Best of BusinessDesk: NZ’s sole aluminium recycling foundry may close because of gas shortage

Glucina Alloys manager Steven Welburn and owner Tony Trubuhovich say the cost of switching to electricity is prohibitive. (Image: Michael Craig)

Maria Slade

Wed, 07 Jan 2026

This story was originally published May 15, 2025New Zealand’s only aluminium recycler may go out of business if it can’t find an energy source to replace its expiring natural gas supply. Switching to electricity isn’t an option for Glucina Alloys in Auckland’s Avondale because it is too expensive. Local lines company Vector will charge the small firm $500,000 to provide the capacity, even though the infrastructure to deliver power to its Rosebank Rd site is already in place. It would then need to spend an addit...

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