluminium market and compressed recycling margins. Additionally, Hydro will reduce recycling capacity in Puget, France by 30,000 tonnes. Decommissioning is already underway in Birtley and will be completed by the end of June, while the Luce facility will shut down by September. The company attributed the decision to tightened aluminium scrap supply and declining margins, which are impacting re-melt production. In response, Hydro aims to cut hot metal costs by USD 20–30 per tonne by 2030, with one-third of those savings targeted for realization by 2025. In its Q1 2025 financial update, Hydro reported an 18.3% drop in EBITA to NOK 1,174 million, driven by lower extrusion sales and weakened recycling margins. While European extrusion demand fell 1% year-on-year in Q1 2025, it rose 16% from the previous quarter, partly due to seasonal factors.

Hydro Energi has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Alpiq, involving the comprehensive supply of 1.18 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy for the duration spanning from 2024 to 2032.