National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is an integrated aluminium producer headquartered in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It is a public sector undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India. The company is engaged in bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, and the generation of captive thermal power, and is among the largest producers of bauxite and alumina in India.
| Name | National Aluminium Company Limited |
|---|---|
| Acronym | NALCO |
| Type | Public sector undertaking (Central PSU) |
| Industry | Aluminium, mining, metals |
| Headquarters | Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India |
| Parent ministry | Ministry of Mines, Government of India |
| Listings | BSE, NSE |
NALCO was incorporated in 1981 as a Government of India enterprise to exploit the bauxite reserves of the Eastern Ghats and to develop integrated aluminium capacity in the country. The project was set up with technical collaboration from Aluminium Pechiney of France for the alumina refinery and smelter. The company became operational in stages during the late 1980s.
NALCO operates an integrated complex spread across multiple locations in Odisha:
NALCO is designated a Navratna company by the Government of India, granting it enhanced operational and financial autonomy. It exports alumina and aluminium products to several countries and is among India's significant foreign-exchange-earning PSUs in the metals sector.
The company has pursued diversification into renewable energy, operating wind power plants in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, and into downstream and value-added aluminium products. It has also explored joint ventures in coal mining and overseas mineral assets.
As one of the founding integrated aluminium producers in India, NALCO contributed to building domestic capability in alumina refining and primary metal production. Its operations are central to the industrial economy of Odisha, particularly in the Koraput and Angul regions, and to India's strategic mineral and metals supply chain.