Chips

By Staff -- Purchasing, 2/8/2001

Alcoa Inc. , the world's No. 1 aluminum maker, has reached an agreement to sell an aluminum smelter located in Longview, Wash., to buyout firm Michigan Avenue Partners . As a condition to its acquisition of Reynolds Metals Co. , European regulators required Alcoa to sell 25% of Longview; instead, Alcoa decided to sell the entire 204,000 metric-ton-per-year facility.

The Norwegian-based Norsk Hydro group has reorganized Hydro Aluminum Louisville Inc. of Louisville, Ky., to Hydro Aluminum Products-North America (Hamp-N.A.) and has grouped all North American production and sales under this organization. Jim Walters remains president of the regional company, which includes the Hydro Extrusion subsidiary.

Precision-Marshall Steel Co. , Washington, Pa., is now offering a new mold-quality steel used for plastic injection molds, plastic extrusion dies and compression molds. Marshalloy SP300, which replaces Marshalloy MQ in the company's tool steel product line, is available in full plates in thicknesses of 1/4 through 8 inches and as bars cut from plate.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. of Los Angeles is buying Lafayette, La.-based metals service center Aluminum & Stainless Inc. , which will operate with current management as a Aluminum & subsidiary of Reliance.