RAVENSWOOD - Officials said they are optimistic after the first of many meetings to try and keep Century Aluminum in Ravenswood from closing.
On Saturday morning, Gov. Joe Manchin, U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and representatives of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., met with utility, labor and company representatives to talk about ways to keep the plant operating.
It was the first of many meetings planned in the effort, said Rockefeller.
"There are a whole lot of meetings that are going to have to take place," he said.
The private meeting lasted about two-and-a-half hours, according to Manchin spokesman Matt Turner. A press conference was held at the Ravenswood Community Building after discussions finished.
The elected officials met at noon with Logan Kruger, president and CEO of Century Aluminum, Jim Chapman, vice president of West Virginia operations and plant manager at Ravenswood, Billy Thompson, district 8 director of the United Steelworkers Union, Leo W. Gerard, president of United Steelworkers International, and Dana Waldo, president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power.
The focus of the meeting was to discuss what each group was willing to do to keep the plant from shutting down, officials said.
"We are serious about (keeping the plant operating) and will do what needs to be done," Manchin said. "The meeting was very productive... we will all continue to work together."
Rockefeller and others at the meeting declined to give specific points of the discussion during the press conference, but said they will be optimistic about the future of the plant.
"This meeting shows a commitment on our part to make real progress," Rockefeller said. "I think everyone's commitment to work our way through this is genuine."
Century Aluminum, which employs nearly 700 people, said on Dec. 17 it was shutting down one of the four pot lines at the plant and warned the facility could close in 60 days depending on the price of aluminum and whether production costs are cut 20 percent by February.
There was an earlier meeting on Dec. 23 that also included Appalachian Power as electrical usage is a major expense at the plant.
"We are at the table with all of the (involved) parties," said Waldo, who described Appalachian Power's relationship with Century Aluminum as a "close working" one. Electrical usage is a major expense at the plant as Century is the utility company's largest customer in West Virginia.
Capito said the issue is that the livelihood of a community is at stake.
"The bottom line is - it is a lot of peoples' lives and community," she said.
Kruger and Chapman spoke for Century Aluminum when they said they are working on a way to keep the plant going.
"We've all agreed to work on a solution," Kruger said.
Chapman said he hopes the company can work things out with the state officials and unions.
"Today was very encouraging," he said.
Both union representatives, Gerard and Thompson, said they plan to keep their members abreast of the situation in these trying economic times.
"The hard reality is, we're in the midst of a total economic meltdown," Gerard said. "Our union is committed to putting the best people on the team to work through this."
While no specifics were discussed, all members of the panel said they were optimistic about Century's future in West Virginia.
"We are all going to stick on one common theme and will not discuss specifics," Rockefeller said. "We have agreed to work forward on behalf of the families."
Byrd issued a statement following the meeting and said the plant is not only good for Jackson County, but also the state, but it will take work to keep it going.
"Ours is an uphill battle against very great odds. We should leave no stone unturned in our efforts to keep this smelter operating and preserve these good manufacturing jobs for the working families of Jackson County," Byrd's statement said.
Rockefeller called the latest meeting a broad discussion.
Manchin said those involved will be keeping an eye on the market to make sure the company's products continue to be marketable.
"You can see that we're serious about this and will do what needs to be done," he said. "We were here to ask if there is a market for us to shoot for and we believe there is."
Ravenswood Mayor Lucy Harbert was part of the discussion and said she is as optimistic as the other officials involved.
"I'm very positive and believe things will be fine," Harbert said. "Everyone has come to the table and I think they are willing to work.
"Hopefully we will know by Jan. 23, when they plan to have things ready," she said.
Kruger said Century Aluminum Co. will keep the current timeline running during the discussions. The timeline stated the company will continue to curtail smelter operations beginning Feb. 15, if the price of aluminum does not stabilize or the company cannot obtain necessary monthly cost savings.
