ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS Archives - Page 6 of 8

World’s First Carbon-free Aluminum Smelting Process Developed in Joint Venture

An Australian-British metals and mining corporation based in London in conjunction with a Pittsburgh-based aluminum producer recently announced an innovative process to make aluminum that produces oxygen and eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process.

The new venture between Rio Tinto and Alcoa Corporation, known as Elysis, to develop the process and license the technology so that it can be used to retrofit existing smelters or build new facilities. Elysis will be headquartered in Montreal with a research facility in Quebec’s Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

When fully developed and implemented, it will eliminate direct greenhouse gas emissions from the smelting process and strengthen the closely integrated Canada-United States aluminum and manufacturing industry. The patent-protected technology, developed by Alcoa, is currently producing metal at the Alcoa Technical Center, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the process has been operating at different scales since 2009.

“This is a revolutionary smelting process that can deliver a significant reduction in carbon emissions. It builds on the key role aluminum has to play in driving human progress, by making products infinitely recyclable, stronger, lighter and more fuel efficient,” said Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques.

Vincent Christ, who brings more than 30 years’ experience at Rio Tinto Aluminium, has been named Chief Executive Officer of Elysis.

Photo credit and caption: Rio Tinto; employee at the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean works

World’s First Carbon-free Aluminum Smelting Process Developed in Joint Venture Read More »

Aluminum Extrusion Producer Increases No. American Coverage with Acquisition, New Facilities

April 12, 2018 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

A North American extrusion and forging grade billet producer recently announced plans to proceed with new aluminum remelt facilities for billet and slab ingot casting and related processes and services. This will involve new facilities, increasing the company’s existing 1 billion pounds per year capacity by 75%.

With this approval from the Giampaolo Group Management Board, Matalco increases capacity by 350 million pounds in Lordstown, Ohio, 180 million pounds in Canton, Ohio, 225
million pounds in Bluffton, Indiana (previously Alexin LLC), and 250 million pounds in Brampton, Ontario.

Tom Horter, president of Matalco USA Operations Photo credit: Light Metal Age

Earlier in the year, Matalco acquired Alexin LLC.

The catalyst for these investments is in response to the needs voiced by customers in under-served market geographies, their requirements for increased product breadth, and processing services for the vast and growing automotive fflat-rolled aluminum product supply chain and the product feature needs of specialty alloy aluminum billet markets.

“We are an established leader in the remelt aluminum business. Matalco’s four existing aluminum plants have the broadest product offering and flexibility for providing closed loop, scrap-based billet, and slab ingot products,” said Tom Horter, president of Matalco USA Operations noted. “The proven capabilities of our people, assets, and technologies provide the nucleus and granularity for understanding market challenges and generating the solutions to meet the
future supply chain requirements of our customers.”

Horter added, “The recent integration of Alexin into Matalco has provided the right base for new employee training and innovative product and process development enabling speed to
market in these growing niche areas, bringing to life the exciting business possibilities to attain the Giampaolo Group’s medium and long-term objectives for our businesses.”

Matalco has not announced the number of plants that have been approved, nor their exact locations.

“Our team has been working with state and local economic representatives in the Upper Midwest states of Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and the southern states of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky,” said Frank Mastrandrea, from the Giampaolo Group Management Board.

Photo credit: Vecohio

Aluminum Extrusion Producer Increases No. American Coverage with Acquisition, New Facilities Read More »

Orders for North American Steel, Aluminum on Rise

March 1, 2018 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT ECONOMIC NEWS

Source: ThomasNet.com

Orders for North American steel and aluminum have been on the rise since speculative talk about restrictions on the import of metals began last year, according to Tony Uphoff at Thomasnet.com, and the recent recommendation from U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur Ross to impose steep tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum seems to support the motivation behind the trend. Alcoa, Arconic, AK Steel, U.S. Steel, and Nucor were among the U.S. steel and aluminum manufacturers which saw increased activity prior to the announcement.

Read more here about the specific percentages proposed and the U.S. output goal: “Proposed Steel & Aluminum Tariffs Bolster Domestic Metals Sourcing”.

Orders for North American Steel, Aluminum on Rise Read More »

Heat-Treatable Alloy Arrives for N. American Automakers

November 29, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

A world leader in aluminum rolled products recently announced the North American availability of a heat-treatable alloy, its latest addition to a series designed to provide greater flexibility for automakers and other industries.

Novelis Inc. unveiled the Advanz™ 6HF – e/s200, a high-formable aluminum alloy that is distinctive for its superior formability, strength performance, and weight savings for outer and inner applications. The material has sustained successful application in Europe.

The 6xxx-series alloy enables new opportunities to use aluminum for body sides, door inners, decklid outers and inners, and other closure panels. The alloy can also be used in designs and applications that required bending without the risk of cracking. In addition, Advanz™ 6HF – e/s200 creates a weight savings of nearly one-third over steel in inner door applications, benefitting vehicles that need to achieve weight reduction per customer specifications.

Heat-Treatable Alloy Arrives for N. American Automakers Read More »

Rolled Aluminum for Auto Body Production Included in Logan Expansion

November 22, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A flat-rolled aluminum sheet manufacturer recently broke ground on Phase II of its expansion project in Logan County, Kentucky, where the company’s Phase I facility opened late last month, an investment of $240 million expanding recycling/new ingot casting capabilities to 600 million pounds of cast ingot annually, increasing the capacities of rolling mills, scalping, and pre-heat operations, and creating approximately 190 employment opportunities.

Logan Aluminum Inc.’s new project includes a planned mill that will strengthen cold rolling production and boost capacity for heavier gauge rolled sheet manufactured into automotive body and structural panels. When completed, the $125 million project is expected to provide 60 jobs for the area.

“Almost two years ago to the day, we held our groundbreaking for the new DC4 Recycle Facility, and now we are here today for the ceremonial ribbon cutting of DC4, and for the groundbreaking of Logan’s new Cold Mill – CM4,” said Ken Perdue, Logan Aluminum Plant Manager. “It’s an exciting time for aluminum and it’s a really exciting time for aluminum in Kentucky.”

Logan Aluminum Inc. was established in 1983 and is a joint venture between Tri-Arrows Aluminum Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and Novelis Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Photo by Karen Logan Logan County Chamber of Commerce

Rolled Aluminum for Auto Body Production Included in Logan Expansion Read More »

Swedish Aluminum Supplier Gränges Increasing Tennessee Presence

October 26, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A Swedish supplier of rolled aluminum products that has operations in Sweden, China, and the U.S. recently announced an expansion project that will incorporate investment in heat treat equipment, including annealing furnaces.

Gränges of Stockholm, Sweden, will invest $110 million (U.S.) to increase the capacity of its aluminum rolling operation in Huntingdon, Tennessee, from 160K tons to nearly 200K tons per year, creating 85 permanent full-time jobs and servicing its North American market with light gauge foil, automotive heat exchanger materials, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) applications. This is the company’s second major investment in Huntingdon since 2000.

“The expansion in Huntingdon marks the next step in our strategic growth plan for the North American market. Gränges has built a strong reputation in the aluminum rolling industry, and this expansion allows us to further support our customers’ growth”, says Gränges CEO Johan Menckel. Other expansion projects will include buildings, casters, cold rolling mills, and
slitters.

Patrick Lawlor, Gränges Americas President

“The investment represents a long-term commitment to our customers, employees, and shareholders as we grow in support of our strategic markets”, says Gränges Americas President, Patrick Lawlor.

The expansion was supported by Tennessee (TN) Governor Bill Haslam, the TN Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Valley Authority, and local Huntingdon Officials.

“In TN, we take pride in the fact that our hardworking residents still make things,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. “The Gränges facility is a vital part of the Carroll County community and I’d like to thank Gränges for committing to create new jobs in Huntingdon and bringing us closer to making TN the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high-quality jobs.”

Swedish Aluminum Supplier Gränges Increasing Tennessee Presence Read More »

U.S.-Produced Aluminum Cladding Adorns Façade of South African Mall

October 9, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: AlCircle

To achieve a distinctive look that can be seen from a distance, a shopping mall in the economically developing township of Waterfall City, located between Johannesburg and Pretoria in South Africa, has turned to a U.S. manufacturer of flat-rolled aluminum products to cover the cladding of its parking garage with a façade made of sheets of aluminum measuring 1,437 x 3,880 mm (4.7 x 12.7 ft.), each treated with weather-resistant coating and classified for fire protection. The unique wave-look of the façade was achieved by laying aluminum plates horizontally.

U.S.-Produced Aluminum Cladding Adorns Façade of South African Mall Read More »

Novelis-Kobe South Korean Joint Venture Includes Pusher & Annealing Furnaces

October 6, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

Arial mage of the mill in Ulsan, South Korea

A new aluminum rolling entity located in the industrial hub of Ulsan, South Korea, is the result of a global joint venture project designed to support the increasing demand for high-strength and lightweight aluminum for automotive and specialty products including electronics and building materials in Asia. This comes four years after a major expansion at the site that included a new three-stand hot finishing mill, as well as a pusher furnace and annealing furnaces.

Ulsan Aluminum Ltd. was formed by Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, selling to Kobe Steel, a producer of aluminum rolled products in Japan, its ownership interest in its Ulsan, South Korea, facility for $315 million. Novelis and Kobe Steel together own the Ulsan Aluminum Ltd. facility, with each company remaining responsible for its own metal supply and commercial relationships.

All 600 employees at the plant are now employed by Ulsan Aluminum. Novelis’ interest in Ulsan Aluminum will remain a key part of its Asian manufacturing interests, which also includes the Yeongju facility in South Korea and the Changzhou facility in China.

“This strategic partnership further supports Novelis’ continued commitment to growth in the Asian automotive industry and creates new capabilities to meet the increasing demand for aluminum sheet,” said Sachin Satpute, President of Novelis Asia. “Through an increase in operational efficiencies and process enhancements, this partnership will provide our global customers greater access to the numerous benefits of aluminum.”

Ulsan facility officials at groundbreaking of furnace expansion, 2013.

“Ulsan Aluminum is committed to providing first-class rolled aluminum products and services to benefit our customers in the region. We will continue to operate with a high-quality and safety-first mentality, and will support the local market with innovative aluminum products,” said Jerry Quick, President and CEO of Ulsan Aluminum Ltd.

Novelis-Kobe South Korean Joint Venture Includes Pusher & Annealing Furnaces Read More »

Aluminum Aging Oven Shipped to Aerospace Parts Manufacturer

September 5, 2017 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

An aerospace parts manufacturer recently acquired an electrically heated aluminum aging oven as part of an upgrade of its line. The SWH series batch oven was ordered to replace antiquated equipment in order to facilitate compliance with AMS 2750E Class 2 specifications. Wisconsin Ovens, a Thermal Product Solutions (“TPS”) brand, completed the shipment in August 2017.

Aluminum Aging Oven Shipped to Aerospace Parts Manufacturer Read More »

Austal Delivers Aluminum EPF Catamaran to U.S. Navy

August 3, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

Austal USA recently delivered the USNS Yuma, the eighth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, an aluminum catamaran, to the U.S. Navy. The 338-foot long Yuma is capable of transporting 600 tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots and is designed to operate in austere ports and waterways, providing added flexibility to U.S. warfighters worldwide.

Around 700 tonnes of aluminum in the form of plate, extrusions, and forgings is used in the construction of the Yuma. Custom panels created by friction stir welding are joined with custom extrusions using a combination of TIG and gas metal arc welding. Although no surface treatment is used above the waterline, the hull is painted below the waterline. Aluminum provides a strong weight ratio and enables Austal to produce a ship that can efficiently achieve high speeds with a shallow draft. The structure weight of an aluminum ship is approximately half that of a steel ship and is comparable to fiberglass. Other benefits of using aluminum in marine applications are that it is also easy to form, resistant to corrosion, doesn’t require paint to protect the surface, can be welded with well-established commercial processes, and is easy to repair.

Austal Delivers Aluminum EPF Catamaran to U.S. Navy Read More »

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