Constellium and UACJ to expand joint venture to produce BiW sheet in U.S.

Netherlands-based Constellium N.V. has signed a memorandum of understanding with its Japanese partner UACJ Corp. to expand their existing joint venture to produce automotive body-in-white (BiW) sheet in the U.S. The final contract is subject to the board approval of each party.

Under the expanded joint venture, the companies contemplate a joint investment in two previously announced 100-kt finishing lines, which would be funded 51 percent by Constellium and 49 percent by Tri-Arrows Aluminium Holdings, a U.S. affiliate of UACJ. Location of the finishing lines is still to be decided.

The joint venture already has invested in a first finishing line located in Bowling Green, Ky., which is expected to begin prequalification production in mid-2016 and ramp-up in 2017.