Sapa Extrusions-North America announced a $10 million project to expand casting pit operations at its Cressona, Pa. plant. The project will add 100 million pounds of additional annual capacity to Sapa's total casting operations, which include cast houses in Spanish Fork (Utah), Delhi (La.), Yankton (S.D.), Cressona (Pa.) and Toronto, Canada.

Construction on the Cressona expansion will commence this month with completion and start-up of the facility scheduled for September 2011.

Sapa officials said that it is expanding to address the tightening market for aluminum billet. "We will continue to make significant investments to improve and expand our casting capacity at a time when demand for billet is increasing," said Sat S. Adusumillli, director, technology and capital. "Not only does this help to integrate our 16 extrusion operations in North America, it also insures our ability to provide our customers with competitively priced products."