Bonnell plans $17 million expansion in next 12 months
From Staff Reports
news@newnan.com
Newnan-based Bonnell Aluminum, a longtime Coweta County industry and subsidiary of Tredegar Corporation, will be investing $17 million during the next 12 months in an expansion project that will include purchase of a new state-of-the-art aluminum extrusion line for the automotive market.
The aluminum extrusion line will be dedicated to serve the growing demand from automotive and light truck original equipment manufacturers, company officials said in a release Tuesday.
According to Coweta County Development Authority President Greg Wright, the project is anticipated to add 32 jobs for the community.
“We know automotive and light truck manufacturers are facing more stringent fuel-efficiency requirements imposed by recently revised CAFE standards,” said Ira Endres, director of sales and marketing. “New fleets must be capable of meeting 54.5 miles per gallon in efficience by 2025. To meet this requirement, in addition to power train enhancements, automobile manufacturers are also looking at reducing overall weight.”
“Aluminum extrusions have one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios among all materials and offer almost endless design flexibility characteristics to engineers who are challenged to push their ingenuity to meet new and ever stringent standards,” he said.
The company points to information from Ducker Worldwide LLC that demand for extrusions in automotive applications is expected to increase at an annual rate beyond the forecasted Gross National Product. As a consequence, the aluminum extrusion industry needs additional qualified manufacturers capable of meeting automotive quality requirements, Bonnell officials said.
“We are on schedule to complete our ISO TS-16949 certification in the second quarter of 2013,” added Endres. “With that, our company will be very well positioned to become a strategic supplier to these manufacturers. We have it all: technical skills, design and engineering support, capacity and company size. And with Tredegar as our parent corporation, we also have the financial strength and backing to successfully grow our position in the automotive market. We are very excited about the future.”
Terry Daviston, chairman of the Coweta County Development Authority, said, “This is great news for Newnan and Coweta County. Bonnell has been an industry leader for decades, and we appreciate their continued support of our community. Bonnell is a great company and a great corporate citizen, and we are fortunate to have them operating in Coweta County.”
Also, according to Newnan Mayor Keith Brady, “The City of Newnan is proud and excited that Bonnell Aluminum, a well-respected and enduring corporate citizen, has elected to enhance its investment in the community. Bonnell’s 60-year history as a leading manufacturer has provided countless Newnanites with employment opportunities and their recent announcement reinforces that confidence and commitment for future generations.”
Members of the Newnan and Coweta County economic development team who assisted with the project were Greg Wright, Brenda Washington and Jerry Ann Conner, Coweta County Development Authority; Hasco Craver, City of Newnan; E Jane Caraway, Georgia Department of Economic Development; and Odessa Archibald, Georgia Power Community and Economic Development.
Bonnell Aluminum is a company “with deep roots in Georgia,” said Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Chris Cummiskey. “We congratulate them on their success, and are delighted to see their continued expansion and investment in Newnan. Georgia’s skilled workforce, superior logistics infrastructure and pro-business climate create an environment for growth for Georgia manufacturers.”
