Novelis Oswego hot mill set to restart weeks ahead of schedule after 2025 fires

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Novelis said the hot mill at its Oswego plant in New York is expected to resume production within the next few weeks following recovery work after two major fires in 2025.

The company had earlier expected the restart to take place by the end of June, but said commissioning activities are now progressing faster than previously estimated.

The Oswego facility experienced two separate fires in September and November 2025. The incidents were contained to the hot mill area, and no injuries were reported; all employees were evacuated safely during both events.

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According to Novelis, other critical assets at the Oswego plant remained operational and were not affected by the fires.

The company said, “We expect the hot mill to be back in service in the next few weeks, positioning us to support pent-up demand and normalise shipments over time.”

The estimated financial impact from the two fires was around USD 1.7 billion. Production interruptions at the plant reduced rolled product shipments by an estimated 73 kilotonnes, resulting in a negative impact of about USD 53 million on adjusted EBITDA.

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The company also reported a net loss of USD 84 million, compared to a net income of USD 294 million in the previous year, partly due to the fire-related disruptions.

Despite the losses, net sales increased 4 per cent year-on-year to USD 4.8 billion, supported mainly by higher aluminium prices.

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Steve Fisher said the company remains focused on customer deliveries, restarting the Oswego hot mill and commissioning its aluminium plant in Bay Minette. He added, “We begin the new fiscal year energised by the strength of the underlying business and confident in our ability to capture strong market demand for high-recycled-content, low carbon aluminium.”