News
Stock exchange announcement
March 1, 2010
Hydro has discontinued production and closed the doors at its aluminium tubing plant in Michigan, winding up the closure process that started last year and ending 70 years of manufacturing operations at the Adrian site.
Feb 17, 2010
Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items and tax of NOK 651 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared with a loss of NOK 793 million in the previous quarter, firming slightly on higher realized aluminium prices. Hydro reached a major milestone in December with the start-up of the first cell at Qatalum, and production from all 704 cells at the world-leading aluminium plant in Qatar is expected by fourth quarter 2010.
Feb 11, 2010
From Monday, February 15, Hydro will have a new telephone number for the company's press officer on duty: +47 22 53 82 10.
Feb 10, 2010
Hydro and the Belgian company Umicore have decided to put the research and development activities in the joint venture HyCore on hold.
Jan 27, 2010
Hydro has signed an agreement to increase its ownership stake in Famco from currently 45 percent to a controlling majority stake.
Jan 25, 2010
SKA Invest, a Norwegian investment company, has entered into an agreement to buy Hydro Trans, which has activities in Norway, Finland and Denmark.
Jan 21, 2010
Production at Hydro’s power station Suldal 1 in western Norway has resumed after a long break from renovation of the water supply system at the station.
Jan 12, 2010
After having already reduced direct emissions from primary production by 70 percent since 1990 – equal to a staggering three tonnes CO2-equivalents per tonne metal produced – Hydro aims to curb emissions even further and take global lead in the aluminium industry within the global fight against climate change.
Jan 11, 2010
The sale of Hydro's rolled products plant Inasa in Irurtzun, Spain, was finalized December 31, 2009.
Jan 4, 2010
The sale of Hydro's Automotive Structures business to the Germany-based Benteler Group has been finalized. The unit's 1,200 employees joined Benteler on January 1.
Dec 29, 2009
Self-sufficient with water and energy, thanks partly to Hydro's Wicona-brand aluminium building systems, the new Monte Rosa Hut is accepting guest reservations for its first winter in the Swiss Alps.
Dec 28, 2009
Hydro’s expanding research and development presence in Qatar will help push aluminium in the Middle East.
Dec 21, 2009
December 20 – the first cell in Qatalum started production of primary aluminium.
Dec 18, 2009
The Tornado Tower in Doha, Qatar, which features aluminium building systems from Hydro's brand Wicona, has won a major international architectural award,
Dec 18, 2009
Hydro's extrusion plant in Austria has won one of the top prizes in the European Aluminium Association's safety solution competition.
Dec 11, 2009
Hydro has had a cooperation agreement with Amnesty International Norway since 2002. Amnesty representatives recently met with President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg, who renewed the agreement.
Dec 2, 2009
Hydro has entered into an agreement to divest its aluminium rolling mill in Irurtzun, Spain, to the German industrial holding company Bavaria Industriekapital AG.
Dec 2, 2009
Hydro is intensifying efforts to improve its competitive position by launching new cost-reduction measures, following a year of demanding markets and decisive corrective actions. Hydro’s improvement efforts have resulted in positive downstream earnings, while upstream activities remain challenged by the weak aluminium market and a strong Norwegian krone.
Nov 30, 2009
Hydro has concluded the sale of the assets and technology of its aluminium extrusion diemaking unit in Michigan to WEFA Group, which will take over the operations from December 1.
Nov 17, 2009
Hydro's Wicona brand is going to deliver energy-saving aluminium building systems for Spiegel Group's new headquarters in Hamburg. This is a prestigious project that will change the look of the city and its harbor area.
Nov 12, 2009
Hydro, Europe's leading aluminium company, today opened a new 50,000-tonne remelting facility at the Alunorf plant in Neuss, Germany. This brings Hydro's total recycling capacity in Germany to 150,000 tonnes of high-quality aluminium and helps to reduce carbon emissions.
Oct 27, 2009
Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items and tax of NOK 793 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of NOK 618 million in the previous quarter, reflecting the frail global economy, low aluminium prices and a weakening US dollar. Downstream results continued to improve, supported by higher volumes and cost saving measures.
Oct 27, 2009
Norsk Hydro ASA has today entered into an agreement to divest its automotive structures business to Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH, the automotive division of the large German industrial enterprise Benteler Group with headquarters in Paderborn, Germany. The agreement represents a solid, long-term industrial solution for Hydro`s automotive structures activities, and is in line with Hydro’s strategy to focus its extruded activities on profiles solutions and building systems.
Oct 22, 2009
Jan Arve Haugan, most recently head of Hydro’s international aluminium smelter portfolio, will become the new CEO of Qatalum in Qatar when Truls Gautesen steps down after four years in the project to build one of the world’s most cost-efficient aluminium plants.
Oct 21, 2009
Grete Faremo, who was named Minister of Defence in the Norwegian government on Tuesday, will resign from the Board of Directors of Norsk Hydro ASA with immediate effect.
Oct 16, 2009
Roland Scharf-Bergmann joins Hydro to lead and support its common activities in aluminium recycling, an area in which Hydro is evaluating further investments.
Oct 11, 2009
On Saturday, 24-year-old Fredrik Bomstad embarked on a journey from his native Norway for a six-month posting to the Qatalum project – the largest aluminium plant ever built in one phase. In fact, he will be helping with the final stages of getting the plant into production.
Oct 9, 2009
Hydro and several of Norway’s leading research organizations have agreed to collaborate with a Japanese university and technology institute in investigating some of the most demanding challenges related to aluminium alloys.
Oct 5, 2009
Qatar's deputy premier and minister of Energy and Industry, HE Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, witnessed the progress of the Qatalum aluminium plant first-hand during a visit to the site on Sunday. Not only is the construction more than 90 percent complete, about 90 percent of the employees are now in place, preparing for the start-up of the plant.
Oct 2, 2009
Hydro has entered into a securities purchase agreement with U.S. solar energy company Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. Hydro's investment in common stock of Ascent Solar will be USD 5 million.
Sep 28, 2009
Most elements forming Qatalum, the large aluminium plant being constructed in Qatar, are now in place.
Sep 25, 2009
Saving water is a big deal at the Qatalum Village in Qatar. The Qatalum aluminium project is using the most advanced water management practices, reflecting its commitment to the environment. And the initiatives have yielded considerable cost savings.
Sep 24, 2009
Hydro executive Birgitte Holter saved tonnes of climate emissions with a “low-CO2 presentation” to a sustainable building conference in Norway this week.
Sep 17, 2009
Hydro was once more honored for its annual report with Norway’s traditional and prestigious “Farmand Prize.” Hydro won the prize Thursday for the third year running in the class for printed reports from listed companies.
Sep 16, 2009
Most of the world's leading automobile manufacturers are unveiling their newest models at the International Motor Show 2009 in Frankfurt. Hydro is right in front, delivering lightweight aluminium components and systems to many of these models.
Sep 11, 2009
A large-scale solar energy farm that uses aluminium structures from Hydro is featured in the September issue of National Geographic magazine.
Sep 10, 2009
For the fourth time, Hydro has claimed the prestigious Stockman Prize from the Norwegian Society of Financial Analysts. The annual prize is awarded to stocklisted companies that have provided the best information to the financial markets and produced the best annual report.
Sep 9, 2009
Hydro has issued a white paper examining aluminium’s emerging role in the solar energy area, especially the use of aluminium extrusions in concentrated solar power structures, marketed by the company's Extrusion Americas sector.
Sep 7, 2009
Technal, one of Hydro’s building systems brands, is supplying aluminium glazing solutions for an £80m project in Leeds, U.K. that is the world’s tallest student accommodation building.
Sep 7, 2009
Hydro is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Skagen hydropower station at Fortun, Norway, which was central to the expansion of aluminium production at Årdal in the early 1960s.
Sep 4, 2009
Hydro scores highest among aluminium companies in this year’s Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) ranking – for the fourth year in a row.
Sep 3, 2009
Tickets to 'The Great, Green Building Debate' in Trondheim Wednesday were as popular as a big-name rock concert. Hydro’s president and CEO, Svein Richard Brandtzæg talked about energy use in buildings to en enthralled group of students from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Sep 1, 2009
Hydro has been asked to deliver the front crash management systems for one of Audi's future high-volume models, underlining the company's position as the leading global supplier of lightweight crash management components.
Aug 31, 2009
After a hard day’s work building one of the world’s biggest aluminium plants, employees in the Qatalum construction village in Qatar can enjoy some of the best hi-tech entertainment available.
Aug 10, 2009
Norsk Hydro ASA has issued a NOK 1 billion commercial paper with maturity February 15, 2010, coupon 2.37%, replacing the commercial paper NO0010491194 maturing on August 13, 2009.
Aug 3, 2009
Hydro's Domal brand will serve as an exclusive supplier of aluminium building systems for one of the projects to reconstruct L'Aquila, the medieval Italian city that was leveled in April from one of the deadliest earthquakes in its history.
July 30, 2009
Bohn Mexico, one of the best-known suppliers of refrigeration components in North America, has elected to replace its copper tubes with aluminium tubing from Hydro. The substitution of materials will affect about one-third of Bohn's production of evaporators in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration market.
July 28, 2009
Hydro in North America has signed an agreement with Florida Power & Light (FPL) to supply custom aluminium extrusions for the first hybrid solar/fossil fuel energy-generating facility in the world.
July 22, 2009
Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items of NOK 618 million in the second quarter, compared with a NOK 493 million loss in the first quarter, as the weak global economy continued to weigh on historically low aluminium markets. Results in downstream operations improved due to seasonally stronger demand and swift adjustments made early in the downturn.
July 21, 2009
Hydro's second quarter results 2009 will be released at 07:30 CET (01:30 AM EST, 06:30 UK time), on Wednesday July 22, 2009. The quarterly report and presentation slides will be made available on the company's website at the same time.
July 15, 2009
Hydro has added key competence to support its ambition to help with the development of more energy-efficient buildings, following the acquisition of the business of the French company Solarys Système.
July 13, 2009
Norsk Hydro ASA has on July 13, 2009 completed a capital reduction by cancellation of 7,846,738 shares at par value of NOK 1.098 per share, which includes 3,438,738 shares redeemed from the Norwegian State, represented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. This is in accordance with the resolution passed by the Annual General Meeting on May 5, 2009 related to the share buyback authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on May 6, 2008.
July 9, 2009
Hydro is increasing its basic fabricating price for all uncoated aluminium rolled products in the general engineering segment. The price increase will take immediate effect for all deliveries not already contractually agreed and for all alloys and quality grades.
July 6, 2009
"By building thresholds in the river we have given the Måna watercourse a beautiful water surface without using unnecessary water resources that could have been used for power production. Hence we have found a solution that is both energy-efficient and good for the environment at Rjukan," says Hydro's Pål Thorud, head of the Telemark power stations in Norway.
July 2, 2009
As of second quarter 2009 Hydro’s reporting structure will be adjusted to reflect the changes made in Hydro’s organization and corporate management during first half 2009. The company has prepared a preliminary overview of historical financial information for the new reporting segments for the period first quarter 2007 to first quarter 2009. The presentation is attached.
June 30, 2009
The International Aluminium Institute has launched a website that sings, scientifically, about aluminium's sustainability. Hydro headed the website project.
June 23, 2009
Hydro, Europe’s leading aluminium company and a global supplier of advanced building systems, opened an energy-neutral building in Ulm in southern Germany on Tuesday, showcasing its latest technologies for more energy-efficient buildings.
June 23, 2009
Hydro's new test center for aluminum building solutions, inaugurated in Germany on Tuesday, is a true showcase of building-integrated photovoltaic systems – with eco-efficiency the result.
June 18, 2009
The new "Wicona Test Center" – one of the most advanced of its kind – opens a window to an energy-efficient future for buildings. Centrally localized in Germany, the center is a showcase for Hydro's advanced building systems of aluminium.
June 15, 2009
Hydro’s internal investigation of the accident on May 9 at the Svandalsflona power station in western Norway has concluded that the most likely reason for the accident was that water that had built up behind a mass of rock in a shaft inside the facility gave way, flooding the power station and causing two deaths.
June 15, 2009
As of today the American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) of the Norwegian aluminium and energy company Norsk Hydro ASA will be trading on the OTCQX International in the U.S.
June 10, 2009
A close relative of Executive Vice President Johnny Undeli has on June 10, 2009 sold 2,000 shares in Hydro at NOK 37.35. Jonny Undeli’s new holding, including relatives, is 980.
May 26, 2009
Employees who lost their jobs when Hydro closed their engine casting plant in Leeds five years ago keep track of each other – on a website dedicated to the plant.
May 15, 2009
The Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim) has decided not to open an investigation of the so-called Libya case.
May 12, 2009
More aluminium than ever before is being used in North America-produced passenger cars and trucks. The light metal accounts for 8.6 percent of average vechicle curb weight this year, compared to 2 percent in 1970 and 5.1 percent in 1990.
May 11, 2009
Hydro's Birgitte Holter has been selected to chair the United Nations Environment Program's Sustainable Buildings and Climate change Initiative. "We want to put buildings high on the post-Kyoto negotiations agenda," she says.
May 10, 2009
“Our thoughts are first and foremost with the families,” says Ola Sæter, executive vice president responsible for the Energy business area, following the fatal cave-in Saturday at Hydro’s power plant in western Norway. Two persons lost their lives in the accident.
May 10, 2009
Two subcontractor employees were killed on Saturday in a cave-in during work on a tunnel at Hydro's hydroelectric power plant in western Norway.
May 7, 2009
Following one of the worst rainfalls on record on April 27, Hydro’s part-owned Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil experienced an overflow of one of its rainwater drainage channels.
May 5, 2009
The Annual General Meeting of Norsk Hydro ASA today adopted all the items as proposed on the agenda, including the proposal to pay no dividend for 2008.
May 5, 2009
Hydro and the Government of Angola signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday to explore the feasibility of an integrated project for hydropower and aluminium production.
May 5, 2009
This year's annual general meeting in Norsk Hydro ASA is being held this Tuesday afternoon. If you cannot attend in person, you can follow a webcast of the proceedings on the internet.
May 4, 2009
Hydro does not rule out further reductions in its production of extruded aluminium automotive components and systems as result of the announcements that automakers General Motors and Chrysler are suspending vehicle production at most of their assembly plants in North America.
May 1, 2009
Hydro's Technal brand is bringing new product concepts to the Spanish building systems market, and moving forward in the development of building-integrated photovoltaic solutions that can conserve energy and also produce energy.
April 29, 2009
Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items of NOK 493 million in the first quarter of 2009, down from an underlying EBIT of NOK 868 million in the previous quarter. The results reflect the deepening global economic downturn, with historically low aluminium prices and a further fall in already weak downstream markets.
April 22, 2009
Norsk Hydro ASA`s employees have purchased shares under a general arrangement offered to the employees of Norsk Hydro ASA each year.
April 17, 2009
The compatibility of aluminium with alternative fuels is an important topic for automotive applications. Hydro has already passed one test: It is delivering coated aluminium tubes for Bentley's dazzling new flexible-fuel vehicle.
April 16, 2009
It is 100 years today since Hydro was first listed on the stock exchange. Shares in the company were first traded on the stock exchange in Kristiania, as Oslo was then called, on April 16, 1909. Later that year the share was also listed on the stock exchanges of Brussels, Geneva and Paris.
April 15, 2009
Toyota has just presented its Global Technology & Development Award to Hydro – the No. 1 supplier of aluminium bumper beams.
March 31, 2009
Hydro has decided to consolidate its aluminium precision tubing operations in North America as result of the extremely challenging situation in the automotive industry, and will consequently close its aluminium tubing plant in Michigan.
March 30, 2009
Primary insiders in Norsk Hydro ASA have subscribed for shares under a general arrangement offered to the employees of Hydro each year. All employees in Norway are being offered to purchase shares valued at NOK 10,000 with a 25 percent discount. The offer consists of 411 shares at NOK 18.23 per share.
March 26, 2009
Hydro has decided to temporary close the oldest production line at its Sunndal plant, representing an annual production of about 100,000 tonnes. The closure is a result of the demanding market situation for aluminium.
March 25, 2009
Ascent Solar Technologies, which is 35-percent owned by Hydro, opened a new production facility and headquarters near Denver, Colorado, in the U.S. on March 24.
March 25, 2009
Visit us at Stand H901 at the Aluminium Dubai 2009 exhibition from March 29-31, where we will begin marketing aluminium from Qatalum, our new state-of-the-art smelter in Qatar.
March 23, 2009
March 24 will be the last trading day for the Hydro share on Euronext Paris. Hydro was originally listed on the Paris stock exchange in 1909.
March 20, 2009
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Norsk Hydro ASA will be held at the company’s head office at Vækerø, Drammensveien 260, 0283 Oslo on Tuesday, 5 May 2009 at 5 p.m.
March 20, 2009
"Record sales and historic high prices for aluminium gave way to a free fall in demand and an aluminium price at the lowest point in decades. We experience how quickly and how deeply everything can change – and how vital it is to act upon what is happening, not what you hope will happen,” Hydro President and CEO Eivind Reiten and Executive Vice President and incoming CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg say in the company’s annual reporting, published on Hydro’s internet site www.hydro.com on Friday.
March 18, 2009
Alumina Partners of Jamaica (Alpart) has announced plans to temporarily shut down production from May 15 due to the unprecedented fall in global aluminium markets and corresponding drop in alumina demand.
March 13, 2009
On Friday, March 13, at 09.01 am, the power in the Søderberg potroom at the aluminium plant at Karmøy in Norway was switched off. This marks the end of production in the very last electrolytic cell in Hydro to use the old Søderberg technology.
March 13, 2009
Yet another milestone was achieved on the Qatalum project recently, when the very first electrolytic cell was placed in position. Four cells are now in place and the potlining process has begun.
March 10, 2009
Hydro is injecting NOK 92 million to a capital increase in the solar energy company NorSun. All the biggest shareholders are contributing a total of NOK 500 million to the issue. Hydro is maintaining its 18.4 percent ownership interest.
March 10, 2009
Hydro’s head of Energy, Jørgen C. Arentz Rostrup, will take over as the company’s Chief Financial Officer, effective May 1. Rostrup, 43, will continue as a member of the company’s Corporate Management Board and report to Svein Richard Brandtzæg, who takes over as Hydro President and CEO on March 30.
March 6, 2009
On March 6, 2009, Norsk Hydro ASA signed a EUR 750,000,000 syndicated 3-year revolving credit facility. The facility is for general corporate purposes.
March 5, 2009
As previously announced, Norsk Hydro ASA has initiated a review of staff and support functions with an ambition to be among the best of comparable companies, both in terms of cost and dimension of staff functions. Hydro’s ambition is to reduce annual staff- and administration costs by approximately NOK 700-800 million compared to the 2008 level.
Feb 24, 2009
Although activity in the building industry in Europe remains relatively stable, in the midst of the global economic crisis, Hydro has made adjustments in its aluminium building systems operations that will result in annualized cost savings of more than EUR 5 million.
Feb 18, 2009
Hydro's underlying EBIT was NOK 868 million in the fourth quarter, including inventory write-downs of about NOK 700 million. Underlying EBIT amounted to NOK 1,490 million in the third quarter and 1,699 million in the fourth quarter of 2007. Hydro's results for the quarter reflect the ongoing financial crisis, which has led to a dramatic drop in aluminium prices as a result of a sharp fall in global demand.
Feb 12, 2009
Hydro will be present at the TMS 2009 exhibition in San Francisco to highlight some of our most innovative advances in aluminium materials and processes.
Feb 11, 2009
Hydro has decided to continue the production curtailment process at its primary aluminium plant in Neuss, Germany, due to weak market conditions and high energy costs for the smelter.
Feb 11, 2009
Norsk Hydro ASA has on February 11 issued a NOK 1 billion commercial paper with maturity August 13, 2009, coupon 4.07%. Arranger is DnB NOR Markets.
