Vimetco cuts aluminium output in Romania by 44,000 T

LONDON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Dutch aluminium producer Vimetco (VICOq.L) said on Wednesday it has cut aluminium output in Romania by 44,000 tonnes this year as a result of lower prices. The company said in November it may cut production by 65,000 tonnes in Romania in addition to 95,000 tonnes being cut in China this year. A spokeswoman for Vimetco said production in Romania had not been affected by the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. "It is not a big issue for us," spokeswoman Simona Gambini said. "There are only a few areas in the plant that require some gas and the gas supplies are mostly from Romanian suppliers," she said. There is a 70/30 split between Romanian gas and the imported gas the company buys, she added. Russia shut down all gas flows to Europe through Ukraine on Wednesday, sharpening a dispute that has left industries and homes in southeast Europe without power and disrupted supplies to major economies. [ID:nL6169908] Vimetco said it expects 2008 production in China to be about 420,000 tonnes and that Chinese output this year is expected to remain stable. A drop in aluminium prices from record highs in July as demand slumped has forced a number of producers to cut output and postpone future projects. Alcoa Inc (AA.N), the largest U.S. aluminium producer, said on Tuesday it would slash more than 15,000 jobs, halve capital spending and sell four businesses as it reduces output to cope with the global economic downturn. [ID:nN06444898] Three-month aluminium prices MAL3 on the London Metal Exchange have slumped more than 50 percent since a record high of $3,380 a tonne in July 2008. At 1712 GMT the metal was trading at $1,595 a tonne.