Century Aluminum CEO Jesse Gary joins ‘Mornings and Maria’ to discuss Oklahoma’s new giant aluminum plant aimed at improving US manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports.
The US aluminum industry is showing signs of resurgence after decades of decline, driven by national security concerns, supply chain vulnerabilities and growing competition from China.
Aluminum is no longer considered just an industrial input; it is increasingly seen as a strategic factor combining defense readiness, productivity stability and long-term economic security.
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Century Aluminum CEO Jesse Gary joined FOX Business’ Cheryl Casone on “Mornings with Maria” to discuss the growing role aluminum plays in the US economy and national security.
A worker in the USA loads aluminum coil onto a truck at a manufacturing facility. (Luke Sharrett/Getty Images)
He said the importance of aluminum goes beyond consumer goods, it affects almost every aspect of American life and national security.
“It’s really everywhere,” said Gary.
He pointed out its role in homes, cars, airplanes and military systems.
“Tank armor is made of aluminum… they make up a lot of our warplanes, missile propellant is made of aluminum… aluminum really serves as the backbone of this country.”
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The vulnerability of global supply chains has increased the urgency, with Gary warning that today’s aluminum network has little margin for disruption.
“Right now we find ourselves in a situation where the supply chain is so thin,” he said. “A fire in an individual plant can have an impact on the entire supply chain where there is a loss of productivity in the process, consumer products, etc.”
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Policy changes have also played a role in encouraging domestic investment. Gary said the U.S. aluminum industry had shrunk from dozens of smelters to just a few before the tariffs were implemented.
“Before President Trump took his first term, the aluminum industry in the United States was on its knees,” he said, adding that production began to increase after the introduction of trade protection.
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Apart from manufacturing itself, large industrial projects can reshape entire regions. Gary said new energy has the potential to create long-term industrial clusters, attract related businesses and sustain jobs for generations.
“These are the types of investments… that have been popular for decades in these communities,” he said. “We expect that the smelter will operate for more than 50 years, hopefully even 100 years.”
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