FERNDALE, Wash. – Alcoa is shutting down their smelter near Ferndale, laying off around 700 workers.

The aluminum producer issued a news release today, saying it expects to fully curtail the Intalco Works smelter by the end of July.

Alcoa president and CEO Roy Harvey says the smelter is uncompetitive, and current market conditions have exacerbated the facility’s challenges.

Aluminum prices have fallen more than 20 percent since the beginning of the year, and in the first quarter of 2020, the Intalco smelter lost $24 million.

The company is putting plans in place to support impacted employees.