Alcoa schedules more plant layoffs

Another wave of layoffs was announced at the Alcoa Point Comfort plant this week after the company initially hit the brakes on production in November. Notices were given to employees this week at the Point Comfort plant that detailed when the latest round of layoffs will begin.

An estimated 60 employees will be laid off and 18 will retire June 27, said Kari Fluegel, spokeswoman for the Point Comfort location of the alumina producer. About 137 employees will be let go July 23.

"We will close down production on June 30, and then after that we enter what we call a maintenance and care mode, and that requires some staffing level," Fluegel said.

The company initially announced late last year it would cut back locally by about 1.2 million metric tons to save money.

In 2015, the aluminum price dropped about 30 percent, leaving companies that produce the raw alumina for smelting to make deep cuts. At the beginning of 2016, Alcoa announced it would essentially stop production at the Calhoun County plant but keep the facility in running shape to come back online.

"At the corporate level, they've looked at absolutely every option that they can look at," Fluegel said about local production.

The cutbacks come in the midst of the company's attempt to split into two publicly traded entities - one that would do mining, refining and smelting and one that would produce architectural, construction, aerospace, industrial and other products. The split should be completed by the second half of the year, according to a January press release from the company.

The process of curtailment is "complex," and this probably won't be the last round of layoffs, Fluegel said. However, the company still does not plan to completely close the facility, she said.

"The statement that this is a curtailment, not a closure, is still very valid," Fluegel said.