On 1 July 2026, South32 announced that it has signed a binding conditional agreement to sell its aluminium value chain assets, including Hillside Aluminium, to Alcoa Corporation. The Transaction is expected to complete in H2 FY27, subject to satisfaction or waiver of conditions precedent. Click here to learn more. |
Hillside Aluminium
9 West Central, Arterial
Richards Bay, 3900
South Africa
Phone: +27 (0) 35 908 8111
As Hillside Aluminium marks 30 years of operation, the milestone carries more than industrial significance. It reflects three decades of people, progress and partnership. It tells the story of a smelter that grew alongside a region and became part of its identity.
For more than 20 years we have played a key part in South Africa’s aluminium industry.
Our Hillside Aluminium smelter in Richards Bay, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal about 180 kilometres north of Durban, produces high-quality, primary aluminium for the domestic and export markets.
To support the development of the downstream aluminium industry in South Africa, a portion of liquid metal is supplied to Hulamin and other local companies that sell products in the domestic and export markets.
Aluminium is made by crushing and refining bauxite - an aluminium ore - into a white alumina powder then smelting the white alumina powder into aluminium metal.
The smelter uses alumina predominantly imported from Worsley Alumina in Australia to produce high-quality, primary aluminium. Hillside's capacity makes it the largest producer of primary aluminium in the southern hemisphere.
We have seen an incredible amount of change in South Africa since we started operating here and we’ve done our best to bring about positive change as well.
We are working hard to make a meaningful contribution to the social and economic development of the country and we are committed to South Africa’s National Transformation Agenda.
We are doing this by:
We are working with the Kwa-Zulu Natal community to improve the wellbeing of local people.
Have feedback on one of our community projects? We want to hear from you. Click here to get in touch.
