KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- ALCOA Aluminum in Blount County plans to layoff 450 employees by the end of March, according to company spokesperson Christy Newman.

Newman says ALCOA plans to close two pot lines at the south plant in Alcoa, Tenn, ALCOA will no longer produce molten aluminum at its Tennessee operations once the layoffs are complete.

United Steel Workers Union Local 309 President Bricky Beasley says it will be the first time in 96 years that molten aluminum will not have been made in Tennessee.

"We were anticipating some bad news, but nothing like this," Beasley told VolunteerTV.com. "It's very frustrating."

Beasley says union officials met with managers around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Local 309 union hall. He says that's when the union learned about the 450 planned job cuts.

The layoffs, part of 13,500 worldwide at ALCOA, will leave about 1,000 employees at the north plant at the Blount County facility.

The 13,500 layoffs represent a 13 percent cut in the company's global workforce, according to a media release. ALCOA will also eliminate 1,700 contractor positions worldwide.

ALCOA says it is cutting smelting operations by 135,000 metric tons per year, which will result in a primary aluminum output reduction of more than 750,000 metric tons per year. That's an 18 percent drop in aluminum production, according to the ALCOA release.

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