Domestic Supply

AEC member, Schupan, based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has invested over $40 million to establish two new aluminium shredding and sorting facilities. The first facility in Kalamazoo is scheduled to begin operations in early 2024.

"This new facility represents our continued commitment to sustainability, allowing us to meet the growing global demand for green aluminum while minimizing energy consumption, emissions and environmental disruption," said Marc Schupan, CEO of the company.

About the investment
According to Gary Curtis, President of Industrial Recycling at Schupan, the investment includes the procurement of land, the construction of buildings, and the buying of equipment. He also added that Schupan chose Kalamazoo as one of its locations due to its seamless integration with the company's current activities. The Kentucky facility in Logan County is near several of the company's major clients who consume a significant amount of its products. More...

AEC member, Rio Tinto acquired a 50% interest in the Matalco business from Giampaolo Group making a deal to produce low-carbon recycled aluminum products.

Rio Tinto acquired a 50% interest in the Matalco business from Giampaolo Group, by paying $700m and after securing all regulatory approvals. The JV, which was agreed by the parties in July 2023, will integrate the capabilities of the largest primary and secondary aluminum producers in North America to fulfill the demand for low-carbon materials.

With this stake, Rio Tinto can now offer a complete range of aluminum products. These include primary aluminum produced with hydropower, along with a diverse portfolio of recycled aluminum. It also expands the miner's US aluminum operations, where the demand for recycled aluminum is projected to grow by more than 70% between 2022 and 2032. The demand will mainly come from the transportation, construction, and packaging industries.

During this period, global consumption of recycled aluminum is also expected to increase by over 60%.

Matalco will continue operating the JV's facilities in the US and Canada. These facilities have a recycled aluminum production capacity of 900,000 tonnes (t) per annum.

It will also continue providing closed-loop solutions for its clients, turning scrap into aluminum billets and slabs. More...

AEC Member Rio Tinto has begun construction to increase its capacity to cast low-carbon, high-value aluminum billets by 202,000 metric tonnes at its Alma, Quebec smelter.

The existing casting center will be expanded to include new state-of-the-art equipment such as furnaces, a casting pit, coolers, handling, inspection, sawing and packaging systems. Commissioning is scheduled for the first half of 2025. Read more…

The investment will expand the site’s recycling capabilities, which include remelt and extrusion billet casting, producing low-carbon aluminum products. The project is expected to be fully operational in late 2024 and will expand Cressona’s casting capacity by more than 50,000 tonnes. The investment will allow for a significant increase in use of pre- and post-consumer aluminium scrap and will support the plant in achieving a five percent reduction in the average carbon footprint of its extrusion billet, contributing to Hydro’s overall sustainability ambitions. Read more…

Hydro marks the construction start of its state-of-the-art aluminum recycling plant in Cassopolis, Michigan. When ramped up to full production, the plant will produce 120,000 metric tons of low-carbon aluminum extrusion ingot per year. The expected investment is USD 150 million.

The Cassopolis recycling plant in Michigan will strengthen Hydro’s ability to supply car makers and other industries in the U.S. with recycled aluminum. While electric vehicles are now a small percentage of the overall market, amounting to less than 3% of U.S. new auto sales last year, forecasters expect big increases in the next decade. Read more…

AEC Member Sierra Aluminum, a division of Samuel, Son & Co., Ltd., announced plans for a new 300,00-sq.-ft. plant in Mexicali, Mexico and new investments in its existing California facilities in Riverside and Fontana.

The greenfield facility in Mexico is located three hours from Sierra's current operations and is expected to be completed in 2023. Read more…

Shape Corp. is investing heavily in its global footprint by doubling down on its impact energy management engineering expertise and expanding its capabilities in tight tolerance aluminum extrusions and assemblies. Read more…

Youngstown Tool & Die (YTD) is continuing the expansion of its operations in Youngstown, Ohio, with the purchase and installation of a new nitriding system.

YTD’s most recent expansion rolled out in Summer 2020, when the company moved to a larger, 70,000 sq ft facility (still located in Youngstown). With the move completed, the company has also made investments in new production and finishing equipment to increase its manufacturing capabilities and meet the growing demand in the U.S. This new equipment includes CNC milling, turning, EDM wire, and sinker machines, as well as vacuum heat treatment and nitriding capabilities. Read more…

AEC Member Vitex Extrusion, a division of Momentum Manufacturing Group, plans to invest $12 million in the first phase of a new aluminum extrusion press line for its Franklin, New Hampshire, facility. The investment will double the extruder’s current output to 55 million lbs and support growing demand from customers and partners for aluminum extrusions and value-added components. Read more…

AEC member company Matalco began production at its new Wisconsin Rapids, WI, plant on November 19, 2020. As of December 30, the company has shipped more than 3 million pounds of products in that time. The plant will be able to produce 240 million pounds of aluminum each year.

The plant produces aluminum billet and takes in scrap for its remelt facility that then creates extrusion billet and aluminum for rolling and forging industries across North America. Read more…

Dajcor Aluminum, headquartered in Chatham, ON, Canada, has expanded its operations to include an extrusion facility in eastern Kentucky. The AEC member company's new plant will support 200 jobs in Perry County in the mountains of Kentucky. Read more…

The company to increase its aluminum extrusion capabilities and capacities

AEC Extruder Member Alexandria Industries has invested in a new aluminum extrusion press. The press will make aluminum components that go into customer products people see and use every day.

Presezzi Extrusion Group, also an AEC member, will supply the press and will allow Alexandria Industries to increase its aluminum extrusion capabilities, extrude more complex product features, and hold tighter tolerances while utilizing a variety of alloys. Alexandria Industries will gain an extra 30 percent in extrusion capacity. Read more…

AEC member Tublite, Inc. has completed a 30,000-square-foot expansion of their Walker, Michigan facility, which includes the company's corporate office, fabrication, warehouse and shipping operations. Read more…

Plans are underway for a major expansion and investment at Youngstown Tool & Die.

The company has prospered over the past 61 years and now it's preparing to expand from a regional supplier to a national supplier. The company, which makes dies for the aluminum extrusion business regionally, has 34 employees. It plans to retain those employees and hire even more.

General Manager Dave Mrdjenovic said, "Phoenix International, an Italian firm, bought Youngstown Tool and Die in April. It has plans to invest $13 to $15 million in Youngstown for its Flagship facility in North America. We are hiring entry level folks without experience to go through training, and also folks who can hit the ground running." Read more…