OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Oklahoma’s emerging aluminum manufacturing hub gained momentum Monday as U.S. Aluminum Company signed an agreement with Emirates Global Aluminum and Century Aluminum to explore building a downstream fabrication plant alongside the planned primary aluminum smelter in Inola.
The deal marks the first downstream commitment tied to the Oklahoma Primary Aluminum project, which developers say will double U.S. primary aluminum output and position the state as a national center for aluminum manufacturing. U.S. Aluminum Company was founded by the Oklahoma City‑based Plotkin family, owners of M‑D Building Products.
“The development of America’s largest and most advanced primary aluminum production plant right here in Oklahoma is a transformative industrial opportunity for our state and country,” said Ryan Plotkin, president and CEO of U.S. Aluminum Company. “U.S. Aluminum Company intends to leverage the availability of Oklahoma-made metal to be the cornerstone aluminum processing facility in Inola, creating additional jobs and making strategic products for the many downstream industries we expect will grow around the new smelter as well as customers throughout America.”
EGA and Century Aluminum, which are partnering on the smelter project, said the agreement signals early interest from manufacturers ahead of construction. “This project will help make Oklahoma – especially Inola – one of the top places in America to manufacture aluminum products, while creating thousands of new jobs for Oklahomans,” EGA CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban said. Century CEO Jesse Gary added that the hub would strengthen domestic supply chains for “a critical metal that supports American industries.”
Construction of the Oklahoma Primary Aluminum smelter is expected to begin by the end of 2026, with first production anticipated before 2030. The project will use EGA’s latest EX technology and is jointly owned, with EGA holding 60% and Century 40%.
