Kaiser Aluminum Corporation is approaching its 1-year anniversary of owning and operating the Warrick Rolling Mill in Indiana. They purchased the mill from Alcoa Corporation on March 31 of last year for $670 million.
The celebrations don’t stop there, however, as Kaiser will break ground on a new $150 million coating line in the coming weeks. Communications and external affairs manager Kari Fluegel said it’s been a busy year converting the plant’s operations, and that adding the new coating line will only grow and enhance their operations.
“Warrick was purchased with future growth in mind,” Fluegel said. “The investment in this new coating line will make us stronger, more stable, and a more resilient business that will be a mainstay in this community for many years to come.”
The rolling mill commenced operations in 1964 as part of Alcoa’s mission to construct an end-to-end production facility for food and beverage packaging. The plant was a part of Alcoa Inc. and then Alcoa Corp. until purchased by Kaiser.
Fluegel said the mill boasts a rich history and has earned a reputation for excellent safety and environmental and quality records. They are the second-largest employer in Warrick County, with a team of 1,200 employees, many of whom hail from Owensboro.
“We recently became certified by the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative for our sustainable performance,” she said. “We have a talented team of employees, including the United Steelworkers Local 104. Though challenging, everyone across the company has been doing what they can to help during the transition phase.”
While Kaiser Aluminum isn’t a familiar name to the area yet, the company has been around since 1946, when American industrialists purchased three aluminum facilities in Washington state. The facilities were previously used for WWII operations, with one of those mills is still operating today.
After purchasing the Warrick location, Kaiser relocated its headquarters to Franklin, TN, so that corporate leaders could be closer to their new operation in Indiana.
Kaiser Aluminum Warrick services the food and beverage packing industry with an electromagnetic casting facility, hot and cold rolling mills, and coating lines that produce flat-rolled aluminum for the ends, tabs, and container
From start to finish, the production of the containers is an intricate one with several cycles and phases. The aluminum begins at the reversing mill, where it achieves a desired thickness before transitioning to hot rolling, where the metal is flattened, and cold rolling, where it is reduced to its final consistency.
The process continues as team members level, trim, wash, coat, cut, and pack the finished aluminum. Three production lines with one on the way make for an extensive operation.
“After the metal is coated, it is cut in various widths and lengths per customer specifications,” Fluegel said. “When the aluminum is ready to go to the customer, our pack/ship department sends the final product to customers across North America.”
Kaiser takes pride in playing a pivotal role in the Owensboro community, with several employees from the area. They are steadfast in their efforts to grow their relationships with the Owensboro community.
“We have a good number of employees who live in Owensboro, and one of our corporate values is to be a valued corporate citizen,” Fluegel said. “We’re looking for opportunities to engage more in Owensboro and joining the Chamber of Commerce is a good way to start. We hope to find some volunteer opportunities for our employees as well eventually.”
The aluminum packaging market is predicted to grow five to seven percent every year for the next five or more years. The new coating line will incorporate state-of-the-art technology and key legacy systems that the company developed over the company’s 58 years of operation.
“This additional coating line will allow us to shift a larger portion of our production to support growing customer demand for our coated products used to produce food and beverage cans, lids, tabs, and ends,” Fluegel said. “The new coating line will be bigger, faster, and have more capabilities than our current lines.”
The Chamber Member of the Week program is a membership benefit of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1913, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce has worked for over a century to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals.
Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Shelly Nichols, Chamber Vice President, at 270-926-1860 or [email protected].
