ALUKO Group expands US manufacturing footprint

South Korea-based ALUKO Group plans to build a second US manufacturing facility in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development.

The state agency announced the company will retrofit a former Tupperware facility in Halls, Tenn., with operations expected to involve a capital investment of about $108 million.

The project follows ALUKO Group’s December 2024 announcement that it would locate its first US manufacturing site in Jackson, Tenn. That earlier facility was designed to supply aluminum battery casings for Ford Motor Company’s BlueOval City campus, positioning ALUKO as one of the early upstream suppliers tied directly to Ford’s electric vehicle manufacturing plans in West Tennessee.

Group structure and operations

ALUKO Group operates as a collection of aluminum producers and processors that includes ALUKO, Hyundai Aluminum, Gogang Aluminum, Alutec, KPTU, Hyundai Aluminum Vina, and Alutec Vina.

Within the US, Hyundai Aluminum Americas has maintained a presence through aluminum log and billet imports, supplying 6061 and 6063 alloys in diameters ranging from 6-12 inches. That material feeds the domestic extruders serving markets such as curtain wall systems, solar frames, consumer electronics components, and general industrial profiles.

State officials said the Lauderdale County project was intended to support a range of end markets, including solar and construction, which more closely resemble ALUKO Group’s established extrusion and downstream profile.

By contrast, the Jackson facility – ALUKO Group’s first US manufacturing plant – stood out within the group’s North American strategy because of its focus on battery casings tied to Ford’s electric vehicle production plans.

Ford reorientation of BlueOval City

The plan to construct ALUKO’s “integrated aluminum manufacturing operation” in Halls, Tenn. comes at a moment of transition. Earlier this week, Ford announced a restructuring of its US manufacturing and product strategy that materially alters the outlook for BlueOval City.

The automaker stated it will no longer produce electric vehicles at the Tennessee campus and will instead pivot the site toward gas-powered and hybrid truck production. As part of that shift, Ford renamed the site from “BlueOval City” to “Tennessee Truck Plant.”

Ford also outlined broader organizational and capital allocation changes, including the cancellation of some large EV programs, increased emphasis on trucks, vans, and hybrids, and a restructuring of its battery operations. The company expects to record substantial special items tied to EV-related assets while redirecting production capacity toward models with higher near-term demand.

Nicholas Bell

Nicholas brings over half a decade of experience covering metals markets, pricing trends, and supply chain dynamics. Prior to joining AMU, he reported on aluminum, high-temperature scrap, and ferro-alloy markets at Argus Media, with additional coverage of minor metals and rare earths. His work has built deep expertise in North American metals pricing and trade flows. A native of Houston, Nicholas holds a bachelor’s degree in Media Production and an MBA with a concentration in Finance, both from the University of Houston.