Press Metal to build Sarawak aluminum smelting plant

PRESS Metal Bhd (PMB) is to build an aluminum smelting plant and related industries on a 366-ha site in Sarawak leased by the state authorities. The plant will be built in phases over five years and will have an initial capacity of 50,000 tons a year, the company told Bursa Malaysia yesterday. For this purpose, it has acquired an 80 per cent interest in its dormant Sarawak subsidiary, Press Metal Sarawak Sdn Bhd (PMSSB). “PMB’s intention is to establish a business base in Sarawak with its expertise and experience in the integrated aluminium industry, from smelter to extrusion,” it added. PMB, via its 90 per cent-owned subsidiary Hubei Press Metal Huashen Aluminum-Electric Co Ltd, is operating a power generation plant and a smelting plant in Hubei, China.