BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA - Alcoa’s Massena plant plans to add 15 employees and hopes to further bolster those numbers employees in the near future.

“Obviously, this is a reflection of the current economy and progress that is being made by Alcoa in Massena,” deputy Senate Minority leader Joe Griffo said.

Aluminum prices continue to rise, with prices having recently broken $3,000 per ton, Markets Insider, a financial reporting website, which also noted aluminium has risen to a 13-year high.

Although Alcoa has not responded to requests for comment on the hirings, local, state and federal officials are periodically updated by the company, Griffo said.

“We were very happy that we received good news this time. It hasn’t always been the case but we feel very fortunate right now that the cost of goods has allowed Alcoa to add additional positions,” Griffo stated.

With the current trend of supply chain shortages in recent months, Alcoa production has ramped up significantly to meet the demand.

Griffo also stated that a major factor for Alcoa in recent years has been the negotiated contract with New York Power Authority in 2019 that enabled Alcoa to stay in Massena.

In 2015, Alcoa received an incentive and subsidies package valued at over $70 million from the federal government, New York state government and NYPA.

“The Massena plant is a large producer of aluminum in the United States, but that comes at a cost. It is also the third most expensive facility that Alcoa currently uses, due in large part to the age of the facility,” he said.

Massena operations is the longest continually operating aluminum facility in the world, according to their website.

Aluminum production first came to Massena in 1902, due in large part to the abundant hydroelectric energy supply.

Griffo did caution the situation could change in the future, however. “All of this is contingent on a number of factors; the market, realized price of aluminum and other mitigating factors. Obviously we have an outstanding workforce in Massena and we hope to continue to add to it,” he said.

Local, state and federal government officials have really stepped up to assist Alcoa, Griffo said.

“It’s a very welcome change, we’re hopeful for the future and I hope we can continue to upgrade Alcoa in the coming months,” he said.

Griffo said he expects another update from Alcoa will come in the late fall, hopefully with additional jobs being added.