The new facility, a 142,800-square-foot-building, will house equipment transferred from Sapa’s Portland plant and other facilities, as well as new equipment and facility upgrades.
The Port of Vancouver facility is the first Sapa location in the state of Washington. Sapa’s Portland operation currently consists of six facilities that serve the solar/renewable energy, building and construction, distribution, and consumer durables markets.
Sapa expects to invest $6.5M in new manufacturing equipment and additional facility upgrades that will occur over the first 12 months of occupancy at the new location.
The first addition to the new Port of Vancouver facility was a 7” press relocated from Sapa’s British Columbia plant in October. The press has been upgraded with new equipment for safety and improved production and quality.
The Port of Vancouver facility will also house the extrusion die manufacturing operation from Sapa’s Portland plant, which requires the relocation of 22 pieces of machinery in late January.
This transfer, along with three new machining centres, will allow Sapa to expand and modernise its Portland die manufacturing operation, almost doubling its capacity.
The final phase of expansion will take place in late 2012 when an additional 5” press is transferred to the Port of Vancouver facility from Sapa’s Portland plant. The 5” press is being modified for use of Sapa Technical Dynamics Aluminum (TDA) at the new facility.