Malaysian extruder plans to double capacity of Chinese plant

Malaysian extruder Press Metal Bhd plans to double the annual capacity of its aluminium extrusion plant in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, to 100,000tpy this year.

"We are already reaching the maximum capacity of phase one and are building phase two to add another 50,000 tonnes," chief executive officer Datuk Paul P. K. Koon told local media.

The move would increase the capacity of the company's China operations to more than twice its Malaysian capacity, which now stands at 40,000tpy.

The company early this year announced a deal to take control of the Hubei aluminium smelter in China with capacity of 90,000tpy. Koon said that discussions are ongoing but that the deal should conclude by the end of this year.