Century Aluminum is investing US$50 million to restart more than 50,000 metric tons of idled capacity at its Mt. Holly, South Carolina smelter, boosting US aluminum output by nearly 10% and creating over 100 jobs.

Full production is targeted by June 2026, restoring the facility’s 230,000 metric tons annual capacity last seen in 2015. The company resumed operations at 75% capacity in 2022, following a 2020 project that reinstated previously curtailed production.

Century Aluminum attributed the restart to President Trump’s Section 232 tariffs, which were raised to 50% this year. Meanwhile, the company plans to build a new smelter to expand domestic production.