Aleris to provide aluminum for COMAC C919 prototype commercial aircraft

CLEVELAND, 11 Oct. 2012. Aleris will provide aluminum to Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Co., Ltd, a manufacturing subsidiary of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) for the production of multiple sets of COMAC's C919test planes.

In response to orders received, Aleris will provide conventional aluminum alloys as well as an advanced aluminum alloy with high damage tolerance to be used on the lower wing covers for a single-aisle commercial aircraft as part of the COMAC C919 program.

"This announcement is an important step forward for Aleris as we look to capitalize on the significant growth that is occurring in the aerospace industry in Asia," John Zhu, senior vice president and president of Aleris China, says.

The material for the COMAC test planes will be delivered from the Aleris plant in Koblenz, Germany.

Aleris plans to supply the aluminum for production from its rolling mill under construction in Zhenjiang, China, a $350 million facility designed to meet regional and global aerospace, and other commercial plate demand.

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