As one of the nation’s oldest and smallest aluminum smelters, the facility was curtailed in 2002 and permanently closed in 2007. After the smelter closed, Alcoa Inc. invested more than $15 million to develop the site into an industrial business park.
The hydroelectric project which helped power the smelter was sold in 2017 to Cube Hydro, which now manages operations at Badin Lake, Falls Reservoir, Tuckertown Reservoir, and High Rock Lake.
Today, Badin Business Park is one of the best industrial sites available in North Carolina, featuring extensive power connections, on-site rail access, and more than 130 acres available for lease. It is home to ERI, the nation’s largest recycler of electronic waste. Other tenants include Trident Maritime Systems, Atlantic Railways and Cube Hydro Carolinas.
