NZAS Facts

NZAS

Uses electricity equivalent to

776,000

households

Spends around

$422 million

in New Zealand every year

Generates more than

$600 million

in export earnings annually

New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) is a joint venture company owned by Rio Tinto (79.36 per cent) and Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited of Japan (20.64 per cent). The smelter, which commenced operations in 1971, produces around 350,000 tonnes of aluminium each year. Approximately 90 per cent of the aluminium produced is exported, the largest market being Japan.