Middle East Aluminum, Steel Plants Face Long Recovery Road

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Written by Paul Wiseman for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Three significant steel mills and three aluminum plants are offline in and around Iran due to the war.

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Offline Plant Count Rises

Aluminum and steel markets are still reeling from bombings of steel and aluminum plants in and around Iran, damage that could take years to repair and for markets to recover, experts fear. According to Industrial Info Resources data, three significant aluminum plants and three steel plants in the region have been shut down--some due to bomb damage, others due to supply chain disruptions.

For more on this, see April, 2026, article - Iranian Attacks Disable Middle East's Two Biggest Aluminum Smelters, and March 6, 2026, article - Forces Majeures, Middle East Smelter Closures Boost Aluminum Prices.

Industrial Info Resources is monitoring the following six plant shutdowns:

• Emirates Global Aluminum UAE (Taweelah)
  Status: Shut Down
  Details: Smelter, casthouse, power plant, alumina refinery, and recycling plant significantly damaged from Iranian attack, forcing potlines into uncontrolled shutdown. Full restoration could take up to 12 months.


• Aluminium Bahrain (Alba)
  Status: Damaged/Partial Shutdown
  Details: The largest single-source production plant outside of China declared force majeure March 4, 2026. Was bombed March 28, 2026. In that attack, two employees were injured. Now it is reportedly operating at approximately 30% capacity, down from 81% pre-strike.


• Qatalum
  Status: Shut Down
  Details: Controlled production shutdown since March 3 due to natural gas shortages after Iranian drone attacks on local gas supplies.


• Foulath Holding / Bahrain Steel Bahrain
  Status: Force Majeure
  Details: Declared force majeure on March 28 due to conflict-related disruption to operations and supply chains.


• Mobarakeh Steel Company
  Status: Shut down
  Details: Multiple U.S.-Israeli air strikes


• Khuzestan Steel Company
  Status: Shut down
  Details: Severe damage to its production units after multiple U.S.-Israeli air strikes, the company said on April 16.

Industrial Info Resources is tracking 22 active projects at the plants valued at more than $2.7 billion. Subscribers to the Industrial Info Resources Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports and plant profiles.

Mending the Damage

Of the six, two were shut down due to supply chain issues, making it seem as if they could restart sooner. But those, such as natural gas supply, were themselves due to damage to pipelines or other facilities, so even they could be out longer than it might appear.

On that note, others in the area that have not so far been damaged are still at risk due to supply chain issues. Whenever their stocks of raw materials are depleted, they will have to shut down unless a real reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is negotiated. Even after any reopening of the Strait, it could take weeks for the backlog of shipping to begin to catch up and resupply raw materials.

Alternate Supply Options

This region accounts for about 10% of global aluminum supplies, and there are few significant alternatives. For aluminum, possibilities include India, Australia and Canada, along with increasing rail/trucking via Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea, according to the World Economic Forum.

Steel is less affected by the Strait of Hormuz blockades, and the U.S. already receives significant supplies from others including Mexico, Brazil, and South Korea.

Industrial Info tracks planned and unplanned offline events across a range of sectors to better gauge the effect on trade flows and on-the-ground capital and maintenance project activity.

By the Numbers

• 10% of world's aluminum that passes through the Strait of Hormuz, when open
• $700-$1000: projected per-tonne aluminum price by year end 2026 if war ends

Key Takeaways

• Six Middle East steel and aluminum plants are offline, affecting global markets.
• Repairs could take months to more than a year.
• Most plants are offline due to air strikes, although at least one is offline from supply-chain issues.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).