Kobe Steel to manufacture cast aluminum bars in the US
21 Nov 2012
Japanese steel makert Kobe Steel today said its US subsidiary, Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products, LLC (or KAAP), is building a new production line to produce cast aluminum bars for use in car air conditioning compressor parts.
KAAP will invest approximately $11 million in the new line, which will go into operation in August 2013. Located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, KAAP currently manufactures aluminum forgings for automotive suspensions.
In Japan, Kobe Steel makes cast aluminum bars for air conditioning compressors at its Chofu Works in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture in western Japan.
The cast bars are supplied to Toyota Industries Corporation. In the US Toyota's US sunsidiary, Toyota Industries Compressor Parts America Co, manufactures car air conditioning compressor parts, which will begin production in September 2013 will source all of its cast aluminum bars from KAAP.
"KAAP's new investment will help address the growing demand in North America for cast aluminum bars and demonstrates our commitment to supporting our customers globally," said KAAP president Susumu "Sam" Koike.
Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products, LLC, set up in May 2003, manufactures aluminum forgings used in automotive suspensions. It is 60 per cent owned by Kobe Steel. Mitsui & Co., Ltd. has a 25-percent equity and Toyota Tsusho Corporation holds the remaining 15 per cent.