Sapa installed new aluminium extrusion presses at two of its plants in US

OSLO, 1-9-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Sapa has installed new aluminium extrusion presses at two of its plants in the United States to serve customers primarily within the building and the automotive industries.

The two presses have been moved from other Sapa locations to the plants in Yankton, South Dakota, and Elkhart, Indiana. Customer deliveries from these presses should begin in the second half of 2015.

Both units have been installed to accommodate continued production growth in the Midwest region. With an increased need for capacity, the Yankton and Elkhart plants anticipate full utilization of both presses from day one, providing extruded aluminium solutions to customers within the building and construction as well as automotive industries.

“We’ve seen very strong growth in the Midwest region of the United States over the last several years,” says executive vice president Patrick Lawlor, who is responsible for Sapa’s extrusion operations in the Americas.

“These two presses are coming at the perfect time to serve what we expect to be a continued high demand for aluminum extrusions in the region. One of the important strengths of our Sapa network is the ability to move our press assets to the areas of the world where they are most needed.”

The expansion in Yankton is not limited to the new 2,500-ton, 8-inch direct extrusion press, which will be used primarily to serve building and construction customers. In addition, the plant will install new aging furnances as well as two new shipping docks to accommodate the increase in capacity.

Similarly, the Indiana-based plant will utilize its 3,000-ton, 8-inch direct extrusion press mainly to serve automotive customers. The Elkhart plant also will add new shipping docks to accommodate the increased production, and will install an 8-inch log furnace with billet saw, as well as all line support equipment beyond the press.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION:

Erika Ahlqvist
EVP Communication
Telephone: +47 9530 6340

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Sapa’s Elkhart plant is one of three extrusion plants the company has in the state of Indiana.