Componenta doubles production capacity of aluminium components in Turkey

Componenta doubles its production capacity of aluminium components to 25,000 ton/year by building a green field aluminium plant in Manisa, Turkey. The new plant with Lean production layout and optimized material flows enables better capacity utilization and higher efficiency of high pressure die casting and thus improves our capabilities to meet customers’ demands. The new plant of 28,000 m2 production facilities and first-phase machines & equipment as well as the office premises will be taken into use in summer 2009. The investment of roughly EUR 25 million will be carried out mainly in 2009 - 2011.

The demand for aluminium castings is increasing among our customers in automotive and heavy truck business areas. Driving forces in the market are demands for lighter vehicles because of environmental, safety, lifestyle and comfort related reasons. Manufacturers of both passenger cars and heavy trucks are facing the same kind of needs to reduce weight of components, to use recycled materials, to add durability and reliability of power train and safety. Due to the mentioned reasons aluminium has continuously increased its share in light materials and the total market of aluminium cast components in Europe has risen. This trend of increase is forecasted to continue and even accelerate for Europe.

During the past few years Componenta’s Manisa business unit has successfully cooperated with its main automotive customers. Close cooperation in advanced engineering and co-design has resulted in new solutions and new business for Componenta.

Environmental implications are also taken into consideration when designing the new plant. For example heat from the melting furnaces will be captured to be reused for cooling and heating of office premises which will bring savings in operating costs as well as preservation of natural resources.

Componenta is the second largest independent cast component supplier in Europe. This aluminium plant investment is in line with our strategic target to be the leading European cast component supplier by 2012.

Helsinki, 15 July 2008

COMPONENTA CORPORATION


Heikki Lehtonen
President and CEO

Further information:

Heikki Lehtonen, President and CEO
tel. +358 10 403 00