Washington, D.C. – SAFE Commanding Heights today announced the addition of Joe Quinn as Vice President for Strategic Industrial Materials, who will head up a new policy initiative dedicated to advancing more secure, reliable, and sustainable supply chains for aluminum and other industrial materials critical to America’s national and economic security. Prior to joining SAFE, Quinn served as the Vice President of External Affairs & Industry Relations at the Aluminum Association where he led the government relations, communications, and political affairs divisions. This initiative comes approximately one year after the launch of SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, which has become a leading thought leader on mining and processing supply challenges relating to electric vehicles, batteries, and other essential systems.
“SAFE Commanding Heights is dedicated to advancing reliable sourcing for products and materials essential to America’s energy, transportation, and national security needs,” said Robbie Diamond, SAFE founder and CEO. “Based on the success of our critical minerals center, we believe the natural extension of supply chain policy is in the metals space. Joe’s industry insight will complement our strong policy work in this critical sector. There is a tremendous opportunity to reshore and ally shore aluminum so we are not dependent on nations who do not share our interests, while also lowering emissions of this and other industrial sectors.”
Leading the Center for Strategic Industrial Materials, Quinn will initially develop a framework designed to ensure resilient and domestic aluminum production. Aluminum is vital to the transition to a more sustainable energy future as a key material in green technologies from electric vehicles to solar panels. A strong North American production sector could become the cornerstone of an innovative manufacturing ecosystem benefiting automakers, national security, packaging firms and other industries.
“We are at a critically important moment for the domestic aluminum industry,” said Quinn. “Continuous demand growth and the right policies that accelerate decarbonization of domestic production will ensure the United States will not cede the clean industrial future to China and other countries.”
The aluminum sector is expected to grow over the next twenty years as government leaders pursue policies to decarbonize and diversify world economies. Examining the feasibility of reshoring primary aluminum production to expand U.S. capacity could reduce the industry’s carbon emissions, as well as provide a cost advantage to U.S. automakers as they work to increase electric vehicle production.
###
SAFE Commanding Heights is the non-partisan initiative dedicated to advancing critical supply chains for America’s transportation and energy needs.
Contact: Bridget Dunn | 202.539.7885 | bdunn@secureenergy.org
