Norwegian aluminum producer Hydro is closing its Birtley extrusion plant in the UK by the end of May due to difficult market conditions. The closure will result in approximately 100 job cuts, though Hydro has offered some employees opportunities at other UK sites.

Production and customers have been transferred to Hydro's Tibshelf and Cheltenham extrusion plants.

The Birtley facility was a two-press operation with an annual capacity of around 12,000 tons. This consolidated operation aims to create a more sustainable platform for Hydro's future operations in the UK market.