Minews - Alcoa to close smelter in Italy

(Minews) - Aluminum producer Alcoa said it would permanently close its Portovesme smelter on the Italian island of Sardinia.

The closure of the plant, which has not operated since November 2012, will reduce Alcoa's global smelting capacity by 150,000 metric tons to 3.6 million metric tons per year.

Aluminum producers are cutting production and closing plants as they struggle with low prices, high energy costs and a sharp increase in production in China.