The Vietnam First Primary Aluminum Smelter is on the cusp of a historic milestone. According to official disclosures from the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province during its Q2 and H1 socio-economic review, the Da Nhong Aluminum Electrolysis Plant, invested by Tran Hong Quan Metallurgical Co., Ltd., has officially applied to hold its grand commissioning ceremony. Supported by the local government, the plant is scheduled to tap its first batch of domestically produced primary aluminum on July 10, 2026, completely ending Vietnam’s 100% reliance on imported raw aluminum.
Project Profile & Execution Timeline
Located in the Nhan Co Industrial Zone, Nhan Co Commune, Lam Dong Province, the mega-project spans approximately 129 hectares with a total investment exceeding 18 trillion VND (approx. $720 million USD). MB Bank (Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank) backed the project by financing around 80% of the total capital.
China Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (NFC) serves as the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) general contractor, deploying world-class aluminium smelting technologies and modern heavy-duty industrial overhead cranes to ensure rigorous execution.
The project is rolling out across three aggressive phases, with the final completion timeline significantly accelerated compared to earlier forecasts:
Phase I (August 2026): Official commercial production begins, reaching an annualized capacity of 150,000 tons.
Phase II (November 2026): Production scale-up pushes the plant’s total capacity to 300,000 tons/year.
Phase III (February 2027): Full commissioning achieved ahead of the initially projected Q3 2027 timeline, bringing total output to 450,000 tons/year.
Localization of the “Bauxite-Alumina-Aluminum” Value Chain
While Vietnam possesses some of the world’s largest bauxite reserves (heavily concentrated in the Lam Dong and Dak Nong provinces), its domestic industry has historically been bottlenecked in the upstream segment, limited to extracting bauxite and refining it into alumina, while primary aluminum remained entirely imported.
The Da Nhong project represents a critical structural shift. By pioneering the “Bauxite — Alumina — Primary Aluminum” integrated supply chain, Vietnam will localize its raw material sourcing. Although a 450,000-ton capacity accounts for roughly 1.5‰ of global aluminum output, its local impact is profound. It guarantees an independent, stable raw material supply for Vietnam’s rapidly expanding downstream sectors, including building materials, automotive manufacturing, aerospace components, and industrial packaging.
Technical Analysis: Energy Demand and Smelting Infrastructure
As the plant nears its launch date, Hu Van Mai, Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized during a recent on-site inspection that aluminum smelting is a highly energy-intensive process. He urged provincial departments to coordinate seamlessly to solve operational bottlenecks, highlighting that technical stability and grid power supply reliability are paramount.
Industry experts note that accommodating such a massive industrial electrical load poses a strict test for Vietnam’s regional power grid. In modern smelting facilities of this caliber, specialized heavy-duty equipment—such as Pot Tending Machines (PTM), automated tools trolleys, crustbreakers, and smart smelting overhead cranes—must operate under continuous, stable power to prevent freezing in the reduction cells.
The successful launch of the Da Nhong plant will not only prove Vietnam’s manufacturing capabilities but also drive demand for high-end, non-standard tailored industrial crane solutions capable of withstand extreme potroom environments.
