Hydro cutting German aluminium, product output
HAMBURG, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Hydro Aluminium, the German unit of Norwegian group Norsk Hydro (NHY.OL), said on Monday it is cutting aluminium and aluminium product output in its German operations because of falling demand.
Some six of the 474 production cells for primary aluminium output will be taken out of operation at its 230,000 tonne annual capacity plant in Neuss in central Germany, a spokesman for Hydro's German unit said.
The production fall would be relatively small but the spokesman could not give details. Other production cells may be taken out of operation at Neuss in coming weeks after their maintenance is completed, he said.
The 190,000 tonne secondary aluminium smelter and rolling mill in Hamburg would close for about 1.5 weeks longer than normal for over the Christmas period, he said.
The head of Hydro's German operations told Reuters on Nov 25 it was experiencing a 25 percent fall in aluminium demand from the automobile industry and was considering production cuts. [ID:nLP110019]
The spokesman said that with German electricity costs so high it made no sense to produce aluminium for inventories which the market did not require. (Reporting by Michael Hogan; Editing by James Jukwey)
