Aleris declared that it has inked a five-year deal with Airbus at the Paris Air Show to supply a wide range of aluminum alloy sheets and plates for Airbus’ worldwide programs.
As per the deal, Aleris will supply its products from 2012 to 2016. The latest deal reinforces Aleris’ status as a strategic partner and key supplier to Airbus. Aleris will also reprocess scrap materials for Airbus through a recycling program, which is a part of the deal.
Aleris will manufacture the required products at its modern facilities in Duffel, Belgium and Koblenz, Germany where sophisticated manufacturing technologies are used to produce aircraft sheet. The company will produce plates at its new plate mill being constructed in China. The mill construction is scheduled for completion at the end of 2012.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Aleris, Steven J. Demetriou commented that Airbus and Aleris have valuable and productive partnership for the past 15 years. Airbus will gain from Aleris’ research & development investments and sophisticated production capabilities, which allow Aleris to offer a wide range of advanced aluminum solutions that suit the requirements of customers, he added.
Demetriou further said that the company expects that its $300 million China facility would allow it to supply plates to its customers operating in several industries.