Tiwai Point smelter profit more than halves in 2016

Tiwai Point smelter profit more than halves in 2016
Pattrick Smellie
By Pattrick Smellie May 30 (BusinessDesk) - Weak global aluminium prices saw underlying profit more than halve to $24 million in 2016 at Pacific Aluminium's Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. Only a consistently weaker New Zealand dollar cushioned the smelter, which made a $54 million underlying profit in the previous year when prices had already tumbled to historic lows, from "aluminium prices which languished at around US$1,605 per tonne," New Zealand Aluminium Smelters chief executive Gretta Stephens said in a statement. Underlying prof...