Northwest aluminum industry slowly begins to ramp back up.(Brief Article) From: Bellingham Business Journal | Date: April 1, 2002| Author: Blackburn, Vanessa | COPYRIGHT 2002 Wenatchee Business Journal, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Although the energy crisis has all but disappeared from the minds of the public and politicians, aluminum smelters around the state -- including Alcoa Intalco Works in Ferndale -- remain closed, and some companies in the industry have filed for bankruptcy.

The Pacific Northwest has 10 aluminum smelters; most smelters in the region remain closed, and Kaiser Aluminum, which has idled smelters in Longview, Spokane and Tacoma, has filed for bankruptcy.

Other signs...