EGA expects 12 months to restore output after Iran attack

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) said preliminary assessment indicates it will take at least 12 months to restore production at its Al Taweelah smelter, one of the world’s largest, after attacks by Iran.

“To resume operations at the smelter, EGA must repair infrastructure damage and progressively restore each of the reduction cells,” the company said in a statement.

However, the Al Taweelah alumina refinery and recycling plant may be able to restart some production earlier, depending on the final assessment of site damage, the statement said.

Two of the GCC’s largest aluminium producers were hit by Iranian strikes on March 28. The Al Taweelah site sustained significant damage due to Iranian missile and drone attacks at Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi. 

The site, including the smelter and casthouse, power plant, alumina refinery and recycling plant, was fully evacuated and the facilities entered emergency shutdown.

The Al Taweelah smelter produced 1.6 million tonnes of cast metal, while the alumina refinery produced 2.4 million tonnes of alumina in 2025, meeting 46 percent of EGA’s total alumina needs. The recycling plant has an annual production capacity of 185,000 tonnes.

The company has substantial metal stock in the UAE, as well as overseas, the statement said.  

“Our Al Taweelah site is a foundation of the global economy, and a significant contributor to global supply, making this incident damaging to industries and prosperity worldwide,” CEO Abdulnasser bin Kalban said.

He said the company is working directly with customers whose deliveries are likely to be impacted by the situation at Al Taweelah.

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) was also struck by Iran on March 28. The company declared force majeure on March 4 after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz prevented shipments to customers and disrupted inbound supplies of alumina, a key feedstock.

Further reading:

• UAE and Bahrain aluminium plants hit by Iranian attacks
• Gulf aluminium producers feel the heat from Iran war
• Alba seeks raw materials as Strait of Hormuz is off limits

Force majeure is a common clause in contracts that essentially frees parties from liability when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond their control, such as war, prevents the fulfilment of obligations.

Wood Mackenzie said the Middle East conflict is triggering a critical supply crisis in the global aluminium market, with disruptions potentially removing 3 to 3.5 million tonnes of output in 2026.

The world produced just under 74 million tonnes of primary aluminium last year.