Iran attacks force shutdown of world’s biggest aluminium company

In a statement, the company said the strikes hit facilities at the Khalifa Economic Zone in Abu Dhabi, affecting the smelter, casthouse, power plant, alumina refinery, and recycling plant.

The company said the site is “one of the biggest aluminium production complexes in the world.”

EGA said restoring primary aluminium production could take up to 12 months, as infrastructure repairs and the gradual restart of reduction cells will be required.

It added that the alumina refinery and recycling plant may resume partial operations earlier, depending on damage assessments.

Chief Executive Officer Abdulnasser Bin Kalban said the company was “deeply disturbed by this attack on our people,” noting that workers from more than 40 nations were present at the site.

“We thank God no one received life-threatening injuries and that those hurt are recovering well,” he said.

Kalban described the Al Taweelah facility as “a foundation of the global economy” and a major contributor to global aluminium supply, warning that the incident could affect industries worldwide.

“We will do our very best to support our customers around the world during this difficult period,” he added, noting that the company is working with clients whose deliveries may be impacted.

The Al Taweelah smelter produced 1.6 million tonnes of cast metal in 2025, while its alumina refinery produced 2.4 million tons, covering 46% of the company’s needs, said the company.

The recycling plant has an annual capacity of 185,000 tonnes, it concluded.

The US and Israel on Feb. 28 launched an air offensive on Iran, killing over 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.