The extension will increase the ability of the company to meet domestic demand for products and components in China.
The NOK315M ($54.3M) investment covers the two presses, including installation, building and construction, and auxiliary equipment.
One of the new presses will be dedicated to heat transfer components and systems, while Hydro intends to use the other toward industrial customers who require services such as fabrication or surface treatment – the higher-end building and construction segment is an example.
Hydro plans to begin production at the first press during the middle of 2012, with production on the other press starting several months later. This will bring to three the number of presses at the Suzhou plant.
The market for extruded products in China is more than 8Mt – nearly three times as large as the European market – and Hydro is expecting growth to continue.