INDUSTRY news
Auto Supplier Plans to Open New Aluminum Casting Facility Kamtek announced plans to invest
$530 million in an expansion of its Birmingham, Ala., operation that includes opening a new aluminum casting facility to meet automaker demands for lighter parts. Kamtek, whose parent company is
Toronto-based Magna International Inc., said the expansion project will add 354 jobs to its current Alabama workforce of more than 900. As part of its latest expansion,
Kamtek will invest $80 million in the new, 148,000-sq.-ft. aluminum casting
facility and $450 million to expand its existing operation in Birmingham’s Valley East Industrial Park by more than 200,000 sq. ft. Kamtek General Manager John
Hackett said the new aluminum casting facility and the expansion of the company’s existing plant “dem- onstrate our ongoing commitment to our customers,” which include Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and other automakers. “We are excited to continue our partnership with the local gov-
ernment in creating jobs and positioning ourselves for future business,” Hackett said. Frank Ervin, director of
government affairs for Magna In- ternational, said Kamtek’s current operation in Jefferson County represents an investment ap- proaching $473 million. Kamtek acquired Ogihara America Corp., Howell, Mich., which opened the facility, in 2008 and has reinvested heavily in the operation in the past seven years. ■
The new casting facility will help Kamtek produce parts for major automotive customers, including Mercedes-Benz.
Alcoa Invests $22M in Hot Isostatic Pressing Facility Alcoa, New York, announced an
investment of $22 million in hot isostatic pressing (HIP) technology at its facility in Whitehall, Mich. T e investment will enable Alcoa to capture growing demand for advanced titanium, nickel and 3-D-printed parts in jet engines. “As aerospace growth soars, Alcoa
continues to invest in the latest technologies, creating added capac-
ity to capture fast-growing demand,” said Olivier Jarrault, executive vice president, Alcoa. HIP involves the simultaneous ap-
plication of high pressure and temper- atures to improve mechanical proper- ties in cast products. T is investment will enable Alcoa to process its largest jet engine parts in-house. Alcoa expects its new operation to be ready for product qualifi cation
6 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Sept/Oct 2015
in 2016. Alcoa’s eight other HIP production systems are also located in Whitehall, where it has a concen- tration of engineering and technical resources. T e City of Whitehall has approved a 12-year tax exemp- tion valued at over $1 million. T is investment supports Alcoa’s strategy to build its value-add business for profi table growth and greater inno- vation in the aerospace market. ■
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