Kentucky, The Aluminum Capital of the U.S ?
In a recent conversation with KAN's Vice Chairman, Kenny Barkley of Rio Tinto Alcan, Kenny opined that Kentucky might be the aluminum capital of the U. S. He further suggested, if so, wouldn't it be nice for the state to be recognized as such, and it could be formalized by proclamation of the General Assembly.
With that, the research began. While that work continues, the early evidence is very encouraging. No doubt, Kentucky is home to over 100 aluminum related facilities and the industry is represented in over 20 NAICS classifications. Millions in state and local taxes come from over 10,000 employees. No doubt, from scrap collection- processing, recycling-melting, casting, rolling, extruding, fabricating, coating and shipping, the metal is a leading economic engine in the Commonwealth.
Kentucky is no stranger to being "first". The state has been "first in" or the "only" in many categories over the years. A few interesting examples taken from the folks at 50 State. Com - Kentucky Facts and Trivia, might include such notable achievements as
1. The first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant was opened in Corbin Kentucky by Colonel Sanders.
2. The song, "Happy Birthday to You" was the creation of two Louisville sisters in 1893.
3. Ft. Knox holds more that $6 Billion in gold, more gold than anywhere in the world.
4. Pike County, not only is the home of the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud, but it is the world's largest producer of coal.
5. Thomas Edison first displayed his electric light to the public in Louisville in 1883 at the Southern Exposition.
6. The first enamel bathtub was made in Louisville in 1856.
7. Lexington was home of the first American performance of a Beethoven symphony in 1817.
8. Mary S. Wilson, a Henderson teacher, held the first ever observance of Mother's Day in 1887, later made a national holiday in 1916.
What do these factoids have to do with aluminum production in Kentucky? Nothing. But they might make interesting conversation when linked to the fact that Kentucky indisputably leads the nation in primary production. Latest information from Light Metal age.com indicate Century Aluminum in Hawesville and Rio Tinto Alcan in Sebree have combined active capacity that leads all states. Combine this production with the output of the rolling operations of Aleris in Lewisport and Logan Aluminum in Russelville, add the rod and cable production of Southwire in Hawesville, billet and alloyed product output of Hydro and Eastern Alloys in Henderson, liquid and solid aluminum sow and RSI of Aleris Morgantown, then add the production of producers Gibbs Die Cast in Henderson and Trace Die Cast in Bowling Green..........
Well, that's a lot of aluminum and that doesn't include the process output of our leading Scrap processors of the Kentucky Recyclers Association and many other smaller coating and fabricating operations!
In Primary production, Kentucky is king. Followed by Washington state. Washington state, home of four primary smelters. Two are dark and shut down and the other two have significant capacity idled. Leaving Kentucky as the no. 1 producer of primary metal in the United States. And, while the research and validation continues, adding the output of Kentucky's other aluminum producers to the smelters........I think we have it! We won't put it on the license plates yet but one could say Kentucky is big in aluminum......one might even say Aluminum is a "signature" industry in Kentucky!
As for Washington state. There are many complex reasons and business conditions that impact decisions on reduction and start-up of capacity in any state.
Oh, did I mention that Kentucky is No. "2" in the lowest industrial electrical rates in the U. S.!
In Kentucky, we make things! And we make a lot of Aluminum. Would you expect anything less of the state that served the 1st ever Cheeseburger in Louisville's Kaolin's Restaurant in 1934.
No comments:
Post a Comment