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    April 16, 2019

    Russian Aluminum Producer Rusal to Invest in Kentucky Mill

    Written by Sandy Williams

    The Russians are coming—to Kentucky. Russian aluminum producer United Co. Rusal plans to invest $200 million in a $1.7 billion rolling mill being built by start-up company Braidy Industries in Ashland, Ky. The investment will give Rusal a 40 percent stake in the project and a significant presence in the U.S. automotive and aerospace aluminum markets.

    The new plant will roll aluminum sheet to auto and aerospace specifications. The aluminum industry is working to win a greater share of the automotive market away from steel as vehicle manufacturers look for new ways to replace conventional parts with lighter-weight aluminum or high-strength steel versions to improve fuel efficiency. The Aluminum Association says U.S. aluminum production in first-quarter 2019 was 43 percent higher than in 2018.

    Sandy Williams

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