Heat treatment processes are among the operations planned at an automotive aluminum sheet manufacturing facility in Guthrie, Kentucky, where a gathering of business and government officials celebrated a groundbreaking this week.
Representatives from Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, were joined by local and state officials to recognize the investment of a 400,000 square foot, $305 million facility that will create approximately 125 jobs and produce annual nameplate capacity of 200,000 metric tons. The facility will include heat treatment and pre-treatment lines for use in vehicle parts such as body-in-white, hoods, doors, lift gates and fenders. Novelis will begin producing automotive aluminum at the site in 2020.
“The increased adoption of aluminum in cars, trucks and SUVs, coupled with more automotive manufacturing plants in the southeast makes Guthrie a strategic location to serve our customers,” said Steve Fisher, president and CEO, Novelis Inc. “With the strong, highly-skilled workforce in Kentucky, we believe our culture and commitment to building a sustainable world together will have a lasting and positive impact on this community.”
The significant positive impact of tax reform in the U.S. reinforces Novelis’ decision to expand at this time. A favorable economic environment has enabled Novelis to recently finalize key contracts totaling approximately $60 million for engineering plans, site preparation and state-of-the-art equipment for the greenfield facility. Senator Rand Paul, Congressman James Comer, Governor Matt Bevin and Senator Mitch McConnell’s staff were present at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Paul Banks, a 25-year veteran of the aluminum rolling industry, will oversee the project as Plant Manager, having previously served as Unit Manager at Logan Aluminum, a Novelis joint venture in nearby Russellville, Kentucky.
