Aleris Zhenjiang reaches an important milestone in qualification process of aircraft plate

Aleris announced today it has achieved AS 9100 certification for the new rolling mill in Zhenjiang, China, which is the standard approval for production of aircraft aluminum plate. Chinese Branch of TUV SUD (Technischer Uberwachungsverein), a German certification body performed the audit for this certification and it was achieved in the month of December last year. With the AS 9100 accreditation, this plant is equipped to produce as well as deliver material in accordance with the aircraft material standards - AMS and AMS-QQ-A.

Aleris' million hot rolling mill priced $350 was unveiled in early 2013. It was designed to meet the fast-growing national as well as global demand for the technically advanced aluminum plate products particularly for global aerospace and commercial plate customers. Qualification programs with major aircraft manufacturers are in the process and the company expects to start shipping aircraft material in the second half of the year 2014.

"The AS 9100 certification represents a key milestone in the qualification process for the production of aircraft material at our new state-of-the-art facility in Zhenjiang," John Zhu, president, Aleris China said.

Once the qualification process gets over, it is expected that Aleris Zhenjiang will be one of the first facilities in Asia Pacific that will be equipped to produce aluminum plate for major global aircraft manufacturers. Since their opening last year, Aleris Zhenjiang has been shipping orders for commercial plate customers all over the world. These products help in technically demanding end uses including engineering, ship-building, transportation and air separation units.

Apart from achieving the AS 9100 accreditation, the Zhenjiang plant has also got approval from a number of certification societies such as the American Bureau of Shipping, TUV, Class NK, and Bureau Veritas to supply products into shipbuilding, pressure vessel silo, and other markets.