UAE aluminum producer expands to United States amid war-time supply worries

A recent U.S. war-gaming drill revealed that high-purity aluminum, essential for fighter jets and other defense gear, is a critical vulnerability, with almost 90% sourced from the United Arab Emirates. Iranian missile strikes this year have hit aluminum plants in Bahrain and the UAE, causing price spikes and operational setbacks. Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) has resumed operations at its Gulf plant but expects full output only by the end of the year.

In response, EGA is building a new smelting capacity in the United States, holding a majority stake in a $4 billion Oklahoma project that will be the first U.S. smelter of its kind since 1980. The facility is scheduled to start production by the end of the decade, offering Washington greater security of supply and providing EGA relief from export tariffs to the U.S.