The ultimate owner of Aughinish Alumina in Limerick has said significant investment is planned for the facility, just months after US Government sanctions threatened the future of its 450-plus jobs.

Russian firm, Rusal, which owns Aughinish Alumina in Limerick, will be avoided by customers when the industry meets in Berlin next week to seal 2019 metal-supply agreements, industry sources predict.

The US Treasury has extended the deadline to investors to divest interests in the Russian firm that owns Aughinish Alumina, in Limerick, but has not removed it from its sanctions list.