Aleris today announced that it has attained AS 9100 certification for its new rolling mill in Zhenjiang, China, which is the basic aircraft-related quality standard approval for the production of aircraft aluminum plate. The audit for the certification was performed by the Chinese Branch of the German certification body TUV SUD (Technischer Uberwachungsverein), and the certification was achieved in December 2013. With the AS 9100 accreditation, the plant is equipped to produce and deliver material in accordance with aircraft material standards such as AMS and AMS-QQ-A.

Aleris' $350 million hot rolling mill unveiled in early 2013 was designed to meet fast-growing national and global demand for technically advanced aluminum plate products for global aerospace and commercial plate customers. Qualification programs with major aircraft manufacturers are underway, and the company expects to begin shipping aircraft material in the second half of 2014.

"The AS 9100 certification represents a key milestone in the qualification process for the production of aircraft material at our new state-of-the-art facility in Zhenjiang," John Zhu, president, Aleris China said. "Achieving this certification requires meeting a number of rigorous quality standards and I would like to congratulate the Aleris team for this significant accomplishment, which will further solidify the company's position as a supplier of aluminum plate to the global aerospace industry."

Once the qualification process is complete, Aleris Zhenjiang is expected to be one of the first facilities in Asia Pacific equipped to produce aluminum plate for the major global aircraft manufacturers. Since opening last year, Aleris Zhenjiang has been shipping orders for commercial plate customers globally. These products serve a number of technically demanding end uses including engineering, transportation, ship-building, and air separation units.

In addition to achieving the AS 9100 accreditation, the Zhenjiang plant has also received approval from many certification societies such as TUV, the American Bureau of Shipping, Class NK, and Bureau Veritas to supply products into shipbuilding, silo, pressure vessel and other markets.