Fagor Arrasate has been awarded the contract to provide key processing technology for Kloeckner Metals’ new aluminum plant currently under construction in Columbus, Mississippi. In the project’s initial development phase, Fagor Arrasate will deliver two state-of-the-art finishing lines that will form an integral part of the facility’s highly automated production environment.
The first installation will be a slitting line equipped with FASTR robotic tooling changeover and an automatic strapping system, capable of handling aluminum coils ranging from 0.01 to 0.187 inches thick and 18 to 94.5 inches wide. This system is engineered for high efficiency and flexibility in processing various aluminum grades.
The second system will feature a cut-to-length line combined with a fully automated packaging section, designed to process material from 0.0157 to 0.190 inches in thickness and 18 to 94.5 inches in width. It includes a rotary shear for producing trapezoidal cuts and can achieve operating speeds of up to 400 meters per minute.
Both lines incorporate multiple advanced automation features, including precision width and thickness measuring systems, surface inspection units, automatic marking injectors, PVC and paper film applicators, automated coil weighing, cassette exchange systems, and package evacuation mechanisms. These lines will focus on processing 5000- and 6000-series aluminum alloys, particularly grade 5182, a high-magnesium alloy widely used in automotive and structural applications for its combination of strength, formability, and corrosion resistance.
The new aluminum processing complex is being built within the Aluminum Dynamics customer campus, a 1,200-acre industrial site developed by Steel Dynamics. Once operational, the facility is expected to rank among the most automated aluminum processing plants in North America. The first project phase represents an investment of approximately $90 million.
