Tiwai Point floods with visitors enthusiastic to gain first-hand insight into aluminium smelting methodology

On Saturday, November 23, Tiwai Point smelter of New Zealand opened its gates to enthusiasts for production process glimpsing, and hundreds poured in to prove the decision right. New Zealand Aluminium Smelters' external affairs director, Simon King, said Tiwai decided to hold an open day after a prolonged period because they had "been firmly focused on securing a future for the smelter and on environmental remediation".

Image Source: https://nzas.co.nz/

He also said, "With the future of the smelter secured and our remediation efforts well underway, we were looking forward to throwing open our gates once again for interested members of our community."

Focusing on the 'securing the future' part, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS) has this year (2024) signed 20-year electricity agreements that ensure the future of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter to continue competitively manufacturing high-purity, low-carbon metal, backed by a diversified mix of renewable electricity from New Zealand's South Island.

Two generations of the Wilson Whanau made it their mission to attend the open day to honour family members who had worked at the plant and to acknowledge members of the Whanau still working there.

Pita Wilson said, "I want to carry on the family legacy down here. My dad built the roads for the workers to get down here, and my uncle Richard Clark used to run the place. 81-year-old Bob Wilson moved from the North Island to Southland in the 1970s, taking up a role in constructing the road to Tiwai Point with Downer.

"When I came here, it was just swamp water. You couldn't get across the bridge, it was all manuka roads. My sister's family, the Clark whanau, all worked here. Everything's changed now, and it's looking good. Even though the weather was makariri (cold), it's been good for the tamariki, and the ice cream went down well," he said.

The family legacy persists, with his son and daughter-in-law signing up for employment opportunities.

Visitors were transported by buses throughout the day, and they got a tour of the facilities, which ended with a barbecue and ice creams. Smelter owners Rio Tinto anticipated that those who came along would get a good acumen of what it took to make the world's purest aluminium and also be able to see first-hand their "ongoing stewardship of Tiwai Peninsula".