The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is highlighting a successful international visit by an Oklahoma delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where leaders toured an Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) production facility similar in scale and technology to the multi-billion dollar project planned for Inola, Oklahoma.
“The size of EGA’s facility is difficult to fully understand until you see it in person,” said John Budd, CEO of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “What impressed us most was how a project like this transforms an entire region, from workforce opportunities to long-term economic growth. Seeing the advanced automation working hand in hand with a highly skilled workforce made it clear that this will be a generational investment for Inola and the entire state.”
The delegation included Budd and Director of Global Trade and Investment Mark Wells from Oklahoma Commerce, representatives from Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), the Tulsa Ports and Oklahoma-based aluminum customer M-D Building Products. The visit provided firsthand insight into the size, advanced technology and global impact of a modern aluminum production operation.
“We were honored to welcome the Oklahoma delegation to our operations in the UAE and to showcase how large-scale aluminum production can be a catalyst for regional growth,” said Ziad Fares, EGA’s project lead for the Oklahoma production facility. “EGA’s partnership with Century Aluminum in Oklahoma reflects our commitment to building world-class industrial projects using industry leading technology and creating jobs in Oklahoma for generations to come.”
Century Aluminum, a U.S.-based industry leader, is partnering with EGA on the planned Inola facility, which once complete will be the largest primary aluminum production plant ever built in the United States. The process at the new facility will use three main inputs, electricity, alumina and carbon anodes, to produce molten aluminum, which will then be formed into solid products at an on-site cast house. During the casting process, the metal will be blended to meet customer needs and molded into a range of finished shapes, helping strengthen the domestic aluminum supply chain while supporting high-quality jobs and long-term industrial growth in the region.
“Seeing these operations firsthand was incredibly powerful—not just for me, but for our entire Oklahoma delegation,” said Ryan Plotkin, Vice Chairman of M-D Building Products. “There is real momentum building in Oklahoma right now, and this trip helped translate what’s possible on paper into something tangible and real. The opportunity in front of us is generational, but it only works if all stakeholders—industry, government, utilities, communities, and partners—are aligned and pulling in the same direction. That spirit of collaboration is what will allow Oklahoma to compete globally and win long term.”
The Oklahoma delegation returned feeling even more confident that the partnership between EGA, Century Aluminum and the State of Oklahoma represents one of the most transformative economic development projects in state history, positioning Oklahoma as a future leader in domestic aluminum production.
