Century Aluminum, UTB to buy bankrupt Dutch aluminium producer Zalco
12 Jun 2012
The administrator overseeing the sale of Dutch aluminium producer Zalco yesterday said that parts of the company will be bought by US-based Century Aluminum Co and Dutch steel and machinery wholesaler UTB Industry.
Benne van Leeuwen, one of the two administrators responsible for the sale, said that California-based Century Aluminum has acquired Zalco's anode production facilities, while UTB bought the smelting operations.
Benne van Leeuwen did not reveal the financial terms of both transactions.
Zalco's production facilities include two furnaces for producing anodes, 512 electrolysis baths for making primary aluminium, two recycling furnaces, 10 preparation furnaces and four homogenisation furnaces for end products.
Century Aluminum will use Zalco's anodes, the carbon blocks used in the aluminum smelting process, at its smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland, and the facility may eventually supply a smelter project in Helguvik, Iceland, the company said in a statement.
Century plans to spend about $45 million to modernise the Vlissingen facility and start operations in the third quarter of 2013.