Alcoa defers curtailment of Washington smelter

NYSE-listed lightweight metals specialist Alcoa on Tuesday announced that it would delay the curtailment of its Intalco Works primary aluminium smelter in Ferndale, Washington, until the end of the second quarter. The company explained that recent changes in energy and raw material costs have made it more cost effective in the near term to keep the smelter operating to provide molten metal to the plant’s casthouse. Further, the company expected aluminium demand to rise 6% in 2016.