Sapa Group, an aluminum extruder, announced a $34 million capital investment aimed at installing a state-of-the-art, 14-inch indirect press for rod and bar production at its Cressona, Pa., plant. The investment will result in a major upgrade of Sapa North America's industrial extrusion capabilities and will raise the standard for rod and bar production and distribution. The addition of a new indirect press will increase production speed per unit by up to 50%, resulting in better grain structure and overall quality of product.

The new press will also recover more scrap material than was previously possible at the Cressona plant, resulting in a lower operating cost to produce current rod and bar offerings. Combined, these improvements will create greater efficiency and increased control capabilities. The indirect extrusion process allows for a more consistent grain structure and better dimensional tolerances, which improves the machinability and finishing of Sapa rod and bar products. In addition to the new indirect press, Sapa plans to add automatic packing and aging to the process, enabling a fully integrated line for customers.