RAVENSWOOD - The dedication of a $46 million aluminum stretcher at Constellium Rolled Products in Ravenswood shows a significant investment in the plant, the area and the future, officials said during a ceremony Wednesday.
Local, state and national officials as well as labor officials gathered at the Constellium plant, the former Alcan plant, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the commissioning of the 30 million-pound stretcher. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and former U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., were among the featured guests.
''This is a historic and symbolic day for the Ravenswood site,'' said Kyle Lorentzen, CEO of the Ravenswood operation. ''This stretcher will be a critical component of the continued improvement plan here. This is an important piece of equipment to us on an important day.''
The Ravenswood plant produces aluminum plate for aerospace and defense markets, as well as coil products for transportation, marine and industrial uses. Ravenswood is known for its wide-coil capabilities and stretchers that enable unique product creation.
The stretcher is a critical piece of equipment, unique to the Ravenswood facility, offering leading-edge technology and production capabilities that allows Constellium to provide high quality and value-added aluminum plate to its customers for use in a variety of industries, company officials said.
The stretcher reduces internal stresses in the metal created by other steps in the manufacturing process, officials said.
''This is a great day for Ravenswood, a great day for Constellium and I think it is a great day for our employees and our customers,'' said Christophe Villemin, president of Constellium's Global Aerospace Division. ''With this stretcher, we will build trust with our customers. This will show that the Ravenswood plant is ready for the next step. I think we all recognize that we have to invest in equipment, people, time and leadership.''
This year will be a critical year for Constellium, Villemin said.
''A lot of our customers have given us a lot of trust,'' he said. ''Many of our key customers have decided to give us much more business.''
Customers include Boeing, Airbus, AMI, Dassault Aviation, Embrear, Ryerson, Bombardier, ThyssenKrupp, Metals USA, FreightCar America, Champagne Metals, Facchini S.A., Aluminum Line, Weber Metals and Copper & Brass.
''We believe the future of (the) Ravenswood (plant) lies in high technology, training the employees and being a good citizen,'' Villemin said. ''I am very sure we will be successful.''
Tomblin spoke about how the products produced in Ravenswood serve industries and how Constellium is investing in substantial upgrades at the Ravenswood facility to improve its competitive position in the marketplace.
''This plant is so important to the people of Jackson County and the region's economy,'' he said. ''There are industries that absolutely depend on your ability to deliver your high quality product.''
Tomblin said the stretcher is the largest of its type in the world.
''The company will be able to supply plates that are thicker and wider than any other aluminum manufacturer,'' Tomblin said. ''It gives us pause to look forward to future successes.''
Gephardt, who founded the Gephardt Group, an Atlanta-based labor consultant firm, after retiring from Congress in 2005, had done work at Ravenswood in securing new opportunities for the site. He talked about the need for people to work together to improve the standing of American business in the world.
''There are a lot of people, over the last 30 years, who have said America cannot compete in manufacturing,'' he said. ''This plant and the announcement of this stretcher is evidence that we can compete and we can win.
''I expect to return to this plant many times to celebrate more investment and more jobs in this plant. I expect to be back here to prove once and for all that workers and business in West Virginia can compete with the best in the world.''
Also present Wednesday were representatives from the offices of Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, and Ohio Rep. Bill Johnson, who each read a statement from their official. Also in attendance were Ripley Mayor Carolyn Rader, Ravenswood Mayor Lucy Harbert and Jackson County Commissioner Tommy Nutter as well as Leo Gerard, president, and Tom Conway, vice president, of the United Steel Workers International.
Billy Thompson, director for District 8 of USW International, said with U.S. manufacturing having faced an uncertain future, it was good to see something happen that will put people to work.
''I have seen many plants shut down, including the one next door (referring to the closed Century Aluminum plant), throughout the union,'' he said. ''We have wondered if this facility would survive.
''We are pleased that Constellium is putting money into this facility. Our members are up to the challenge and we are ready to go to work.''
The new stretcher represents the future of many around Ravenswood, Gerard said.
''It doesn't just represent good jobs for us; it represents good jobs for the kids and grandkids of the people who live and want to work in this area,'' he said.
