US aluminium industry highlights importance of domestic smelting capacity for national security

The United States needs a stronger domestic primary aluminium industry to support national security, military equipment and critical infrastructure, according to an economic analysis by Adam Hersh, an economist and research fellow at the University of Massachusetts. Hersh presented the findings at a press event in Washington, D.C. He highlighted the need for domestic production of high-purity aluminium used in military applications. He said the US currently has no operating smelters capable of producing this specialised aluminium, leaving the country reliant on overseas supplies and exposed to possible supply disruptions. The report points to a major change in US aluminium production over the past 25 years. In 2000, the country accounted for around 15 per cent of global aluminium...