Norsk Hydro ASA will invest in a new production line at its rolled products plant in Grevenbroich, Germany. The new line will increase annual capacity for aluminium car body sheet to 200,000 metric tons.

The new line, which has an estimated cost of EUR 130 million, will be completed in the second half of 2016 and is following a recent decision to expand the annual continuous heat treatment capacity from 20,000 to 50,000 metric tons.

The expansion will include state of the art annealing and surface treatment lines, part of a flexible plant concept and innovative production processes at Hydro's Grevenbroich plant. Aluminium body sheet from the new production line will be used in manufacturing automotive components, including car hoods, doors, tailgates and side panels.
"In the search for light-weighting vehicles and reducing CO2 emissions, automotive customers are looking for innovative solutions in aluminium. We are therefore increasing our production capacity of state-of-the-art automotive body sheet. [...] With this substantial investment, we are pursuing our strategy towards the growth market within automotive, while also expanding our product portfolio. We are reinforcing our position in the European automotive market, and as the largest producer of flat-rolled products in Europe, strengthening our Grevenbroich plant in Germany as an industry location for advanced rolled products," says Executive Vice President Oliver Bell, head of Hydro's Rolled Products business area.