-

Rio Tinto and Hydro announce intention to close Aluchemie anode plant

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A strategic review by Aluchemie owners Rio Tinto and Hydro has determined it is not viable to make the ongoing investments needed to continue operating the stand-alone anode production facility in Rotterdam, Netherlands, due to its weak competitive position and challenging market conditions.

As a result, production at Aluchemie is expected to finish at the end of 2021. A consultation process with the relevant European works councils and union representatives will now begin on the planned closure.

Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said: “We have carefully considered options to make Aluchemie competitive, however the investments required to continue operations are not viable. We recognise this will impact employees and the community, and our focus now will turn to supporting the team at Aluchemie as they work with stakeholders to plan a safe and responsible closure.”

Aluchemie was started in the mid 1960s and is jointly owned by global mining and metals company Rio Tinto and global aluminium company Hydro. The plant employs 220 employees and produces 216 000 tonnes of anodes per year, after having discontinued operating four out of a total seven anode baking furnaces.

Contacts

media.enquiries@riotinto.com
riotinto.com

Media Relations, United Kingdom
Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite
T +44 20 7781 1623
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas
Matthew Klar
T +1 514 608 4429

Media Relations, Asia
Grant Donald
T +65 6679 9290
M +65 9722 6028

Media Relations, Australia
Jonathan Rose
T +61 3 9283 3088
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
T +61 3 9283 3087
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
T +61 8 6211 6013
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, United Kingdom
Menno Sanderse
T: +44 20 7781 1517
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
T +44 20 7781 2051
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M: +44 7788 967 877

Investor Relations, Australia
Natalie Worley
T +61 3 9283 3063
M +61 409 210 462

Amar Jambaa
T +61 3 9283 3627
M +61 4 7286 5948

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom
T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia
T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

Category: General

Industry:

Rio Tinto

LSE:RIO
Release Versions
English

Contacts

media.enquiries@riotinto.com
riotinto.com

Media Relations, United Kingdom
Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite
T +44 20 7781 1623
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas
Matthew Klar
T +1 514 608 4429

Media Relations, Asia
Grant Donald
T +65 6679 9290
M +65 9722 6028

Media Relations, Australia
Jonathan Rose
T +61 3 9283 3088
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
T +61 3 9283 3087
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
T +61 8 6211 6013
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, United Kingdom
Menno Sanderse
T: +44 20 7781 1517
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
T +44 20 7781 2051
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M: +44 7788 967 877

Investor Relations, Australia
Natalie Worley
T +61 3 9283 3063
M +61 409 210 462

Amar Jambaa
T +61 3 9283 3627
M +61 4 7286 5948

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom
T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia
T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

Category: General

More News From Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto commissions $1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion in Quebec

SAGUENAY, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto has successfully started commissioning its US$1.5 billion AP60 smelter expansion at Complexe Arvida in Quebec, marking a major milestone for the deployment of its state-of-the-art, low-carbon aluminium smelting technology. The start-up, which began in March, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 with all 96 new pots operating. This will increase the plant’s production capacity by approximately 160,000 metric tonnes of primary aluminium annua...

Rio Tinto ships 8 billionth tonne of iron ore from the Pilbara

KARRATHA, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto has celebrated the shipment of 8 billion tonnes1 of iron ore to global markets from the Pilbara region, 60 years after the company’s first shipment set sail from Western Australia for Japan. The milestone shipment departed from Cape Lambert port aboard the Juno Horizon on 19 May 2026, bound for Nippon Steel Corporation, one of Rio Tinto’s longstanding partners. The achievement reflects six decades of continuous operations in the Pilbara, underpinn...

Rio Tinto appoints new Chief Legal Officer

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto has appointed Trudi Charles to succeed Isabelle Deschamps as Chief Legal Officer, Governance & Corporate Affairs. Trudi is currently Deputy General Counsel and Senior Vice President Legal, Supply, Trading & Shipping at BP plc. She will join Rio Tinto from 1 August 2026. Trudi has spent over 20 years at BP in various senior legal roles across its downstream and supply, trading & shipping businesses. Before this, Trudi spent almost eight years with H...
Back to Newsroom