American Industrial Partners logo is shown in this illustration taken August 21, 2025.
Johan Vlietinck, CGT union representative at the plant, said local management informed workers’ representatives of AIP’s intention. AIP acquired the facility four years ago after its previous owner, GFG Alliance, defaulted on debt.
A spokesperson for AIP in France stated that the firm was not denying media reports but declined to provide further comment. Aluminium Dunkerque did not respond to requests for comment.
The plant, located beside the port of Dunkirk in northern France, produces approximately 300,000 metric tons of primary aluminium annually and ranks among Europe’s largest smelters. It consumes electricity equivalent to that of Marseille, France’s second-largest city, and generates annual revenue exceeding 800 million euros ($921.4 million), according to its website.
In May, Aluminium Dunkerque secured a 10-year power supply agreement with EDF, ensuring long-term energy cost stability for the energy-intensive operation. Union representatives viewed this contract as a signal that a transaction might be approaching, Vlietinck noted.
France’s economy ministry described the smelter as a strategic asset, adding that any acquisition by a non-French buyer would require review under the country’s foreign investment screening process. The ministry declined to comment on the reported sale process.
No formal offers have yet been presented to employee representatives, Vlietinck said. Earlier non-binding expressions of interest reportedly came from Rio Tinto, Glencore, and Metlen Energy & Metals, though all three companies declined to comment when contacted.
Vlietinck stated that the CGT union opposes any return of Rio Tinto, citing insufficient investment during its previous ownership period before the site was transferred to GFG Alliance. The union would prefer the French state to participate in any future ownership structure through a consortium, he added.
