New $ 1.2bn aluminum smelter to be built in U.S.

In order to play its part in meeting the growing demand for aluminum, the American Specialty Alloys Company has decided to invest $ 11.2 billion to build an aluminum plant in the southeastern United States. The company said in its report that the new plant will produce 600,000 tonnes of aluminum flat products annually, primarily for the automotive industry.

During the construction of the plant, 2,000 temporary construction-related workers will be employed, and approximately 650 permanent jobs will be provided when the plant begins production. The company declined to disclose the exact location of the site for the construction of the plant.

Roger Boggs, founder and CEO of the company, said that trends in the auto industry are to replace steel with lighter aluminum, which is certainly creating unprecedented demand for high-end aluminum from manufacturers.
The company is making a significant change in this direction after a century of engineering collaboration with major steel companies such as Severstal in North America, AK Steel, as well as US Steel and Thyssen Krupp.

In order to supply aluminum to the US automotive industry, the company will have to compete with Alcoa, Aleris, Novelis Inc, and the Wise Metals Group. The company announced this week that operations at its Phase One aluminum smelter will begin in 2016, with the first phase to be completed six months later.