UK Aluminium Industry Faces Critical Threat From US Trade Tariffs
Statement from Make UK's Aluminium Production and Processing Group
The recent direct threat to UK production and processing of aluminium has come at a moment that industry and investors can ill afford.
UK producers and processors are already tackling the negative consequences of Russian aluminium being dumped on the European and UK markets through 3rd countries. A failure to reverse the announcement which has come overnight from Washington could have catastrophic long-term investment consequences for UK production and processing viability.
it is of paramount importance that the UK government seeks to engage with the US administration in a bid to ensure that our domestic market is protected. While it is relatively small in terms of US imports, it is critical to maintaining this key strategic sector in the UK.
According to the ONS aluminium production and processing is valued at £250mn GVA, employing over 4,000 skilled workers across the country and is considered to be an increasingly critical asset to the UK economy, as wider industrial users seek to decarbonise their processes.