Note: “Aluminium” is the spelling for “aluminum” used in other English-speaking countries and throughout the world.
INOLA, Okla. (OBV) – Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) will build a massive primary aluminum production plant in the Tulsa Port of Inola—a $4 billion investment that is expected to create thousands of jobs in Oklahoma.
The plant will be built on 350 acres of land, and will be the first new primary aluminum production plant to be built in the United States in 45 years, according to officials with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office.
EGA’s new facility is expected to created 1,000 direct jobs and 1,800 indirect jobs.
“This is a monumental day for Oklahoma,” Stitt said. “We are proud to welcome Emirates Global Aluminum to our state and excited for the generational impact this investment will have on our future. As President Donald Trump looks to onshore our nation’s supply chain for critical minerals, Oklahoma is leading the way in this sector. Thanks to our pro-business environment, Oklahoma is quickly becoming the critical minerals headquarters of the United States.”
EGA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Stitt on Friday, detailing the conditions of EGA’s investment in the state. The agreement will not become official until the Oklahoma Legislature approves the MOU’s terms.
Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and Investment Corporation of Dubai own EGA. The company has 7,000 employees across the globe. It is the largest company jointly owned by two Emirates, according to the EGA website.
The plant will be the largest of its kind in the U.S. It will produce billets, sheet ingots, high-purity aluminum, and foundry alloys. Officials with Stitt’s office say it will nearly double the nation’s domestic aluminum production.
“The United States has been an important market for EGA for several decades, and we know there is strong demand for our high-quality metal ‘made in America,’” said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium. “EGA has the skills, technology and capital to start rebuilding this great American industry, and in Oklahoma I am confident we will secure the right conditions to do so. This is an important moment for EGA, and for the economic relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates.”
Aluminum produced at the plant will be used in aerospace and defense sectors—Oklahoma’s fastest-growing industry—as well as the automotive, food and beverage and other critical industries, governor’s office officials said.
Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said the new plant will boost manufacturing in the U.S.
“Oklahoma proudly stands with President Trump in the mission to bring manufacturing back to American soil,” Hilbert said. “The Legislative Evaluation and Development Committee (LEAD) has thoroughly vetted this project, and our Legislature is committed to advancing the Trump Administration’s America First agenda for our workers and families.”
Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said Oklahoma continues to become a go-to destination for companies looking to expand.
“Oklahoma’s selection as the preferred site for the first new primary aluminum production plant built in the United States in nearly half a century is a landmark achievement for our state,” Paxton said. “This is a clear testament to the work we’ve done to make Oklahoma a more attractive destination for business growth and innovation. I applaud the executive branch, the Legislature and everyone who has been involved for the hard work it has taken to get us where we are today.”
The development makes Oklahoma a prominent player in key industries, according to John Budd, CEO of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.
“This announcement catapults Oklahoma to the forefront of the critical minerals and aluminum industry in the United States,” Budd said. “EGA choosing Oklahoma also unlocks the ability for us to compete successfully for opportunities we haven’t been able to pursue in the past. I can’t wait to see how this project transforms the economy in Northeast Oklahoma and across the entire state.”
Aluminum is the United Arab Emirate’s largest export after oil and gas. EGA produces one-in-every 25 tons of aluminum made worldwide, which amounts to four percent of the world’s total production and almost half of the aluminum produced in the Gulf.
