Century Aluminum Moves Up to Executive Membership at MI2

Over the past year, Century Aluminum has engaged with MI2 as a General Member—showing up to workforce conversations, contributing to energy strategy discussions, and investing real time alongside Kentucky's metals community. That experience led to a decision: Century Aluminum is advancing to Executive Membership to more directly contribute to the mission and direction of the organization moving forward.

Kenneth Calloway, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Century Aluminum, put it plainly in a recent message to MI2 CEO Mike Buckentin:

"We have found real value in the work MI2 is doing to elevate modern manufacturing and strengthen the workforce pipeline. The exposure you are helping create for careers in advanced manufacturing, along with the connections being built with educators, training partners, and students, is important for companies like ours as we continue to focus on developing the next generation of skilled employees."

— Kenneth Calloway, SVP of Human Resources, Century Aluminum

Calloway's message also highlighted the work of Century's team in leading discussions of energy priorities for the industry. Chad Harpole, Century Aluminum’s Government and Community Relations, has been participating in recent conversations about metals manufacturing energy needs now and in the coming years and has come away encouraged by the engagement taking place there—describing the conversations as productive and noting that bringing large industrial energy users together in a common forum with partners like the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers is worthwhile. Crucially, he appreciated that the dialogue has stayed anchored to the manufacturing side of the issue and the realities facing energy-intensive industries.

For MI2 CEO Mike Buckentin, Century's decision reflects exactly what MI2 is built to do.

"Century Aluminum is exactly the kind of partner MI2 was created to serve and to grow alongside. When a company of their scale and national significance steps into leadership, it amplifies every conversation we're having—about workforce, about energy, about what it means to build a resilient metals industry. We're proud to have them at the table."

— Mike Buckentin, CEO, Metals Innovation Initiative

Century Aluminum is no stranger to long-term investment. Founded in 1995, the company has grown into  the largest producer of primary aluminum in the United States. Its Sebree, KY, smelter employs hundreds of workers and produces more than 200,000 metric tons of aluminum annually, making it one of the most significant metals operations in the Commonwealth.

Nationally, Century is at the center of a critical conversation about domestic aluminum capacity. Primary aluminum production in the U.S. has declined dramatically over recent decades, raising serious questions about supply chain resilience, national security, and energy competitiveness.

Century is not waiting on the sidelines. In January 2026, the company announced a joint development agreement with Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) to build the first new primary aluminum smelter in the United States since 1980. The Inola, Oklahoma facility—named Oklahoma Primary Aluminum—is projected to produce 750,000 tons of aluminum per year, more than doubling current U.S. production, and is backed in part by a $500 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

For companies evaluating their own level of engagement with MI2, Century's path offers a clear model: they participated. They saw value. And they leaned in. Executive Membership is not about visibility alone—it is about influence, alignment, and shaping the future of Kentucky's metals economy together.

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