Hundreds of jobs axed as Alcoa announces permanent closure of Kwinana refinery

Alcoa has announced the permanent closure of its Kwinana refinery after 60 years.

Aging infrastructure, operating costs and market conditions are some of the factors that led to the decision.

Alcoa first flagged the closure back in January last year, and in June 800 workers were made redundant.

The company said the remaining 220 employees will be reduced during 2026 as the closure progresses and some employees will remain beyond that to help prepare the site for future redevelopment.

The closure will cost the company $1.36 billion.

“Alcoa operated the Kwinana refinery for a number of years in a challenging environment and made the difficult decision to permanently close the facility after unsuccessfully exploring multiple options for a sustainable path to restarting,” Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Alcoa Matt Reed said.

“We appreciate the dedication and support of our Kwinana employees, contractors and suppliers who have made a major contribution to Western Australia’s economic development and prosperity over more than six decades.”