Nippon Light Metal North America Inc. & ITOCHU Metals Corporation Launch Joint Venture in Georgia

December 16, 2019 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

Nippon Light Metal North America Inc. and ITOCHU Metals Corporation have launched a joint venture to construct an aluminum forging plant in Adairsville, Georgia, for the manufacturing of aluminum automotive parts.

The two Japanese metals companies began construction on this new facility in an effort to meet the demand for lighter-weight vehicles.

An excerpt:

“As tighter environment[al] regulations are implemented around the world and the need for lighter-weight vehicles grows, it is expected that demand for aluminum products will also expand further in North America. In establishing a new facility in North America, Nippon Light Metal is aiming to strengthen its global supply structure by drawing on ITOCHU Metals’ business experience and network.”

Nippon Light Metal North America Inc. & ITOCHU Metals Corporation Launch Joint Venture in Georgia Read More »

Aluminum Provider Completes Expansion of Extrusion Operation

November 19, 2019 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

A Pennsylvania company that provides aluminum fabrication, extrusion, and casting products across a variety of industries recently celebrated the completion of the expansion of its facility in Leetonia, Ohio, where new equipment was installed aimed at increasing the company’s capabilities.

Pennex Aluminum, which was also marking the 40th anniversary of Pennex being purchased by the Metal Exchange Corporation, specializes in aluminum extrusions and fabricated components for the automotive, construction, HVAC, landscaping, and off-road vehicle markets at the Leetonia facility.

Main image credit / caption: Pennex / opening of Pennex’s new extrusion press line at Leetonia in 2015.

Aluminum Provider Completes Expansion of Extrusion Operation Read More »

Alum Producer Purchases Heat Treating Equipment to Boost Greenfield Expansion

May 10, 2019 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

A leading producer a state-of-the-art aluminum extrusion and forging grade billet and rolling ingot slabs with four plants in North America recently entered into an agreement with a thermal equipment supplier based in St. Louis, Missouri, for the supply of several furnaces in support of the company’s greenfield expansion in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.

Robert Roscetti, Vice-President of Corporate Development, Matalco Inc. / Photo credit: Light Metal Age

Matalco Inc., which has facilities in Canton, Ohio; Lordstown, Ohio; Bluffton, Indiana; and Brampton, Ontario, ordered from Gillespie & Powers Inc. one 115,000 lb tilting melting furnace, one 115,000 lb tilting holding furnace, three 120,000 lb batch homogenizing ovens, and two 120,000 lb. batch coolers with charging car, and related equipment.

“We are excited about our new partnership with Gillespie & Powers Inc. for the complete furnace equipment installation and commissioning for our new Wisconsin Rapids plant,” said Robert Roscetti, Vice-President of Corporate Development, Matalco Inc. “It represents a major step forward in the construction of Matalco’s new facility, which is on schedule for first production in 2020.”

Main image credit/caption: Light Metal Age / The furnace pictured is a tilting melter in the up position of the type that will be delivered to Matalco Wisconsin.

Alum Producer Purchases Heat Treating Equipment to Boost Greenfield Expansion Read More »

Steel Components Supplier Branches Into Aluminum with New Facility

October 12, 2018 / ENERGY HEAT TREAT

Source: Light Metal Age

An Ohio-based supplier of engineered steel components for multiple applications has recently begun construction on a facility that will manufacture a material other than steel: aluminum.

Ellwood Group Inc, which manufactures steel for the energy, aerospace, automotive and general manufacturing industries is building a new aluminum casting facility at its Ellwood Engineered Castings site in Hubbard, Ohio.

Steel Components Supplier Branches Into Aluminum with New Facility Read More »

Extrusion Equipment Supplier Expands Capacity, Increases Flow

July 11, 2018 / HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

Source: Light Metal Age

A company that supplies equipment for the aluminum extrusion industry recently announced a 50% expansion at its Belding, Michigan, manufacturing facility that will provide increased capacity.

According to Light Metal Age, Granco Clark’s marketing manager, Scott M. Biggs, sees the expansion as “the logical solution” to the challenge of limited flow and floor space.

“Recently, with the surge in demand of aluminum extrusions, and therefore extrusion equipment, we saw a need to make a change to improve our capabilities and capacity.” — Scott Biggs

Extrusion Equipment Supplier Expands Capacity, Increases Flow Read More »

Experimental Robotic Welding System Developed to Speed Auto Assembly Lines

July 5, 2018 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

A steel manufacturer and a corporation that provides automation and robotics technologies, both from Japan, recently announced that automakers are the target users for a jointly developed experimental robotic welding system that will join dissimilar metals — such as aluminum and high strength steel — with the goal of bypassing traditional methods of assembly, including rivets, fasteners, and adhesive bonding.

Kobe Steel developed the EASW process (element arc spot welding) and FANUC Corporation adapted it to high-speed application in assembly-based manufacturing.

“Specifically, the system performs a series of actions at high speeds, including position detection, smooth and accurate movement of the robot, pressurization, feed and engagement of the rivets, and arc welding.” — Light Metal Age

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Lightweight Vehicle Frame Draws Attention from Car Aficionados and U.S. Defense

May 7, 2018 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

The classic Corvette makes an appearance again in Heat Treat Today‘s Best of the Web feature, this time as a test model for a project that targets development of alternative lightweight vehicle frames.

A growing market demand for alternative lightweight vehicle frames in the custom car market is driving technology “to design a lightweight frame that could be easily morphed into virtually any wheelbase, vehicle length and width without requiring additional tooling,” reports Light Metal Age, and not only are classic car enthusiasts interested, so is the U.S. Department of Defense.

An excerpt:

“Beyond replica cars, this frame can be adapted for military applications, as a number of companies working with the Department of Defense have identified the need for a lightweight frame to be used in military vehicles to effectively lighten loads and increase fuel economy.”

First to unveil an innovative lightweight vehicle frame for the aftermarket, based on testing that involved the 1963-67 Corvette (C2 second generation design), was the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center.

Lightweight Vehicle Frame Draws Attention from Car Aficionados and U.S. Defense Read More »

Newly Launched RA-550 Pots Consume 10-15% Less Electricity

March 7, 2018 / ENERGY HEAT TREAT

Source: Light Metal Age

Victor Mann, Technical Director of RUSAL

A global aluminum producer announced the pilot operation of eight new generation RA-550 pots after three years of technology development.

UC Rusal states that high energy efficiency is the key advantage of the new RA-550 pots, which consume 10-15% less electricity versus pots of previous generations.

‘The distinctive feature [of the RA-550 technology] is lower electricity consumption and the best environmental indicators among all companies of the industry,” said Victor Mann, Technical Director of Rusal. “Given the competitiveness of this project and its parameters, this technology can be demanded both during upgrading the existing smelters of the company and when constructing new facilities.”

Newly Launched RA-550 Pots Consume 10-15% Less Electricity Read More »

Hydro Acquires Sapa to Become a Global, Integrated Aluminum Company

July 17, 2017 / ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

Norsk Hydro signed an agreement with Orkla to acquire its 50% interest in Sapa for a total enterprise value of NOK 27 billion (~US$3.24 billion), giving Hydro full ownership of the global leader in extruded aluminium solutions.

Hydro Acquires Sapa to Become a Global, Integrated Aluminum Company Read More »

Status and Outlook of the North American Billet Industry

June 28, 2017 / FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Source: Light Metal Age

The editors of Light Metal Age Magazine have provided their interviews with Matthew Lanzer, Bob Katsiouleris, Christopher Boland, Robert Convery, Erik Fossum, and Tom Horter regarding the status of the North American aluminum billet industry. Read what insights these leaders from Service Center Metals, UC Rusal, Nanshan America, Matalco, Hydro and Alexin LLC have to offer regarding billet supplies.

Status and Outlook of the North American Billet Industry Read More »

Light Metal Age

“Specifically, the system performs a series of actions at high speeds, including position detection, smooth and accurate movement of the robot, pressurization, feed and engagement of the rivets, and arc welding.” — Light Metal Age

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