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EuroWire – January 2006
26
EuroWire – September 2 09
Transat lant ic
Cable
Metals
US aluminium producer Alcoa strengthens
its position in the European market with
advances in Russia and Morocco
Alcoa Russia on 24
th
June commissioned a new state-of-the-art
aluminium coating line at its plant in Samara for production of
coated sheet used in the packaging and construction industries.
The coating line processes aluminium coil in various alloys
in thicknesses of 0.15mm to 0.8mm and sheet in widths of
1,050mm to 2,050mm at rates up to 250m per minute. Capacity
is approximately 60,000 tons per year. The first products were
shipped in June.
The line is one of a kind in Russia, just as Samara is the sole can
stock producer in the country. Painted sheet for architectural
uses is another product of the line, which will serve customers
in Russia and across Europe. The opening of the line completes
a $750 million investment in its Russian operations by
Pittsburgh-based Alcoa.
The commissioning ceremony, which was attended by the US
Ambassador to Russia, stirred Andrey Donets, president of Alcoa
Russia, to lyrical expression. Having extolled aluminium – “most
sustainable, lightweight, multifunctional” – he said, “Our ‘winged’
metal lends wings not only to aircraft, for which the Samara
metallurgical plant produces many parts. Today, by launching
our state-of-the-art coating line, we definitely lighten life for
Russian can producers.”
Another Alcoa unit, Alcoa Fastening Systems (Torrance,
California), on 11
th
June announced completion of its acquisition
of Demicron SNC, now known as Alcoa Fixations Maroc. The
Moroccan operation, centred in Casablanca, serves the European
aerospace industry as a manufacturer of precision machined
parts, complex progressive dies, and forging and stamping tools.
It has been a partner to Alcoa Fastening Systems for some two
years, and its full integration is expected by year-end.
Olivier Jarrault, president of Alcoa Fastening Systems, sees the
acquisition as enhancing Alcoa’s presence in the European
speciality machined aerospace parts segment. He said,
“It also will benefit [us] and our customers through improved
affordability and capacity in support of the Airbus A350 launch
and as the markets turn around.”
Elsewhere in metals . . .
State government and economic development officials
❈
❈
in Mississippi are arranging grants to help a Texas steel
distributor build a new steel mill in their state. As reported
by Neal Wagner of the
Commercial Dispatch (
Columbus,
Mississippi), Houston-based New Process Steel will invest
$25 million in the project, in expectation of an additional
$1.8 million in community development awards.
The memorandum of understanding envisions a flat rolled
steel manufacturing plant in western Lowndes County,
adjacent to a mini-mill owned by the Severstal North
America unit of the Russian steel maker.