Aleris opened its aluminum automotive-body sheet production facility in Lewisport, Ky. The $400 million investment positions Aleris to meet significant growth in North American automotive demand. Announced in 2014, the project added heat-treatment and finishing capabilities, including two continuous annealing lines, a wide cold mill and an automotive innovation center. The company began shipping automotive products from Lewisport this month.

Aleris has served the automotive industry from its facility in Duffel, Belgium for many years. Lewisport is the company's first site in North America that is equipped with aluminum auto-body sheet finishing capabilities. Aleris has nine rolled-aluminum products facilities in North America.

In other news, Aleris announced that the company's planned acquisition by Zhongwang USA LLC will not proceed. The merger agreement between the parties expired by its terms on Nov. 12, 2017. In August 2016, Aleris entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Zhongwang USA LLC for $2.33 billion.