Aluminium and specialty packaging company Alcan has opened the newest addition to its composite business and its first South American composites production facility, located in Camaçari, Bahia State, Brazil.
Alcan said the initiative is part of the company's strategy to develop this sector by leveraging its leading composite technology and expertise.
The plant was acquired as a result of a joint venture agreement concluded in April 2002 between Alcan Aluminio do Brasil Ltda and the NJK Group of Brazil.
With the investment programme to install special Alcan Composite technology complete, the site has become the first South American production facility for Alcan's Alucobond aluminum composite material.
Production has just started and capacity is expected to gradually increase to 100,000 square metres per month. The main markets served will be in the Mercosur region, comprised of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
Alcan is a multinational, market-driven company and a global leader in aluminium and specialty packaging with 2001 revenues of $12.6 billion (€12.9bn). With operations in primary aluminiium, fabricated aluminium as well as flexible and specialty packaging, Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs for innovative solutions and service. Alcan employs 48,000 people and has operating facilities in 38 countries.