Oklahoma state officials have announced a significant agreement with a private company from the United Arab Emirates to construct a $4 billion aluminum manufacturing facility in northeast Oklahoma. This deal, revealed on Friday, marks a major development for the state’s industrial landscape.

Governor Kevin Stitt, along with officials from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, emphasized that this facility will be the first new aluminum smelting plant to be established in the United States in 45 years. The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by Stitt and the CEO of Emirates Global Aluminum.

The new smelter is expected to have an annual capacity of approximately 600 000 tons, which is equivalent to 544 000 metric tons of primary aluminum. This project is anticipated to significantly boost the local economy and create numerous job opportunities in the region.