ALVANCE Aluminium, part of sustainable industry leader GFG Alliance, will begin consulting on plans for a new £94m recycling and aluminium billet plant at its Lochaber smelter next week as it develops Fort William’s position as a leading international producer of low-carbon aluminium.

A public consultation will be held online for 21 days from 22nd February, including a live consultation event on Thursday 25th February from 3.30 pm –7pm where members of the project team will be available to respond to questions.

ALVANCE announced plans in November for a new recycling and casting facility that will double GREENALUMINIUM production from over 40,000 tonne per annum (ktpa) to over 80ktpa. The plant will produce long, round bars called billets for the domestic construction, building and transport sectors, supplanting some of the current dependency on imports.

ALVANCE expects to award contracts to local suppliers including new building works for the facility. The billet, which is destined for both UK and European markets, will be produced from Lochaber’s already low-carbon aluminium and recycled material, giving it some of the greenest credentials on the market.

Once approved, the new integrated business plan and associated developments will secure the long-term future of the Fort William aluminium smelter, safeguarding 200 local jobs and creating 70 new high quality roles. Subject to approvals and any further impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, ALVANCE aims to commence the new development works in 2021 and target full operation by 2024.

Brian King, President of ALVANCE British Aluminium said: “We are pleased to bring our plans for a new billet plant in front of local residents and businesses and welcome views from across the community. Because of the current COVID -19 restrictions, we have to conduct the consultation virtually but we’ll do everything possible to make it as interactive as we can and I’d encourage all our local communities to join in and hear about our plans.

“We are confident that local people will get behind these proposals to reinforce Fort William’s position at the centre of green industrial production in the Highlands, securing and generating new jobs, and providing a pipeline of opportunities to the wider supply chain in Scotland.”

Further information may be obtained from Leah Watton of planning agents JLL at Leah.Watton@eu.jll.com and on 0141 567 6620 / 07711 772152

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Note to the editors:
ALVANCE Aluminium Group, part of the GFG Alliance and a leading GREENALUMINIUM producer, is a global integrated aluminium business bringing together assets across the aluminium supply chain from raw materials to finished components. With current primary aluminium production capacity of 332,000 tonnes per annum, ALVANCE Aluminium delivers low carbon products in consumer goods and industries such as aerospace, automotive, food and drink, medical supplies and printing. ALVANCE Aluminium owns and operates Europe’s largest aluminium smelter in Dunkerque, France, as well as the only smelter in the United Kingdom, powered entirely by hydro energy. ALVANCE Aluminium is a leader in sustainable industry with a mission to become Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30).