Constellium Company has announced the restart of its upgraded 144-inch cold rolling mill at its Ravenswood, West facility. The Ravenswood plant received nearly $9.5 million in 2019 funding from the U.S. Department of Defense under the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program to increase the yield, quality and performance of cold-rolled aluminum.
This announced restart marks the completion of the first phase of the project involving a complete disassembly of the 1950s mill to upgrade its mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and process control systems. The team will now focus on developing prototype manufacturing processes and cold rolling products that will be enabled by the advanced capabilities of the upgraded rolling mill.
Cold rolling, which compresses and lengthens the plate, improves plate flatness and surface characteristics and adds additional strength to the finished plate. “This achievement was made possible through our partnership with the IBAS program and the Department of Defense. It will allow us to produce higher performance, higher quality sheet in the volumes needed by the Department of Defense over the next decade,” said Buddy Stemple, CEO of Constellium Rolled Products Ravenswood. Secretary Salazar agreed, “The restart of the Ravenswood plant adds a new dimension to the supply chain for the U.S. defense industry, and I am proud of the Ravenswood team for their commitment to our national and economic security.”
Constellium’s Ravenswood facility is a leader in defense aluminum production, supplying a broad portfolio of rolled products to the Department of Defense and its partners. With unmatched R&D capabilities and one of the leading aluminum plate lines in North America, Constellium is uniquely positioned to develop and design advanced, high-performance shielding solutions.
