Spanish firm to build aluminium plant

A Spanish metals processing conglomerate is set to build an aluminium processing plant in the Alytus industrial park, Lithuania's economy ministry said in a release. Spain's Sopena Group expects the 36 million litas plant in southern Lithuania to begin production in 2011. The facility would create about 60 new jobs. The new plant is a shot in the arm for a small city that has been devastated by economic recession. "This new metal processing plant will be the first project in the Alytus industrial park to revive a city that's been hit with relatively high unemployment," economy minister Dainius Kreivys was quoted as having said, adding that every bit of investment helps to rebuild Lithuania's struggling economy.