MILLWOOD — On Monday, Constellium held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the restart of its upgraded 144-inch cold rolling mill at its facility in Jackson County.
The facility was awarded funding of nearly $9.5 million in 2019 by the U.S. Department of Defense under the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program to increase throughput, quality,and performance of cold rolled aluminum.
The restart marks completion of the first phase of the project involving a complete teardown of the 1950’s era mill to upgrade its mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and process control systems.
The team will now focus on the development of prototype manufacturing processes and cold rolled mill products that will be enabled by the advanced capabilities of the upgraded mill. Cold rolling, which compresses and elongates the plate, improves plate flatness and surface characteristics, and adds additional strength to the finished plate. Cold rolled aluminum plate was identified in the 2018 DOD-led Interagency Task Force report as “essential for armoring U.S. ground combat vehicles, constructing Navy ships, and building military aircraft.”
“This achievement was made possible by our partnership with the IBAS program and the Department of Defense. It will enable us to produce higher performance and higher quality plate in the volumes needed by the DOD over the next decade,” said Buddy Stemple, CEO of Constellium Rolled Products Ravenswood.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Jesse Salazar agreed.
“The restart of the Ravenswood mill adds a new dimension to the supply chain for America’s defense industry, and I am proud of the Ravenswood team for their commitment to our national and economic security.”
“The Constellium plant here in Jackson County is more than just a prominent employer, it’s a point of pride,” said U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. “I was happy to advocate for the critical funding the facility needed to expand its capacity and continue producing plate, sheet, and coil products for numerous industries, including the Department of Defense. Today was another important milestone for Constellium and the future of the mill, and it was an honor to join those who had a hand in making it happen.”
After the ribbon cutting ceremony at Constellium, Capito toured the Mister Bee Potato Chips Company in Parkersburg, and met with its CEO and staff.
“It’s always a treat to visit West Virginia’s only potato chip company,” Capito said. “Not only is it a thriving, women-owned business, but Mister Bee is expanding both their production and distribution capacity, and partnering with WVU Parkersburg. (Mister Bee President) Mary Anne (Ketelsen) is doing an incredible job leading this local employer that continues to have an enormous impact in the community.”