Aluminum Association Grows with Three New Member Companies

Cerro Wire LLC, Gränges Americas Inc. and Reynolds Consumer Products Join as Producer Members; Hydro Metals Matt Aboud Joins Executive Committee

ARLINGTON, VA. — The Aluminum Association announced today the addition of three new member companies – Cerro Wire LLC, Gränges Americas Inc. and Reynolds Consumer Products. The companies join the Association as producer members – firms that make or fabricate aluminum products. Additionally, Matt Aboud, President of Hydro Aluminum North America was recently approved as a member of the Executive Committee, a subset of the Board of Directors which provides strategic guidance directing all Aluminum Association programs and activities.

“As we continue to chart a sustainable course for the domestic aluminum industry, we’re pleased to bring in these new voices to help us tell the industry’s story,” said Garney Scott, President & CEO of Scepter and Aluminum Association Chairman.  “During a time of both opportunity and challenge for aluminum producers everywhere, we’ll work with these new members to help move the industry forward.”

New companies include:

• Cerro Wire LLC: Headquartered in Hartselle, AL, Cerro Wire has supplied electrical building wire to distributors and retail outlets throughout North America for commercial, industrial and residential use for more than 90 years. Cerro Wire has four manufacturing locations and a nationwide network of manufacturer’s representatives.
• Gränges Americas Inc.: Gränges Americas Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Swedish-based Gränges AB based in Franklin, TN. Gränges Americas has operations located in Huntingdon, TN; Salisbury, NC; and Newport, AR. The company produces foil and other light gauge aluminum products for stationary and automotive heat exchangers, packaging and transformers.
• Reynolds Consumer Products: Reynolds Consumer Products, headquartered in Lake Forest, IL, is a CPG company that provides quality household essentials, including Reynolds Wrap®, Alcan®, and Diamond® brand aluminum foil. The company’s products are available in the U.S. and Canada at mass merchants, grocers, and other retail stores and in approximately 100 countries throughout the world.

The new member additions come at a time of continued domestic demand growth for aluminum. According to the latest industry data, the North American aluminum industry shipped nearly 26 billion pounds of aluminum in 2015, the most since 2007. Since 2013, member companies have announced domestic plant expansions and planned investment totaling more than $2.6 billion to meet anticipated demand growth for aluminum in the automotive sector as automakers strive to make better-performing and more fuel-efficient vehicles. 

However, challenges remain, particularly with an oversupply of aluminum coming from China. Since the beginning of 2015, eight U.S.-based aluminum smelters have curtailed or closed, representing 60 percent of U.S. primary aluminum capacity. A recently released economic impact report found that while overall employment in the U.S. aluminum business is up slightly, employment in the upstream segment has dropped dramatically – from more than 12,000 primary production and alumina refining jobs in 2013 to around 5,000 today – a near 60 percent drop in 3 short years. 

The Aluminum Association is committed to highlighting unfair and unsustainable trade practices to ensure the continued health of the entire domestic aluminum value chain. Recent actions include the initiation of an International Trade Commission investigation into the global marketplace, the launch of a new coalition – the Manufacturers for Trade Enforcement – and testimony on industry overcapacity in front of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce.    

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About the Aluminum Association

The Aluminum Association represents U.S. and foreign-based companies and their suppliers throughout the value chain, from primary production to value added products to recycling.  The Association is the industry’s leading voice, providing global standards, business intelligence, sustainability research and industry expertise to member companies, policymakers and the general public. The aluminum industry helps manufacturers produce sustainable and innovative products, including more fuel efficient vehicles, recyclable packaging, greener buildings and modern electronics.  In the U.S., the aluminum industry creates $186 billion in economic activity. For more information visit www.Aluminum.org, on Twitter @AluminumNews or at Facebook.com/AluminumAssociation.