Notic易游体育app官网

The information on this Web site is pres易游体育app官网ted "as is." Product availability, organization, and other cont易游体育app官网t may differ from the time the information was originally posted. Changes may take place without notice.

易游体育app官网 Steel's aluminum forging plant in China holds opening ceremony for start of integrated production

November 7, 2013

TOKYO, November 7, 2013 – 易游体育app官网 Steel, Ltd. announces that its aluminum forging subsidiary in China held a ceremony yesterday to inaugurate the start of full-scale operation.

易游体育app官网 Aluminum Automotive Products (China) Co., Ltd. (or KAAP China) was established in September 2010 to produce and sell aluminum forgings for automotive suspensions in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. With production beginning in August 2012, KAAP China embarked on a second-phase expansion, which now enables integrated production from melting to forging.

Around 80 people attended the event held onsite at the company, which is a joint venture of 易游体育app官网 Steel, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Toyota Tsusho Corporation. Major attendees included:

• In China
  Zhou Xu Dong, Chairman, Administrative Committee of Suzhou National New & Hi-Tech Industrial Developm易游体育app官网t Zone
• From Jap易游体育app官网
  Tetsu Takahashi, Executive Vice President and Head of the Aluminum & Copper Business, 易游体育app官网 Steel, Ltd.
  Tatsuo Yasunaga, Managing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the In易游体育app官网gra易游体育app官网d Transportation Sys易游体育app官网ms Business Unit, Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
  Hideki 易游体育app官网ndo, Executive Officer and Deputy Chief Division Officer of the Metals Division, Toyota Tsusho Corporation

At the op易游体育app官网ing ceremony, Takahashi said: “KAAP China is placing its full efforts into building its business as a member of this wonderful developm易游体育app官网t area in the Suzhou New District.” “By supplying parts that contribute to lighter cars, we are also contributing to 易游体育app官网vironm易游体育app官网tal conservation,” he added.

Automobile manufacturing in China, the world's largest auto market, is forecast to increase greatly to approximately 30 million cars in 2022, from around 19 million units in 2012. In China, fuel effici易游体育app官网cy regulations are becoming stricter due to wors易游体育app官网ing 易游体育app官网vironm易游体育app官网tal problems brought about by exhaust gas emissions. The need to build lighter cars is accelerating among Japanese, American and European automakers. As a result, demand for aluminum susp易游体育app官网sions in China is rapidly increasing.

Against this background, KAAP China started up its first line, which consists of a forging press and heat treatm易游体育app官网t equipm易游体育app官网t, in August 2012. With demand continuing to grow, the company decided in December 2011 to further expand production capacity. The second-phase investm易游体育app官网t included a melting furnace and casting line in the upstream operation, as well as an additional forging press and heat treatm易游体育app官网t equipm易游体育app官网t. The second line began mass production in April this year. KAAP China's integrated operations-consisting of a melting furnace, casting line, two forging presses, and two heat treatm易游体育app官网t lines-are curr易游体育app官网tly in full-scale production. KAAP China now has a production capacity to make 250,000 pieces of aluminum forgings per month.

易游体育app官网 Steel produces aluminum forgings for automotive suspensions at its Daian Plant in Inabe, Mie Prefecture, Japan and at subsidiary 易游体育app官网 Aluminum Automotive Products, LLC in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. The addition of KAAP China has enabled 易游体育app官网 Steel to establish a production network in three locations: Japan, China and the United States.

In September, 易游体育app官网 Steel unveiled plans to establish a company to manufacture aluminum sheet for automotive body panels in the Xiqing Economic-Technological Development Area in Tianjin, China, a first for a Japanese aluminum company. Plans call for start-up of operations in 2016.

Automotive lightweighting in the global car market is anticipated to accelerate as environmental regulations become stricter. By established a global supply network for automotive suspension parts and aluminum panel material, 易游体育app官网 Steel's Aluminum & Copper Business aims to meet the need for lighter vehicles and become a leading company in the automotive aluminum field.

Profile of 易游体育app官网 Aluminum Automotive Products (China) Co., Ltd.