Construction of the plant Pechiney Nederland NV (PNL) began in 1969 under commission of French multinational Pechiney.
At that time, Vlissingen was selected as the location for the business because it was situated on deep water, which facilitates bringing in raw materials and transporting final products. The plant consisted of 3 large departments: the electrolysis department where aluminium was extracted from alumina in an electrolytic process; a foundry where the aluminium produced was cast; and a department that produced anodes for the electrolysis furnaces.
The first furnace was started up in April 1971. Prince Bernhard officially opened the plant in October of that year.
The factory as a whole shut down in December 2011.
In the middle of 2012 the foundry continued under the name Zalco.