USD 11 billion investment is transforming North America’s aluminium landscape

Matt Meenan joined the Aluminum Association in December of 2012 and has served in roles of increasing responsibility managing all aspects of the association’s external communications. As Vice President of External Affairs, Meenan oversees the external affairs department and develops strategies and programmes to promote aluminium, respond to external threats and protect the brand of the association/industry.

In this interview for Mine to Market, Meenan highlights how the US aluminium industry is navigating a critical moment of transformation — balancing the need for stronger domestic supply, competitive trade policies and a more resilient recycling ecosystem. From the challenges of rebuilding primary aluminium capacity and securing affordable energy to unlocking the untapped potential of domestic scrap, Meenan shares his perspective on the forces that will shape the future of the North American aluminium value chain.

AL Circle: The Aluminum Association’s preliminary 2025 data shows that North American aluminium demand (US & Canada) remained largely steady despite economic and trade uncertainty. What does this reveal about the resilience of the US and Canadian aluminium markets? What were the key factors that helped aluminium demand hold steady in 2025? 

Matt Meenan:  Aluminium demand remained broadly stable, supported by steady consumption in key end-use markets such as packaging. Strong and well-established trade integration with Canada also helped reinforce stability in the primary aluminium supply, even amid tariff pressures. More broadly, aluminium’s performance reflects its critical role across essential industries like auto, building and construction, aerospace and packaging, which sustain steady demand even as economic conditions shift. 

The industry has invested more than USD 11 billion in new plants and operations in recent years, including two new aluminium rolling mills for the first time in decades. This is great news but will also require an enormous amount of new metal – both scrap and primary – to supply this new capacity. 

AL Circle: At the recent USTR Section 301 hearing, The Aluminum Association called for targeted action against non-market excess aluminium capacity. Why is this issue so critical for the long-term health of the US aluminium value chain?

Matt Meenan:  Aluminium is heavily subsidised or supported by certain governments like China in ways that do not reflect normal market behaviour. In fact, a recent report by the OECD found that fully 86 per cent of government subsidies in the aluminium sector went to China, artificially lowering their operating costs. When unfairly priced aluminium enters the market, it makes it harder for US companies to compete and invest here at home. This matters because you’re never more than 6 feet away from aluminium. It’s in cars, window frames, beverage containers, airplanes, satellites, electrical infrastructure and more. If US production continues to shrink, we are more dependent on foreign supply, which raises concerns for both economic resilience and national security.  

AL Circle: The United States is dependent on the Middle East for its 12.58 per cent of primary aluminium imports. How is the industry preparing to bridge this potential supply gap until normal trade conditions resume? To what extent can domestic recycled aluminium help reduce this pressure, given that several downstream sectors still depend on primary unwrought aluminium for quality, consistency and alloy-specific requirements?  

Matt Meenan:  Recycled material cannot fully replace primary aluminium, but it plays an important role in helping bridge supply gaps. In the near term, meeting US demand will require a balanced approach which involves expanding domestic primary production; investing in recycling infrastructure and advanced scrap sortation technologies, and supporting continued research and development. Policy efforts, including restrictions on some types of aluminium scrap exports and state and federal recycling legislation, can also strengthen the domestic supply chain. 

AL Circle: EGA and Century Aluminum have partnered to build the first new primary aluminium smelter in the US in over 45 years. How do you assess the strategic value of this project for rebuilding the US upstream aluminium sector? Beyond adding smelting capacity, what impact could it have on supply security, import dependence, energy competitiveness and industrial resilience? 

Matt Meenan: The Aluminum Association supports an “all of the above” approach to meeting our metal supply needs and progress toward the first new US-based smelter in nearly 50 years – exciting news and would be a boon to the US industry. It’s also an important potential boost for the domestic aluminium industry. Over recent decades, US primary aluminium production has declined more than 80 per cent, even as recycling and downstream capacity have continued to grow. A new smelter would help begin to rebalance that structure. 

While the US will continue to necessarily rely on imported primary aluminium to meet demand for the foreseeable future, this development represents a meaningful step toward strengthening domestic supply and improving long-term resilience. It would be especially beneficial for sectors critical to national and economic security, including defence, automotive and energy infrastructure, all of which depend on reliable access to primary metal. 

Additionally, aluminium is included on every US government critical minerals list, underscoring its strategic importance. At the same time, the long-term viability of new primary capacity will depend heavily on energy competitiveness and the ability to secure stable, cost-effective power agreements. 

Read the complete interview here