Metals Ecosystem Roundup: What's Happening in Kentucky and Beyond

Here's a look at what's happening across the ecosystem.

Leadership Logan: Applications Now Open for 2026–2027 Class

Applications for the 2026–2027 Leadership Logan program are now open, both online and at the Logan County Chamber of Commerce office. The adult class is limited to 15 participants, and businesses may submit only one applicant per class. Applicants must be members of the Logan County Chamber in good standing.

For current high school freshmen, Youth Applications are available through high school guidance counselors.

This kind of leadership development matters in a region like Logan County. The metals sector is one of the area's largest employers, and the next wave of community and industry leaders will be shaped, in part, by programs like this one. Apply today.

Applications Open for the USDOL American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Fund

This is a $36M labor fund for manufacturers awarded to the state of Arkansas to distribute nationally. The US Department of Labor announced the launch of American Manufacturing Apprenticeship fund, designed to support, expand registered apprenticeships | U.S. Department of Labor  Applications opened in January and are accepted ongoing until funds are depleted. It will give employers $3,500 per registered apprentice. Learn more.

On the National Stage: Century Aluminum and the Oklahoma Smelter

Century Aluminum — a MI2 member with operations in Sebree, Kentucky — made national news in January 2026 with the announcement of a joint development agreement with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to build the first new primary aluminum smelter in the United States in nearly 50 years.

The Inola, Oklahoma facility, named Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, is expected to produce 750,000 tonnes per year — more than doubling current U.S. aluminum production. Construction is targeted to begin by the end of 2026, with production beginning by the end of the decade. The project has received a $500 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and will create 1,000 permanent jobs and 4,000 construction jobs.

For Kentucky, this matters. It signals that the same company investing in the state's workforce and energy conversations is also investing at scale in the future of domestic metals production — the kind of confidence in American manufacturing that ripples across the entire supply chain.

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