JW Aluminum Co. executives joined local and state officials today at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a new melting and casting operation at the company’s aluminum rolling facility in Russellville, Ark.

At the anticipated 2006 completion date, the total capacity of the Russellville facility will increase to 120 million pounds of aluminum sheet and foil. The current capacity is 12 million pounds a year. The company projects an increase of up to 125 employees, up from the initial work force of 40.

The first caster, which started up March 31, is part of the initial phase of a major expansion program the company is undertaking at the Russellville location. The first 60 million pounds of the new capacity are slated to be on-stream by the second quarter of 2005.

“We are extremely pleased that JW Aluminum has the confidence in our work force, and our community as a whole, to make such a long-term commitment to the area and for the company’s future,” said Jeff Pipkin, president and CEO of the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce and director of the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development Inc. “This expansion provides a major boost to the manufacturing employment base and the amount of financial investment in the River Valley area and improves the overall average wage base as well.”

The new equipment at the Russellville plant includes proprietary, state-of-the-art melting furnaces, as well as additional casting, rolling and annealing equipment.

“This move comes in part as a response to the needs expressed by our customers for an immediate increase in fin stock capacity,” said Jake Bigham, vice president, Sales and Marketing of JW Aluminum Co. “This dramatic jump in fin stock requirements in the air conditioning industry is a direct result of the new SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) requirements that will be effective January 2006.”

The expansion is part of the previously announced strategy to dramatically grow the Russellville plant, which JW Aluminum purchased in April 2004.

“We believe the installed cost of this additional capacity is less than half of the traditional industry average and will allow us to continue to drive industry-leading returns on invested capital,” said Don Kassing, president and CEO of JW Aluminum Co. “JW Aluminum will continue to seek opportunities to grow its capacity to supply its specialty flat-rolled aluminum products including bare and coated fin stock.”

JW Aluminum currently employs 800 people at its three aluminum rolling operations, in South Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas. The company is headquartered in Mt. Holly, S.C.

For more information, visit JW Aluminum’s website: www.jwaluminum.com.