Latest News

Trump's tariffs could reroute metal flows, Alcoa CEO states

Alcoa will likely send its Australian output to the U.S. if the United States imposes tariff on Canadian imports, the aluminum manufacturer's CEO William Oplinger stated on Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened tariffs on various countries including close allies such as Canada and Mexico, and Oplinger's remarks demonstrate how shipping streams could be overthrown by such levies - adding prospective costs to consumers worldwide.

We would be optimizing our international system based upon any brand-new tariff structures ... there is a potential for metal to come out of Australia and go into U.S. if there is an enormous tariff dislocation, Oplinger told Reuters.

The business produces 2.2 million metric tons of aluminum per year, of which 900,000 metric heaps are made in Canada. A. bulk of the Canadian output goes to the United States.

Previously today, Trump said he was thinking about imposing. 25% responsibilities on imports from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1.

Alcoa would likely reroute its Canada-made aluminum to. Europe to prevent any possible tariff, Oplinger stated.

If there is 25% tariff on Canadian metal, and only 10% on. non-Canadian metal, that differential will draw in metal into. the U.S. from the Middle East and India.

Any possible tariff will include about $1.5 billion to $2. billion in costs for aluminum customers in the United States,. Oplinger stated, adding that markets such as product packaging and. automobile will likely see the most impact.

GREEN ALUMINUM NEED

Alcoa's greatest market for low-carbon aluminum stays. Europe, where the company ships nearly half of the product it. produces.

Using tidy energy such as hydropower to make the metal. enables the producers to charge a premium as producers utilizing. green aluminum in their processes can generate more carbon. credits, which can be utilized to offset an entity's emissions.

Alcoa charges a 1% premium, coming up to between $20 and $40. per heap, because there is more supply than demand for low-carbon. aluminum.

There is ample supply, however that supply is not growing ... by the end of the decade you must see demand outstripping. supply, which should drive premiums higher for low-carbon. aluminum, Oplinger said.

(source: Reuters)